This post is inspired by "My Life in Books," a weekly feature in Newsweek magazine. Famous authors (and lately, filmmakers and musicians) are interviewed about the books that shaped them over the years. However, a question that I always find intriguing is the "rejection" question, in which the interviewees are asked some variation on the question, "What book let you down?"
So, for this month, what book let you down, and why? It may be a childhood favorite that, upon rereading, you discovered to be filled with faults. It may be a bona fide classic that just didn't do it for you. It may be a best seller that you thought didn't live up to its hype.
For example:
A book that let me down was Pretties. I'd read Uglies and greatly enjoyed the roller-coaster ride (sorry, bad pun). Although I knew it wasn't brilliant literature, it was a fun read. Tally's dilemma seemed like a good match for the kinds of discussions I wanted groups to have, and the fast pacing kept me hooked far too late into the night. The cliffhanger ending left me obsessing over what might happen, and I waited (impatiently) for several of you to finish passing around my copy of the sequel.
Sadly, when it was finally my turn for Pretties, I was sorely disappointed. The gripping plot twists in the first gave way to overblown stunts, and I didn't buy the love story. The characters seemed flattened out, cartoonish. The vibrancy of the writing and the real investment in the characters by the Scott Westerfield was missing. Although I understood the artifice of Tally's world, for me, the artifice in the writing was distracting and too self-indulgent to be effective. Overall, Pretties was a letdown for me.
Looking forward to hearing about your letdowns!
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22 comments:
A book that really let me down was The carnivorous carnival, the 9th book in the series of unfortunate events. I think for me this book was the book that made the series start going down hill. I didn't really like any of the other books after this. I started reading these books in 3rd or 4th grade and I was really excited for this one to come out, but it really let me down. I thought that it was pretty boring and I thought the plot was a let down compared to all the places Lemony Snicket had taken readers before.
In previous books, there was always the two main struggles; The struggles with their current guardian and the struggle with Count Olaf. In this book the only thing there is is Count Olaf and they're hiding from him in plain site. The whole thing was just boring, uneventful, and long for me. I had to push myself just to finish the book.
The book that let me down was The Mouse Rap. I thought the book was going to reallly bad until I read it. Now it is my favorite book
Dear Anonymous Mouse Rap Fan,
Can you please tell us some more about this book? Why didn't you think you would like it? And, since you do like it, in what way has it let you down?
The book that let me down was the seventh harry potter.
Actually pretty much the ending was the dissapointing part. It seemed like it was just really predictable because you could just guess what was going to happen with harry and voldemort.
So that was my letdown story.
sincerely
bedell05s
A book that really let me down was "Peeps" by Scott Westerfeld. I had read the Uglies series and the Midnighters series, both by Scott Westerfeld, and really enjoyed both. I liked them so much that I was sure any book by him would be good. Unfortunately, "Peeps" let me down. It wasn't nearly as good as I had expected, and I almost put it down at one point. I thought the book was kind of confusing and hard to follow. I felt like way too much of the book was devoted to explaining the technical science stuff; which I couldn't follow. The book wasn't horrible, but I definitely expected better. I still recommend Scott Westerfeld's books (especially the Uglies and Midnighters series), to everyone.
-bedell10e
In response to bedell08m:
I have read the whole Series of Unfortunate Events series, and I definitely see your point. I wouldn't call "The Carnivorous Carnival" a let down for me, but, like I said, I see your point. I liked the books a lot better when the Baudelaire orphans were under the care of a gaurdian. There wasn't as much humor in the later books, and I think humor is one of the best parts of the series. If I had to choose one book out of that series to be a let down it would probably be the last book.
-bedell10e
Hey
bedell27t here,
A book that let me down was the 7th Harry Potter book because it didn't really have any plot twists. I also thought that you could tell what was going to happen next and I like to read books with mysterious plot twists.
I'm joking
In reality a book that let me down was one I checked out from the Chapel Hill library and read. When I was in a bookstore I accidently bought the book because I mistook it for a new book in the series. I only realized it was one I'd read before after I was halfway through. I couldn't return the book either.
Sincerly,
bedell27t
Dear 27t,
Can you tell us some more about the book that let you down? Were you let down by the fact that you'd purchased a book you already read, or was there something in the text itself (story, writing, etc.) that you found to be a letdown?
Please be sure to include the book title. Thanks!
Ms. Bedell
Bedell23s
A book that let me down was Splintering. I thought it was going to be way better than it really was. It didn't seem like much of a story and it had a really bad ending.
I am Bedell25j and the official beverage of Nebraska is Kool-Aid.
Anyway, I am responding to Bedell27t. The seventh Harry Potter book was lame. I'm not exactly sure if that's agreeing or disagreeing with you but I thought the book wasn't that good. The good guy wins. How overplayed is that? Also, How many kids did Harry end up having (including the adopted one[s])? Pretty odd and corny ending. To make a long story short, the book sucked.
Signing off,
Bedell25j
P. S. Go Nebraska! Oh yeaaaaaaaaaaah!
Hey this is bedell07s here
i think that a book that let me down was Ready or Not by Meg Cabot.
First off let me say that i am NOT a Meg Cabot fan, I read Avalon High and thought it was ok so i tried All American Girl. I thought it was ok so i read the sequel Ready or Not.
It was the worst book i have ever read. I was not expecting it to be that good, but i was not expecting it to be THAT bad.
In response to Bedell10e.
I also have read all of the Scott Westerfeld books, and i really liked them. I liked Peeps a lot but that might just be because i am a big vampire novel fan.
ATTENTION IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE 7TH HARRY POTTER BOOK AND STILL WANT TO DO NOT READ THIS POST!!! THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS ABOUT THE BOOK!
Hey guys!! bedell14s here.. My letdown book was also Harry Potter 7.. while I enjoyed the book greatly, I thought that J.K. Rowling tried to incorporate too many new themes for one novel.. Sure, she hinted about them in the sixth, but just barely. She brought in Deathly Hallows for one, she made Harry, Ron, and Hermione NOT go to hogwarts which WAS interesting but still another new thing to keep up with. Apparently Goyle, one of the STUPIDEST characters was able to learn an EXTREMELY powerful dark magic spell in under a year. (The fire spell) Snape is running Hogwarts along with the bad guys, there was a HUGE war between the bad and good guys.. I could go on and on.. don't forget.. I still REALLY like the book, I just think a bit too many new things were brought into play.
Bedell06e
This spoils sisterhood of the traveling pants so if you haven’t read the series don't read this post!!!
The last sisterhood of the traveling pants let me down not because it was a bad book or had a bad plot or anything. The end was just so disappointing. It was one of those books where at the end you were grinding your teeth. You knew the only way the series could end is if the pants were lost.
I think what let me down mostly was being used to (like every other book in the series) the exciting cliff hanging happy ending. Although this ending was heart felt it simply wasn't happy. It left you wanting so much more to such a great series.
-Bedell06e
hey its bedell15d
so everyone might call me crazy but... when i first read the fifth harry potter, i felt really let down. i was probably suffering from some insane disease, but i just could not follow what was going on. by the end of the book i was clueless and confused. i was bored the entire time i read it.
HOWEVER the second time i read it i looved it. (ive read it 3 times i think) i think maybe i was just tired or something the first time.
anyway i hope this counts because i guess it just comes to show that you can't really say a book sucks until you really understand it.
bedell15d:
in response to alll the harry potter 7 let down-ers:
i think that really, the book was good! just the epilogue oh my gosh was awful. its the sort of thing I would write. and thats really saying something. but really, i think the book itself was good. too bad the series is over
A book that let me down was Twilight. The reason it let me down was that all these people were telling me that it was the greatest book ever, and that once you read it, you'll just be so excited to read the next two, but really it wasn't that good. It was a decent book and i enjoyed reading it, but it's more of a cute love story instead of an all around great book. I don't think that it can really compare to Harry Potter, because in Twilight, there is just two characters that you really care about, and in Harry Potter you are obsessed with all of them. The plot is also a lot better, and it seems a lot more realistic.
bedell22l
This is in response to all people let down by Harry Potter or Series of Unfortunate Events. Sometimes when you enjoy a series a lot you expect maybe to much from the next book. Maybe if you approach this book like its not from a series it might not let you down as much. Its probably going to be better than the first time you read it.
A book that I have read within the past few years that really let me down was a book called Tyrell by Coe Booth. It was a great book to till the ending. It was pretty much a let down. It seems to lead up to so many events, yet still have so many questions un-answered. I like a little suspense towards the end, but to leave everything un-answered is ridiculous!
This is in response to Bedell08M. I think the exact same about the series of Unfortunate Events. That book made the rest of the series seem so boring! Also I think by the ninth book it all had the same type theme going on. It was time for a major tune up in the series.
This is in response to mrs.Bedell. I've heard that the Uglies series was good, but never got around to read it. Finally a friend got me to pick a book up and just go for the read. But the book did not live up to expectations of what other readers have said. So for you the pretties was dissapointing, but for me i never got into the Uglies!
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