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Dislike of popular books thread!
I have a...
I have a couple of friends who agree with me on this, so I don't feel as weird saying this as I would otherwise: I really don't like Harry Potter. I'm sorry, all you Harry Potter lovers (Potterheads?), but this has to be said: honestly, the books are 2 dimensional. They basically have the same plot, that's basically "Oh my god, Voldemort's alive again and gonna kill us all! Oh, wait, he won't, because Harry will save us!" Seven times. Seven times. The first few times it was ok, but then it just got super repetitive.
and I also don't like Divergent. I mean, the plot and world building is great, but I don't really like Veronica Roth's writing that much.
so what about you guys? Any popular books that you don't like? Or will you please explain to me why everyone likes these books so much?
submitted by the doctor, age 14, the tardis
(November 27, 2013 - 10:17 am)
(November 27, 2013 - 10:17 am)
@ the doctor: I completely understand why someone wouldn't like Harry Potter. I prefer the earlier books, and several people on here know my strong dislike of the fifth. I enjoyed them because I was amazed at how JK Rowling was able to intertwine things from earlier books into later, making them significant. She kept a really good, strong plot through the whole series, giving it an epic finale.
Twilight. I haven't read it (but for VERY good reason), but I know a lot of what's in it, and I will just never understand why it ever became popular. Someone explain THAT to me.
*spoilers*
The Hunger Games. Again, I haven't read this either, but I know pretty much everything in them. To me they're just dark, pointless, with a lot of unecessary killing. I know Katniss is supposed to be the beacon of hope and all, but at the end, she just ends up depressed! Prim dies, Cinna dies, Finnick dies. And she's supposed to fake a romance!?! To me, it was just too dark and twisted. I started to, but it just absolutely turned my stomach. Now, I'm not going to ask anyone to explain this one. Please don't. I've heard the arguments, and this is just my personal opinion on it.
Heroes of Olympus: Yes, I'm actually going to say, I don't like this series. Nor the Kane Chronicles. Most people know I'm now boycotting HoO, but I just overall can't get into it the way I could with PJO. I'm a HUGE fangirl for PJO! I loved it! But Heroes of Olympus just doesn't do it for me. Sorry.
As to Divergent, I haven't read it yet. I've heard mixed things, so I guess I'll just have to read and decide.
So those are my "popular" series books. I honestly find myself reading the more unpopular, not as known books. That's just what I prefer.
(November 27, 2013 - 4:11 pm)
*spoilerish* I know that I'm only supposed to read the series when I'm 12, but isn't the plot to The Hunger Games, like, kids kill each other for food?
Cappie says admr. That kind of sounds like add more. Add more what, Cappie?
(December 14, 2013 - 1:00 pm)
I don't like Heroes of Olympus either! xP For many reasons I am too lazy to type out.
Spammy says evvv.
(January 9, 2014 - 9:29 pm)
TOP!
(November 28, 2013 - 9:28 pm)
Doctor, I have the exact same reaction about Harry Potter. I got so sick of it! The whole, entire thing follows a formula. It always starts out where Harry's at his aunt and uncle's and then he escapes, and then they ride the train. Draco is in the formula to torture him, they arrive, he goes to Hogwarts, they find out about Voldemort, then set out to kill him.
That's why I liked the 4th book. That one was different!
I pretty much like all the popular books I read. I liked Percy Jackson, the Hunger Games was . . . ok, but way too stretched out. I mostly don't like where in book clubs (such as the one I'm in for school) the members only want to keep reading all the popular books, and don't want to read any classics. Arrrrrrr that makes me so mad!!!!!
(November 29, 2013 - 6:49 am)
@Blackberry: that is EXACTLY my problem with Harry Potter! Although if you think about it, the fourth one does kind of follow that formula, if you think about the Triwizard Tournameqnt as one huge plot of Voldemort's to kill Harry.
(November 29, 2013 - 10:42 am)
@thedoctor & @Blackberry Yes, I loved this books in second grade, but now I realize how stale they are . . . not to mention a total rip off of Lord of the Rings. (Voldemort = Sauron, Horcruxes = Rings, etc) However, this predictability is what makes it good for little kids -- they know that it'll always have a happy ending.
(January 2, 2014 - 8:41 pm)
The fourth movie has David Tennant!
(January 7, 2014 - 5:09 pm)
Well. I dislike The Hunger Games. It has action, which I like, but kids killing kids is a big no-no for me! My mom doesn't want me to read or watch it, but I'm fine with it! Some people are like going crazy about it, and I'm just like Broadway is still better!
(November 29, 2013 - 8:41 am)
@ Blue Fairy: That's exactly me! My mom won't let me read it either, but I don't much care.
(December 1, 2013 - 2:31 pm)
Same here!
(December 3, 2013 - 3:48 pm)
Twilight is terrible because....well, you know.
Divergent is pulp fiction.
(November 29, 2013 - 8:57 am)
I'm kind of wishy-washy on Harry Potter, especially since I haven't read it in a while. Heroes of Olympus I have never liked. Also, the Host, which I've heard was better than Twilight, I couldn't get through. I haven't read Twilight. The Hunger Games I like okay, although the dystopian writing style that has come up of late is starting to get on my nerves.
Spamster in his spamster cage says oyyy. Oi, indeed.
(November 29, 2013 - 11:38 am)
Harry Potter: I like it well enough, but I'm not a fan. The writing and plot isn't all that great, but I do like it.
Divergent: This book is so horrible, I don't even know where to start. I hate how the majority of new teenage fiction is slop. Divergent, frankly, has a very nice premise, but the juvenile writing and weak plot drag it down. I mean, really. Some of this stuff is simply atrocious. For instance, the evil people are all super smart (because everyone who is smart is corrupt!) and, ooh!, they must all have glasses! Because glasses are smart! And evil! And the whole repressed teenager embracing a wild life gambit has been done to death.
Twilight: I don't feel like I have to touch on this, but for those who say you have to read it to experience it, I read about a chapter of New Moon when I was horribly, horribly bored. The writing style was one of the worst I've ever read outside of fanfiction websites.
The Hunger Games: Yay! There are actually people who don't worship this book! I like the general idea, but I'd like to butcher Katniss and her whole love triangle.
Percy Jackson books and related: I don't like them particularly well because I don't like how they treat gods and goddesses. It feels disrespectful to me. Additionally, I don't really like them because they're popular and I always feel like I have to play devil's advocate unless I really, really, really like the popular item in question.
In other news, does present tense writing annoy anyone else besides me?
(November 29, 2013 - 2:45 pm)
@Ruby: You're not alone. I really dislike present tense books, unless the present tense feels like it makes sense in that moment. But most books for toddlers are in the present tense and those are always fun to read:)
(December 1, 2013 - 1:50 am)