The Hype Was Lost On Me: Popular Books That Missed The Mark

Apr 2

Apr 2 The Hype Was Lost On Me: Popular Books That Missed The Mark

“Art is not right or wrong, it’s just art.”

I have no idea who to attribute that quote to other than my elementary school art teacher, who had those words affixed above the blackboard. It was her way of saying, pour your heart into the work and don’t worry what others will say about it because you are creating for you.

It’s a wonderful sentiment for a tween that doesn’t need money and is aiming for a prime location on the refrigerator, but professional artists — writers included — depend on other people enjoying, recommending and buying their art.

By nature, art is subjective. People view it through a lens of personal experiences and determine if it’s “right” for them or not. While some amateur reviewers shy away from sharing negative or indifferent reviews of the books they read, I’m not one of them.

Not everything is going to land – and that’s okay. It’s art! Critiquing or criticizing a book shouldn’t be interpreted as a personal attack on an author (unless it clearly is) as much as a reflection of the reader and their experiences.

Since joining #Bookstagram, I’ve been victim of the hype machine for certain reads that left me disappointed in the end. Sharing these opinions makes me feel like an outcast, but I’ll never sacrifice giving an honest opinion in order to placate someone else. After all, what fun would it be if we all interpreted art the same way?

Previously I discussed four novels that I judged harshly at first but time, and further reflection has changed my mind. Maybe that will one day be the case with these books, but until that day, here is my entirely unpopular opinion on six books I hated and five I couldn’t even finish.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.47 | My Rating: 3/5 stars
Dates read: July 29 – August 8, 2019
Format: Audiobook (SIL library)

It’s basically a fairy tale re-telling, which means it is far from an original story. I have no idea why people are so enamored by it. The whole thing was so…average.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.26 | My Rating: 1/5 stars
Dates read: March 4 -7, 2019
Format: Audiobook (library loan)

The “based on a true story” aspect is why I think people give this one a pass. Who wants to be the cold-hearted prick that criticizes someone’s experience living in a concentration camp? But it’s simply not written well, plus the Auschwitz Research Centre and Lali and Gita’s son have publicly taken issue with how situations are represented. That should be enough to make people skip this one. Read more here.

The Institute by Stephen King
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.20 | My Rating: 2/5 stars
Dates read: September 20 – 27, 2019
Format: Audiobook (library loan)

Out of the dozen Stephen King books I've read, this is one of his weakest. A blatant "Stranger Things" meets "X-Men" meets "Minority Report" mash-up that's remarkably dull and unoriginal.

Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.14 | My Rating: 1.5/5 stars
Dates read: October 19 – 28, 2020
Format: Audiobook (library loan)

I’m not pissed at the fact a novel takes place at a conversion therapy program; I’m pissed it’s THIS novel. The book is hot garbage. Poorly paced, one-dimensional characters, tired stereotypes and a ridiculously implausible timeline of events add up to a head-scratching 400-pages. Read more here.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.10 | My Rating: 2/5 stars
Dates read: April 1 - 5, 2020
Format: Audiobook (library loan)

Don't even get me started on the level of incompetence at the psychiatric facility, which was distracting and contributed to a level of unbelievability in the whole story. Disjointed, half-baked characters, stupid red-herrings -- it all adds up to a C-level, direct-to-Netflix plot that's forgettable as soon as it ends.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Goodreads Average Rating: 4.00 | My Rating: 1/5 stars
Dates read: May 26 – 29, 2018
Format: Audiobook (SIL library)

A sometimes intriguing adult fairy tale that ultimately renders itself uninteresting through convoluted plots and a general WTF aura.

BONUS: Popular books that I couldn’t finish