These books made me wonder how in the world ya'll loved it.
Maybe I thought they were good, but not great.
Maybe I just straight up disrespect them.
Let's rile someone up!
My list of OVERRATED books:
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
THAT'S RIGHT. I SAID IT. Cormac McCarthy is a good author, but a great author?! One of the best American writers of the century?! Yes, this book is vividly written. Yes, I didn't want to stop reading. Yes, some ruthless scenes broke my soul. The moment where the *** dies is in ***'s arms is forever in my memory. However, it didn't give me enough value outside of entertainment. I didn't learn anything substantial about myself or the world. (All this said, I will read Blood Meridian and maybe another to give him another shot.)
Dune - Frank Herbert:
There was so much hype behind Dune that I expected more. I was yawning from beginning to almost the end. This book was all character and world development—which to its credit it did well, I can still feel the landscape and the monster worms— but failed to move forward much else. Maybe I need to read the rest of the series to squeeze out a plot, but a novel should stand alone.
Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse:
This is considered one of the best self-help books, and the author is a Nobel Prize in Literature winner, but it didn't do it for me. Too many things were cliche. Listen to this: The main character goes on a hero's journey to find enlightment, falls in love, and obtains wisdom from an old ferryman. If you've read The Alchemist by Paulo Cuelo or Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma, you'll find yourself rolling your eyes.
For Your Eyes Only (James Bond series) - Ian Fleming:
I had thought, surely, this is the legendary James Bond series, it must give me something — an amazing character, some sexy life lessons, quotable scenes. No, it did not. This book follows a privileged British man living a fancy life going on predictable 007 missions. It's boring at best, annoying at worst. I think the pattern is that I don't appreciate writing that doesn't tell me anything new.
Think Again - Adam Grant
I lost respect for Adam Grant, and more broadly, the profession of business professors. Here's its point: "You should reconsider your beliefs". THAT'S ALL THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID. Grant repeats himself with cliche stories (like starting chapters with stories about Navy Seal teams— I mean c'mon) and obvious conclusions. Goodbye Professor. You seem like a nice guy, but no more of you.
11/22/63 - Stephen King
11/22/63 is considered one of King's best, and for some on Reddit, it's their favorite book of all time. I think Stephen King is overrated. His writing doesn't compete with the greats. I've read Doctor Sleep, The Dark Tower: Gunslinger, 11/22/63, and On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (by far my favorite, this one I recommend). His books are approachable and easy to binge. I respect that. I just think that's what he is —a pop fiction writer.
A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas
This fantasy romance series was front-and-center in every U.S. bookstore for years. I have friends who love this book, so I'm going to try to be nice. Pros— I didn't watch any TV when I was reading this because it was there to entertain me. It reads like Twilight, with easy thrills. Cons — Well, the pros are the cons. There's not a word in here that will challenge you.