Popular Books I Dislike

I was inspired to do this post after spending a few hours watching the 'Unpopular Opinions Book Tag' videos on BookTube. I realised that some of the books people rave about I don't really like, so I thought it would make an interesting blog post, and I hope you'll agree with me on that. Most of these books I don't really have a reason to dislike, apart from the fact that they are just not the style or genre that I usually like to read. Its also quite a while since I read most of these books so apologies for being a bit vague on details!

The Catcher In The Rye by J.D.Salinger 

I found that the protagonist of this book, Holden Caulfield, was really annoying, quite simply. Maybe it was because I was told to read it by a school teacher and therefore stubbornly decided I wouldn't like it, but I prefer to think that it was more because I dislike stories that are written to reflect the intimate thoughts of the character, rather than events and physical descriptions. In this case, the novel tackles feelings of teenage angst and alienation, which probably resonated a little close to home at the time I was reading it. Despite this, I would like to read this again in the future now that I've matured (debatable!) to see if I read the novel any differently.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 

I love reading classic literature. I love how much we can learn about the author's perspective on life, especially if they are from a different culture or period in history. So, it may come as a surprise to you that I really dislike Wuthering Heights. I didn't find the characters very likeable, but that is quite common for many readers of this book. I think this, combined with my dislike of the plot, just made me feel like it was a little boring. Just me? 

The Bell Jar by Silvia Plath

I was desperate to read this book, and when I was about 16/17, my A Level English Lit teacher lent me her copy. I'm sorry to say that I never finished reading it! I was very nervous about finishing A Levels and going to uni, so I think this impacted my reading of the book. I found it pretty upsetting to read in all honesty, knowing that the narrator (and author in this case) had a very insecure mind. I like to have confidence in the narrators in the books I read, and was unfortunately unable to enjoy this book because of that. I'm still not sure I want to stir up negative thoughts again by re-reading it though. 

Overall...

All 3 of these books unfortunately bring up negative thoughts and images in my head. I think that its the case with The Bell Jar and The Catcher in the Rye that I simply just don't get on well with the way in which the novel is written - from a very particular, insightful perspective of a first person narrator with an insecure mind. That is not to say that you shouldn't read them, though, as they are very well written and well respected in their own right. That's the most amazing thing about literature in my opinion; they strike a different chord in each of us, meaning something different to us all depending on our preferences and personal experience.

Do you agree with my choices? Are there any controversial books that you dislike? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading! x