Video in Swedish
Greetings!
Something that I genuinely enjoy is discussing books that I didn't like. I know some people are of the opinion that one should hold back strong criticism in order to spare the feelings of the author and fans of the novel. I agree that one should avoid hurting feelings, and my intent is rarely to do so. However, I also feel that where criticism is due, it should be given. If a lot of criticism is due, then I'm ready to give it if I feel that what I say is reasonable. I don't think that makes me a "hater". Nevertheless, negative feedback should be weighed up with positive feedback when such can be given, and on that front I admit that I sometimes have some ways to go.
Having said this, I love discussing books that I didn't like. I also love making lists. Here is the result of those two! I read 60 books in 2019, and I was never bound to love all of them. The books you'll see in this list might be books that I enjoyed to an extent, but had certain flaws that I just couldn't overlook and which lowered my opinion of the entire novel. Other books are ones that I just didn't enjoy at all for several different reasons. Each book in the list will have some explanation to it, and you can click the titles of each book to be taken to my original review of that particular novel.
10
In my review of this book, I speak about it having potential. That is true, but there are reasons for it being on this list. Despite its potential, I found the writing style clumsy, rushed, and ungraceful. The characters were poorly built, and the protagonist didn't have anything going for her. I just didn't really enjoy this book, and thus despite receiving 3/5 stars, this book is still a part of this list.
9
I've read three books from this series in 2019, and I've not disliked them. The first is my favourite so far, but the last two just didn't do it for me. I want to say that this series has a very unique narrative and atmosphere, and it is definitely worth giving a shot if you think you'd like it. Alas, I have failed to find much pleasure in the last two books. Therefore, this one received 2.75/5 stars.
8
Another book that gets a lower rating because it lacked anything that could bump it up. This book tried to take the common trope/cliche of high school girl (who is considered less attractive than some of the other high school girls) who falls for the hottest boy in the school, and then he falls for her too after a ton of drama and physical character development. I appreciate that it offered more character depth than I'd anticipated, and that it dealt with sex in an open way, but unfortunately I personally got little enjoyment out of this book. It got 2.75/5 stars from me.
7
I feel like a parrot, but this is once again a novel that just lacked good points to me. Perhaps it would have been more appealing if I'd read it a few years back, but when reading it this year I felt that I was not at all in the intended targeted group. It's still a bit fun and whimsical, but it fell flat to me, and I ended up giving it 2.75/5 stars.
6
I read "Rebel Belle" in May and found it humorous and fast paced. It saddened me that I really couldn't get into this second book in the trilogy. The plot was driven by unreasonable and forced decisions or actions from the characters, the relationships lost their charm, and even the humour left me hanging. I was disappointed to say the least, and I therefore gave this book 2.75/5 stars.
5
Much like "Miss Mayhem", his is the second book in a series. In this case, I read the first book way back in 2013 and actually gave it a full 5 star rating. Perhaps my different perception of this novel is due to changes in my reading tastes, though that doesn't alter the fact that I strongly disliked this novel. What I still like about the series is the world building and the unique setting of an alternative historical, steampunk, fantasy London. There's also still some of the charm and humour left from the first book. However, this second instalment featured some very annoying characters and at times it became too much of a parody of itself. I gave this book 2.5/5 stars.
4
As the third book on this list as the second in a series, this is the worst of them. Honestly, just thinking about this makes me grumpy. I thought that "The Golden Compass" was a great novel with enticing world building and nice characters. In this sequel, all of that is ripped away, and what we're left with was so bad in comparison. I felt like I was promised a three course meal but only got the glass of water. I gave this 2.5/5 stars.
3
I still can't believe I actually read this. 300+ pages of hard-to-grasp philosophy (I didn't understand most of what I think Nietzsche was trying to convey) that took me several months to complete. I definitely think it's cool that I read it all, but I can't say I enjoyed the process very much. At times I found the writing style entertaining and witty, but Zarathustra was also a character that I had a hard time sympathising with. He appeared very sexist, antisemitic, and rude at several points. In the end, it was a bit painful to read and I didn't get much out of it, so it received 2.25/5 stars from me.
2
Not a book that I strongly dislike, but it got in second place because it didn't do anything for me. I had to read it for school, and I had a hard time getting through it or finding any interest in its contents. I do appreciate what it represents; working class women during a time when the patriarchy had a firmer grip on society in Sweden than it has today. Other than that, I got nothing out of it, and I won't continue on with the series. It got 2/5 stars.
1
The one book this year that I just cannot find any positive sides of. There just were none. Unless one didn't already have the "wisdom" that this philosophical work has to offer, one will see what I mean. If I'd actually learnt something from this, I would probably have been more merciful. However, this just didn't cut it. It's not one of the worst books I've ever read, but it's certainly the worst book I read in 2019. I gave it 2/5 stars.
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