Thread Of Dire Judgment

[Carol]

I am in the minority here. I did not read Harry Potter or Twilight series. I did watch three of the Potter movies, does that count? Those books are very far in the remote pasture of my reading list, I doubt I will ever get to them. So I can't judge.

[Kaion]

My friend did the same thing. I can't say I understand that motivation. Books (and movies) I (voluntarily) read that I hated... I hated that they could've been *better*. Life's too short.

But it's interesting that both Xox and Kandice went in expecting about the same thing (I'm assuming), but very different intentions of how they would react to it.

carol (akittykat) wrote: "I am in the minority here. I did not read Harry Potter or Twilight series. I did watch three of the Potter movies, does that count? Those books are very far in the remote pasture of my reading list..."

Bigfoot sighting! Seriously, I didn't know you people exist. Do you get annoyed with people saying you have to read it? Or do you just acquaint yourself with spoilers/the movies.

See, this is the sort of stuff we should be learning about you carol (since you've privy to that much about us).

[Sasha]

Kaion, my personal opinion: V for Vendetta is very early Alan Moore, and it's not as sophisticated as his later stuff. I found it a little too "Woo, check out how radical I am!" Worth reading anyway, I suppose. It's not bad. It's just not as good.

Carol, we want to know every book you've ever read so we can dissect it in excruciating detail and judge you for every page of it.

[Sasha]

You're a masochist, Xox.

[Stacey]

Xox - I absolutely did not like The Time Traveler's Wife and have been slammed for that by friends and some family. I have no interest in the movie either (hubby just got it).

Tried reading Twilight, returned it to the library the same day. Did not like it at all. My sisters RAVED about the series and cannot believe that it doesn't interest me.

[Carol]

Follow me down the yellow brick road or be my friend.

[El]

Xox, I'm sure what you are saying about The Time Traveller's Wife is true; I've not read it, so I can't say, but I think I most likely agree with you.

BUT... you gave five stars both to Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women!? Ehrenreich wouldn't know the first thing about "getting by" if it bit her in the face. And Wurtzel I can almost get behind, but Bitch was the biggest load of BS rambling I've ever encountered. She made no valid point in the entire book!

[Kaion]

(I'll keep that in mind while reading V For Vendetta, El Alex.)

Alright, I'm tapping out. Too serious business.

[El]

I guess if you learned something from Ehrenreich... okay. I don't think it was a very good portrayal of what it's like to be a part of the "working poor", but a lot of other readers thought it was accurate too.

But Bitch - Wurtzel was trying to write about strong women in history, but was so doped up that all she managed to do was show just how unhinged she was herself. Not to mention that she was given time and money to write this book and she made a mockery of everyone who tried to help her. Her other books were okay, but this particular one was not meant to be about her life but about the lives of other women. She managed to negate the point she was trying to make about strong-willed women by writing about them coked out of her mind.

Whew, that felt good. :)

Oh, and I explained my reasoning behind Curious a page or two ago in this thread. It falls in that category of book where everyone was raving about it, so when I read it I was disappointed. Plus based on my own personal experiences I didn't find it to be very accurate or that interesting of a book. The character made no impression on me whatsoever. I have heard the book has made people cry. I have no memory of what in the book could produce tears in a reader, but again, that's just me and my crusted-up heart. :)

[El]

Kaion wrote: "(I'll keep that in mind while reading V For Vendetta, El.)

Alright, I'm tapping out. Too serious business."

That was Alex who made a point about V, but now that you mention it, I do agree with what he said about it. :)

[El]

Oh, and Xox, one last thing - no matter our difference of opinions on Ehrenreich and/or Wurtzel, you and I do agree 100% on Twilight. :)

[Jayme]

I'm surprised how many of you read stuff that you know you won't like, just to say you don't like it. I have no problem not liking books that I haven't even read. Here's a list of authors I won't read:

1.Stephanie Meyer - Twilight (not just because vampire books are dumb, but also because I really dislike the author as a person).
2.Jodi Picoult
3.Maeve Binchy
4.A lot of things from Oprah's book club
5.Sue Grafton
6.Janet Evanovich
etc...

[Carol]

Alex wrote: Carol, we want to know every book you've ever read so we can dissect it in excruciating detail and judge you for every page of it.

Have at it I opened my profile for a while do your worst or best. Whatever suits you.

[Jayme]

Hmmm, I can't find anything terribly good to make fun of, Carol. You were nicer than I was to Huckleberry Finn and Wuthering Heights, but eh that's ok. Most of our ratings are pretty close!

[Carol]

I know I am boring. I use to love all the James Bond books though. Will that appease the book Nazis.

[Shona]

I've enjoyed reading this thread...quite enlightening! I don't have a lot to add as my reading is generally limited to contemporary literary fiction, with just a few classics thrown in there.
I have to echo the statements about Jodi Picoult - I have read some books of hers that I have really enjoyed, but the last couple made me want to throw them out the window - especially Handle with Care - does she ever have any original ideas?
As far as the Twilight series - I have to say that I tried to read them, but the level of writing was just too painful to get through. I have to give them a little credit though. That series got my younger daughter into reading. My oldest daughter has always been a reader, but my youngest just wasn't in to reading. On a family trip two years ago I got her the first Twilight book. She couldn't put it down. She zipped through all of them, then went on to the whole Harry Potter series and now she is always reading a book. So as bad as Stephanie Meyer's writing is (and I equate it to an 8th grader trying to write a story), it at least got my daughter interested in books.

[El]

Hmm, I don't know... 2-stars for The Shining, Carol? :) But I think I can forgive that as I think you've mentioned before you don't like the horror genre.

I've only read one James Bond book, and it was okay. I love the movies, even if they are misogynistic. :)

[Sasha]

Yay Carol! We agree on an awful lot of things...but who gives Hamlet three stars? Hamlet!? That's...I mean, that's a pretty good play.

And you're yet another of the many who dislike Love in the Time of Cholera. Dislike (or apathy) for that book seems so widespread, I'm starting to worry that I'm the one who's wrong. But no, impossible.

[Carol]

Yea I finally grew up, now I think I was just in love with Sean Connery.

Those horror books creep me out so much. i told you i am a wuss El


BlahBlah Alex Cholera it is a plague, that I think needs to be eradicated.

[Jayme]

Oh Carol, I missed your 3 stars for Hamlet. That's a great play! And where would Lord of the Rings be without it?! It's my second favourite Shakespeare play, right after Midsummer Night's Dream.

[Carol]

It is not to be and that is no question. It was not worth all the hype. Now Richard has some bite. I just like those Plantagenet's of the Yorkies.

[Jayme]

I haven't read King Richard yet. So far I haven't been a fan of any of his historical plays.

[Carol]

Ah history is my genre and forte at least a little.

[JSou]

Alex wrote: I'm starting to worry that I'm the one who's wrong. But no, impossible.

Hmmm-mmmm. Just keep telling yourself that Alex. :)

I totally agree with El about The Curious Incident.... Dealing with the subject matter on a personal level just made the book kind of fall flat for me. I think I ended up giving it 3 stars though...

Oh, and I've never read Harry Potter either. :o/

[Kaion]

Jayme wrote: "Oh Carol, I missed your 3 stars for Hamlet. That's a great play! And where would Lord of the Rings be without it?! It's my second favourite Shakespeare play, right after Midsummer Night's Dream."

I didn't know Lord of the Rings is based on Hamlet? (Granted my exposure to Hamlet is Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and parts of the Mel Gibson movie and The Lion King. Yes, my English teacher had us read R&G without reading Hamlet).

[El]

All this talk of Hamlet is just making me think of the movie Clueless:

Josh's girlfriend: It's just like Hamlet said, "To thine own self be true."
Cher: Hamlet didn't say that.
Josh's girlfriend: I think I remember Hamlet accurately.
Cher: Well, I remember Mel Gibson accurately, and he didn't say that. That Polonius guy did.

[Carol]

Cher was right. That Polonius guy said it to his son Laertes. Hamlet said To be or not to be.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

That is a great little movie, Clueless. Probably the best film version of Emma that I've seen. A teen comedy with very sharp little teeth.

[Carol]

I am certainly Clueless, never seen the movie.(are you all booing and hissing, I can hear murmurs)

[JSou]

I still love that movie.

[El]

I probably quote more from that movie than any other. Oh, that and St. Elmo's Fire of course.

[Carol]

St. Elmo's classic

[Liz]

El wrote: "Sorry, Jayme, I'm another one who doesn't understand the Neil Gaiman fanclub. Coraline was pretty decent, but American Gods was a drag for me to get through. Haven't been able to read anything el..."
I loved Starudst. For me it was the ultimate fairy tale. I think some people think it's lame that he made it more for adults just by adding some sex and violence, but I never felt while reading that such stuff was in there just to grow the book up. I also really like the movie. The two are slightly different, but I enjoy both. Just my two cents.
Donna, out of curiosity, why didn't you like The Secret Life of Bees?

[Sasha]

LOTR is not based on Hamlet. I think Jayme meant...wait, Jayme, what did you mean?

Richard III is also one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. :) My favorite of his histories. (Yeah, yeah, Henry V, I know.)

And yeah, Clueless is actually totally awesome. (And totally based on Emma.) Seriously, that movie's great.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I have not read Richard III - but Richard II is terrific.

[Juniper]

Hello! I want to say this thread is perfect, hysterical and a great outlet for differing opinions; good idea on starting it. I have been reading through the posts so thought it only fair to make a comment and not just be some creepy lurker. A well written slam is more entertaining than a lazy curse/insult any day! I hope to become fairly enlightened in this thread and am glad to know where to come when I have a book or an author to throw down on.

[Juniper]

Xox wrote: "Jennifer, Why do you gave Hey Nostradamus!, Life After God and Miss Wyoming only 2 stars. I like Douglas Coupland a lot and he's my favorite Canadian writer."

Hi Xox! Coupland is an amazing guy. I think I have read all of his books but those few just didn't hold my interest as strongly as some of his other works. If it isn't a book that sticks with me, gives me a different/new perspective or is a book I have no trouble parting with than it won't rank as high. Even if it is a writer I enjoy reading and respect. Of course, everyone's opinion is different, right? LOL!

[Sasha]

Hey Jennifer! Good of you to step up. That should be a rule: if you lurk more than twice, you have to post so we can all pick on you too. Some of us are getting sick of picking on each other, after all. This means you, lurker. Ask yourself: WWJ(ennifer)D?

You have some great taste in books, so I had to go hunting, but...you didn't like Life of Pi, huh? I thought that book was tremendous. Although I never did figure out what that island was supposed to mean.

[Cait]

Xox wrote: "Jennifer,

I see. But 2 stars is still a bit low for not his greatest work. On his defense, I like Hey Nostradamus and Life After God. I found them very enjoyable."

I love Douglas Coupland! I haven't read all of his work yet, but I have them all on my shelf and will get to them eventually.

[Jayme]

Alex wrote: "LOTR is not based on Hamlet. I think Jayme meant...wait, Jayme, what did you mean?"

I meant Macbeth, sorry. I always get those two mixed up in my head. Hamlet still rocks though.

And Clueless and Douglas Coupland rock too! But I agree with Jennifer, his books are hit and miss with me. I'd add Eleanor Rigby to the not amazing pile. I really want to read his new Generation A though.

[Jayme]

Ew, Jennifer...4 stars for Moby Dick and the English Patient? Gross. Those books were terrible. And 2 stars for Poisonwood Bible and The Gargoyle makes me sad too, I thought those were both pretty amazing.

[Kaion]

I think it's 8.

How is LoTR based on Macbeth? I don't see it.

[Jayme]

It's where he got his trees marching to war. He thought Shakespeare's version of the trees turning out to be men was lame, so he made them real trees in his book.

What's 8?

[Chantelle]

Ok, lurker posting. Don't be too harsh. :)
I could *not* get through the Twilight books, which is odd, because I love YA lit. (I teach middle school.) I did however, love the House of Night series. Go figure.

[Sasha]

Wow, a middle school teacher. Props to our soldiers and all, but you're the one in the war zone. :)

I couldn't find much to disagree with you on. You liked Hannibal slightly better than I did; I found that book awfully distasteful.

[Chantelle]

Oh, Alex, if you knew how many times I've thought that I should write a book. You have no idea. 15 years in inner-city schools. The stories I could tell...

(and yeah, I tend to be a high grader overall. :)

[VMom]

Alex wrote: " That should be a rule: if you lurk more than twice, you have to post so we can all pick on you too. Some of us are getting sick of picking on each other, af..."


Oh, phooey! I admit I might have peeked in this thread once or thrice ...and maybe burst out laughing several times.
Go ahead, do your worst, you got nuttin on me!
*quakes in shoes*

(PS I agree that Gaiman as a writer is just ok for me. I liked Stardust a lot, but mainly because of the Charles Vess illustrations in the edition I have)

[Donna]

Liz wrote: "El wrote: "Sorry, Jayme, I'm another one who doesn't understand the Neil Gaiman fanclub. Coraline was pretty decent, but American Gods was a drag for me to get through. Haven't been able to read ..."

I don't know, I just could get into it. I read the first few pages and quickly gave up. There is no particular reason so maybe I gave up to quick...???

[Donna]

Alex wrote: "Wow, a middle school teacher. Props to our soldiers and all, but you're the one in the war zone. :)

I couldn't find much to disagree with you on. You liked Hannibal slightly better..."

I love Thomas Harris but he went really wrong with Hannibal!

[El]

Mayakda, I don't have much to say since we don't have that many books in common. But I did see you read something by Ekaterina Sedia who looks interesting. I've added both her books to my TBR. I'm a sucker for Russian authors.