Unpopular Literary Opinions

[tinyshoes]

This might get me banned, but I don't think The Devil in the White City is all that. I'm a quarter of the way through and I'm bored senseless. It's mostly expostition and very little action.

Call me sick, but I want more stuff with the killer, forget the World's Fair.

[Deleted]

I never was able to get into Francesca Lia Block. I know that the writing is lovely, but her books just don't seem to have any impact on me, except for one short story, "Blue". I really like urban fantasy, so I was disappointed.

The covers for her books are mighty pretty, though.

[marywebgirl]

I read Wicked over the holidays, and I think it's the straw that broke the camel's back for me and fiction. I just feel like it's a waste of time. I'm currently reading No god But God and it's awesome. Social science for me from here on out!

[Deleted]

I recently read Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos. It's about an elderly woman who is a recluse and finds out she has a fatal brain tumor. So she decides to completely change her life-style and begins literally bringing people into her home to become a part of her life. I finished it, and a few days later picked it up and read it again from beginning to end -- I've never done that with a book. Sure, I've re-read books I love, but not 3 days after the first reading!

(Oops! I just realized that I meant to post this in What are You Reading.)

[garnet927]

tinyshoes said:

This might get me banned, but I don't think The Devil in the White City is all that. I'm a quarter of the way through and I'm bored senseless. It's mostly expostition and very little action.

Call me sick, but I want more stuff with the killer, forget the World's Fair.

I agree--while I didn't hate it, I wasn't nearly as impressed with it as many of the critics/reading public. (I work at a Chicagoland bookstore, so I've had lots of customers asking for it/raving about it.).

[spinsterliz]

jane said:

I never was able to get into Francesca Lia Block. I know that the writing is lovely, but her books just don't seem to have any impact on me, except for one short story, "Blue". I really like urban fantasy, so I was disappointed.

I liked her at first, but then her stuff started to bore me. They've always got the same kind of protagonist: a teenage girl in L.A. who's really skinny and fragile and usually was abused in some way. The writing is very pretty and poetic, but I wish she'd try something else as far as characterization goes.

[tinyshoes]

garnet927 said:

tinyshoes said:

This might get me banned, but I don't think The Devil in the White City is all that. I'm a quarter of the way through and I'm bored senseless. It's mostly expostition and very little action.

Call me sick, but I want more stuff with the killer, forget the World's Fair.

I agree--while I didn't hate it, I wasn't nearly as impressed with it as many of the critics/reading public. (I work at a Chicagoland bookstore, so I've had lots of customers asking for it/raving about it.).

Glad I'm not the only one who wasn't impressed. I kind of feel bad about not liking it, because I got it as a gift. But hey, to each her own.

[speciousreasoning]

I just read Aaron Klein's book, Striking Back, about the Munich massacre and Mossad's response. It was interesting. The theme? Don't piss Mossad off, even a little. It may take them a while, but they'll get you. There were an acknowledgement of the screw up in Norway, okay an entire chapter. A very very interesting book.
I have no interest in The Davinci Code or A Million Little Pieces and I never will.

[Shanmac]

I could not get into Kerouac's On the Road. Not one little bit. Borrrr-ing!

Me too. I tried to get into it, but no dice. Maybe one day, if I'm bored, I'll pick it up again. But probably not.

[Deleted]

guinastasia said:

Mists of Avalon. I cannot stand MoA. Everyone raves about it, but I found it horrid. It's supposed to be a feminist version of the Arthurian legend? Then why are the female characters so thoroughly unlikable? Morgaine thinks everyone is beneath her, walks around with her nose in the air, Vivian is a meddling, nosy brat, Guinevere is a prissy, fundy prude, etc. I HATED it.

Mea culpa. I'm re-reading it now...and I love it. I feel really stupid now. But I still want to slap Gwenahyfer into next Tuesday.