Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Bummer

...and Most Depressing Book of the Year award goes to....The Road!

I see how this is a "good" book because it used words well and in interesting ways but damn that was a huge buzz kill after my The Help high.

I'm glad I read it in a "Can check that off the list now" and "Something different" sort of way but I probably wouldn't lend it to a friend. When my hairdresser saw it in my lap and asked how it was, I told her it was sad and that I didn't really know what to say about it. I mentioned that they didn't use apostrophes in contractions and she said, "That is sad."

It's just a depressing book, even down to the punctuation.

I didn't love it, or hate it, or even really care that much. It was short and that was the best part.

13 comments:

Susy said...

I took your suggestion and downloaded the audiobook version of The Help yesterday. I started it at lunch today and am already fascinated with the characters. Thanks for the suggestion!

Rebekah said...

As the mother of a young boy, as I read The Road, all I could do is imagine the boy looking like my son. It haunts me.

I'm glad I read it, but I never want to think about it again.

Anonymous said...

Have you read LITTLE BEE? Also sad, but such an amazing "voice", or "voices". I loved THE HELP, too. I've loaned it out to several friends. Having lived in the south since 1960 I actually recall comments that were all too similar to many in the book.

nova said...

I completely agree. I was like "why does everybody say they LIKE this so much, I hate it", even though it was well written.

Anonymous said...

"The Road" really divided my book club. People left with hurt feelings after that meeting.

I thought it was a difficult read but absolutely brilliant. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone however.

meghan

Caren said...

I'll pass on "The Road", I do want to get "The Help" though, I've heard such great things about it. Have you heard about "The Hunger Games" series? I heard about it from Mama Kat's blog and it did not disappoint. LOVED it!

MzLiz said...

Have you read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest? Loved them all--each one more than the one before. The author is a fantastic story teller -- too bad he's dead and can't write more in the series.

Cassadie said...

I'll second "The Hunger Games" series. Reading young adult fiction is one of my guilty pleasures and these books are really, really good!

June said...

Just been catching up on blogs and see your writing has been hi-larious lately! thx

Lin said...

My husband hated that book too! He said it was a total waste of time & kept waiting for it to get good but it never happened lol.

That's definitely one book I'm staying away from. Also, you might want to steer clear of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I havent been able to finish it because it's so boring, I've had it for 4wks.

Jason said...

This is my first time commenting...I love reading your blog :) I got on here to suggest "The Hunger Games" and see that others beat me to it. I absolutely could not put them down, great books! "The Help" is on my library hold list thanks to you, can't wait to get it.

Jackie said...

I'm going to second MzLz as far as her rec for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The movie is excellent as well --I saw it, loved it, and was then told it was a book. They are both phenomenal. As a heads up, the movie is subtitled and has some very graphic scenes.

I saw The Road the movie before reading the book. I thought the movie was terrible and gave the book a chance on the advice of a friend. I didn't bother finishing it, which says a lot. I ALWAYS finish. I'll put The Help on my list.

Mcmommyto3 said...

The Road has haunted me. Whenever I see a campfire, I have the vision of what they were roasting on a spit. I completely disagree with those critics who say The Road reaffirms the triumph of the human spirit. To me all it showed was the depravity of human nature. In other words, I hated it. :-)

Loved the Outlander series and can't wait for the next one. I recently read the 19th Wife and really liked it. I also just read Pride and Prejudice for the first time since college and couldn't believe how funny it was. I missed all the humor the first time around.

Love your blog - have been reading you for years but finally got around to creating a google account. Yes, I fall into the lazy commenter category.

Ellen