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Books you wish you'd never bought in the first place!

The No. 1 Women's Detective Agency. Heard it was supposed to be a sort of cozy mystery series about a female detective in an African village. Well, sort of. I made it through about two chapters (each of which was sort of a case) but finally threw up my hands in defeat as I could never find a mystery, much less a character! :(
 
E for Additives (I just bought it because it cost 1 euro on sale - and that was because it was printed in 1980-something and the scientific info in it was obsolete).

The Terrorists of Irustan by Louise Marley, because it's just full of crap and the author was too afraid to say she's talking about an Islamic society, so she made it into a sci-fi book.
 
Deliverance. Sat through the movie on edge of seat, walked out of there with head spinning. The book? Like drinking flat beer.
 
Selected Stories by Alice Munro

I had to buy this book for my AS level english. i think forced myself to read the first 2 stories then read none (and didn't turn up to those lessons) until May where i managed to force myself to read another one. Apparently she's the best short story writer of the 20th century. Hell if that's true then 20th century short story writers must suck big time.
 
Perfume by Patrick Suskind. The most loathsome, horrible book I have ever bought. I threw it away! :eek: This is the only book I have ever done that with!

It was recommended by a friend whose taste I often share, but this one - nonononono.
 
Pompeii By Robert Harris . . . Slowest pace book I've ever read.I tried hard to finsih it,but couldn't do so.
 
Wabbit said:
Why did you dislike it so much?
Click to expand...

I found the descriptions of the smells disgusting. I have a very sensitive nose and some of it made me feel sick. Not because the smelly things were disgusting in themselves, but the idea that he could spy and stalk people by smell was horrible. I found his character not just unbelievable (which I wouldn't have minded) but pointlessly confused and inconsistent.

Basically, though, I found the whole concept revolting - I'm not absolutely sure why - although I have talked to others who felt the same, as well as those who loved the book.

I do think it was well written and a 'good' book, just that I couldn't stand it.
 
I baught a Barba Vine and Nicci Gerrard book that I really regret. TONS of others too, but those are probably the main ones.

lani
 
The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum.

I bought them after seeing the first film (this order of books and films doesn't bother me usually) and I found it so slow moving and dull that I struggled to stick with it. However, I persevered, and read the second one, which was just as dire.

Strangely, I managed to finish both books, but I wish I hadn't.
 
Cathy C said:
The No. 1 Women's Detective Agency. Heard it was supposed to be a sort of cozy mystery series about a female detective in an African village. Well, sort of. I made it through about two chapters (each of which was sort of a case) but finally threw up my hands in defeat as I could never find a mystery, much less a character! :(
Click to expand...
Really?! I liked this series a lot. It is slower paced than most books, but the laconic style fits with what is described as the Botswana lifestyle. It sort of pads about with a description of Mme Ramotswe and Mr JLB Matekoni and the children, and then moves off to deal with the mystery as a sort of side quest.

It's not a mystery novel at all, though, and I can understand being disappointed if you were expecting one. Even when it gets to the mystery bit, it's not a who-dunnit sort of thing. This series has a definate style of its own, though, and I found it a very relaxing read :)
 
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

I put it away after the first couple of chapters. I cannot stand Dicken's books, but I decided to give this one a try but I just couldn't force myself to do so. I just really don't like his style of writing and I just find themso boring and far too descriptive.
 
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