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What are some of the most overrated books you've ever read?
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I've been thinking about this lately because I just finished a book that everyone raves about but I found completely underwhelming. It got me wondering about other overrated books discussion topics.
What books have you read that were hyped up way beyond their actual quality? I'm talking about those books everyone loves but you just didn't get the appeal.
For me, I recently tried reading a certain modern classic that's on every "must read" list, and honestly, I couldn't even finish it. The writing felt pretentious and the characters were completely unrelatable.
What about you all? Any books that left you wondering what all the fuss was about?
Oh I have so many thoughts on overrated books discussion. For me, the biggest one has to be that dystopian YA series that was everywhere a few years ago. The first book was okay, but the sequels were just repetitive and the characters became increasingly annoying. Yet people treated it like it was groundbreaking literature.
Another one is a certain magical realism novel that won all the awards. The writing was beautiful in places, but the plot was so convoluted and the magical elements felt forced. I kept waiting for it to click for me, but it never did.
What really bothers me is when books get praised for being important" or "timely" rather than actually being well-written or engaging.
I completely agree with you about that modern classic. I had the same experience - everyone told me it was life-changing, but I found it pretentious and self-indulgent. The author seemed more interested in showing off their vocabulary than telling a compelling story.
For me, one of the most overrated novels is that 20th century American classic that's always on greatest books" lists. The symbolism is so heavy-handed and the characters are all miserable without any redeeming qualities. I understand its historical importance, but as a reading experience? Pure torture.
I think sometimes books get labeled as classics not because they're enjoyable to read, but because they're "important" or "influential."
The book that immediately comes to mind for me is that romance novel that took over booktok last year. The hype was absolutely insane - people were buying special editions, making fan art, the whole thing. So I read it expecting something amazing, and... it was just a mediocre romance with problematic elements.
What really frustrated me was that any criticism of the book was met with you just don't understand romance" or "let people enjoy things." But I do enjoy romance! I just expect good writing and healthy relationships in my romance novels.
This experience really made me think about book hype backlash and how social media can create these echo chambers where certain books become untouchable.
I have to mention that literary fiction novel that won the Booker Prize a few years back. Critics called it dazzling" and "brilliant," but I found it completely impenetrable. The narrative structure was confusing for the sake of being confusing, and the characters were so thinly drawn that I couldn't connect with any of them.
What bothers me about these overhyped book reviews is that they often praise books for being "challenging" or "experimental" when really they're just poorly executed. There's a difference between innovative storytelling and just being confusing.
I've started to take award winners with a grain of salt. Just because a book wins prizes doesn't mean it's actually enjoyable to read.
As a literature professor, I feel like I'm not supposed to say this, but: Moby Dick. I know, I know, it's a classic, it's important, it's brilliant. But honestly? It's boring. The chapters about whale anatomy could put an insomniac to sleep, and the plot moves at a glacial pace.
I think we need to separate important" from "enjoyable." Yes, Moby Dick is historically significant and has influenced countless writers. But is it a pleasure to read? For most people, no.
The same goes for many other classics. We teach them because they're important to the literary canon, not necessarily because they're great reading experiences. This is why I always include contemporary works in my courses too.
For me, it's that fantasy series that everyone seems to love. The world-building is impressive, I'll give it that, but the prose is clunky and the characters all sound the same. The author tells rather than shows, and the dialogue is often cringe-worthy.
Yet you can't criticize it online without getting attacked by fans. It's like this book has achieved cult status where any negative opinion is treated as personal attack.
I think this is a problem with popular series I disliked in general. Once a book series gets big enough, it develops this defensive fanbase that can't accept any criticism. It makes honest discussion impossible.
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