Here's this week's meme from Lost in Books. These are books that I've been told I would love, but I absolutely didn't. Maybe my expectations were too high, but regardless, I was not a fan.
1) The Accidental Tourist: I was so frustrated with the main character, Macon Leary. He had no personality; it was like he didn't exist. I think part of it is the fact that I love to travel and his entire job is to help business men never experience the culture of the place they have to travel to. I did like Leary's siblings and their odd dynamics, but that was the only redeeming part of the book for me.
2) A Confederacy of Dunces: I'd heard so much about how hilarious this book was before I read it. I think my expectations were just too high. I never connected with Ignatius and I really just felt sorry for his mother. I've been told I should read it again, but I just don't know if I can. I did love the character Miss Trixie; she was fantastic.
3) The Art of Racing in the Rain: I kept reading wonderful reviews on people's blogs and so I picked this up. It wasn't too bad at first, but then it snowballs into a parade of bad situations that torment the narrator's (a dog) owner. I didn't have a problem with the dog's point-of-view bit, but it got so incredibly cheesy. It's the scene in the courtroom that really did me in.
11 comments:
A Confederacy of Dunces makes me want to DIE. Everyone loves it. I do not.
Or maybe that gives it too much credence--I don't actually care enough about it for it to make me want to die. Tear my eyes out and soak them in lye?
I actually haven't read any of these books, but Tasha aka Heidenkind from Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Books has recommended Confederacy of Dunces to me. It probably depends a lot on your sense of humor. Like, for example, I do NOT get what is so funny about Monty Python. It's not British humor I don't get because I think a lot of British comedians are funny, it is just MP.
Amanda- Finally! Someone who doesn't think I'm crazy for not loving this book. I feel vindicated.
Rebecca- You might really like Confederacy, because I love Monty Python. "We are the knights who say ni!"
"It's a mere flesh wound! ..." :-)
The Accidental Tourist, if I remember correctly, was my least favorite of Anne Tyler's books. I wasn't wild about the movie, either, though it had some talented actors.
I started "A Confederacy of Dunces" quite some time ago ... and I don't think I finished it so I suspect I felt the same way you did.
And I'm curious now to see what I think of "The Art of Racing in the Rain."
Stephanie - Let me know if you have another book you'd recommend by Tyler. I've also read her book, Back When We Were Grown Ups and I didn't love it, but I'm willing to give her another try.
Oh! Oh! (Waves her hand in the air)
Read Tyler's Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant--I think it's her best one.
I didn't care for A Confederacy of Dunces. Not sure what everyone else sees in it.
Thanks Jeanne! I'm adding it to my TBR. I love that title.
A Confederacy of Dunces didn't do it for me. I came to the conclusion that you 'get' this character and this novel in the first 50 pages, and nothing really moves on after that. I did like the character of -what'sisname? - Jones the Black guy, and some of the ventriloquism that Toole manages: he knows how to do voices.
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