What Makes You Hate A Book?

[LadyLynn]

Greetings all! I am not one who is quick to put a book down. I will try to at least read through the first five chapters if a book seems slow going. However, I just recently tried to read a book for review and I couldn't stand it. I didn't even make it out of the first chapter. It wasn't that the story itself was bad, I just couldn't get past the writing style that was used. So that made me wonder, what makes you hate a book? What is the one turn off that ruins it for you?

For me, I don't like a book that is riddled with rambling thoughts and extra details that must be inserted into nearly every sentence. It isn't fun to have stop and focus on the main thought being conveyed through the sentence because it was chopped up by parentheses, hyphens, and a slew of commas that threw several sentences and thoughts together. I prefer to be able to fluidly read the story and take it in for what it is. So please tell me your thoughts. Have there ever been stories that you just couldn't read?

[Rebecca Henderson]

I think hating a book would require me to strongly disagree with what is being said within its pages. Usually, though, I don't read those types of books because I can pick them out. However, if I'm reading a book and it's obvious to me that the author does not respect books or authors or writing, then I usually put the book down and recommend against it. It's a bit like someone going on stage and winging it--badly. I don't have the time to sit around and go through such a bad attempt. I'd rather be spending time with books whose authors do care.

On that note though, one book I couldn't read, even after trying it a few times? A Wrinkle in Time.

[LadyLynn]

Rebecca I love that you focus on the level of care an author puts into their writing. That is so very important. Thanks for sharing!

[AliceofX]

When I'm siding with the villain. Or maybe not necessarily siding with him, but not seeing the hero as the good guy.

[LadyLynn]

So I take it you're not a fan of the "anti-hero"?

When I'm siding with the villain. Or maybe not necessarily siding with him, but not seeing the hero as the good guy.

[Mallory Whitaker]

Mary-Sue characters will turn me off really fast. I don't usually stop reading books with these though because I like to give the author a chance to prove me wrong. But it will make me hate the book afterward. Or a villain who is just evil for the sake of being evil.

[Excitedreads]

I hate novels that try to use too many different protagonists to make one coherent story, but instead end up breaking up the plot into pieces that never eventually fit together in actual harmony. I also hate novels that take too long to actually build up, and when they do, it's shortlived.. I've never actually stopped reading a novel because of either flaw, because i give the author the chance to surprise me, but it does take away from the overall experience.

[Buchacha21]

I hate books with weak, stupid or unlikeable characters. I can handle a poor plot, as long as I like the characters.

The other thing I cannot stand is poor writing. If the book feels like it has been written by a 5 year old, its a deal breaker. Spelling or grammatical errors drive me crazy, but they won't destroy a book for me (unless, of course, the book is completely illegible), but poor writing will.

[AliceofX]

So I take it you're not a fan of the "anti-hero"?

I actually am. But in those stories it's clear that he's not the good guy and no one is pretending he is. What I was talking about are the ones where the author seems oblivious to how dislikeable his character is. I could read stories about bad or damaged characters, but don't try to tell me they're somehow in the moral right.

[Bluecobia]

I very seldom find a book I hate. When I do it usually is where the author goes on and on with out really saying anything?

[cnrd6812]

Books that try to substitute form for content; where the author assumes that invoking a style or using the right amount of clichés is an acceptable substitute for storytelling. The worst offenders that I've found are "postmodern" novels. I think it comes down to authenticity: I need to feel that author actually wants to tell their story or communicate their message rather than just cash in on a trend.

[JustEthel]

I hate reading romance novels that talks so much about sex. That it can no longer be called a literary form but a porn. A lot of authors also mistook lust for love in their novels.

[Gravy]

Unbelievable characters. If I can't believe a character would actually do what the author has them doing? I'm almost always out.

An example of this (without naming names) is this scenario:
Teen girl sees her boyfriend brutally murdered, and is almost killed herself. Mere days later she awakes from a horrible nightmare and proceeds to undress and walk around her room with her curtains wide open, even after she thinks she sees a face in her window.

I mean, what?!
It read like some gross guy's disgusting fantasy of a teen girl, which I found quit disturbing.
I won't even try another of this author's books because I figure his other female characters will be just as unrealistic and one dimensional.

[Christina Rose]

I try to stick with a book to the end once I have started reading it, but I may not read more from an author or the next book in the case of a series, if I cannot connect with the characters. If the characters have no depth, lack proper development, or are too cliched I will usually not move on to others by the same author. Great characters can fix a lot in an imperfect novel, but it is difficult for me to invest in a book whose author did not invest in the characters.

[Jolyon Trevelyan]

One thing i can`t stand is when the main character is just called The boy or The girl. I don`t mind it if it is a side character that you only see once ( or read ) or twice. But i don`t like it when the main character in a book does not have a name.

One other thing i don`t like is when its far to obvious what is going to happen.


But to be honest i can`t really think of any books that i have actually hated.