When a book is way too famous, and it goes viral, or it's a classic that everybody considers good, it's challenging to have an objective opinion on it. At least subconsciously, you'll start reading other people's reviews, and they'll have an impact on your choice. The truth is that some viral books aren't really that great, and there are some good reasons why people throw stones at them. Check out this top ten list of hated books, and let us know if you actually like any of them!
10. "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë
So… did she enjoy it? We're not about to spoil it, but…
The way we're kicking off this list feels odd because this is actually one of the books that are overall hated. Still, they're so loved at the same time. It probably resembles the turbulent emotions that the book shows, anyway – just like its wild characters, this book has mixed reviews. It rules the world but still attracts haters everywhere.
When we sum it all up, some books on this list are indeed bad, but "Wuthering Heights" is actually incredible. Its impact isn't a joke, whether you like it or not. However, it's a fact that the book has some disturbing parts, shows destructive love, and kind of glorifies it, and its flaws aren't strange to the general public.
9. "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown
Did they even list everything that went wrong here?
No matter what we say, Dan Brown is indeed a great writer with some masterpieces under his belt, and the general public loves his novels overall. However, his "biggest" body of work, "The Da Vinci Code," just doesn't seem to avoid the lists of "most hated" books ever. Unfortunately, it's always mentioned among the thrillers that went "wrong."
While some people name "The Da Vinci Code" Brown's magnum opus (which should be true), others criticize its views on Christianity. The general "religious topic" that Brown concentrated on here is questionable. Is it even realistic or pure fiction in the middle of a thriller? These issues kept some people up all night… Or they just put this book down.
8. "The Twilight Saga" by Stephanie Meyer
New Moon" is one of the parts that received way too much hate
Mystical plots in gloomy spaces spiced up with love stories of ordinary people are such a 21st-century novel type. However, some stories obviously got more famous than the others, including the "Twilight" saga, which ruled the world for years and even got movie adaptations. The public hates both books and movies, to be honest!
Unfortunately, the Internet is overflowed with articles that name these books the worst ever, and as you read it, you'll realize why. First off, the miserable love story of this book is an absurdity. Moreover, the violent scenes don't make it appropriate for teens. Still, they're also nonsense since teens are the only public that would like a novel like this. Why would you ever write something like that?
7. "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert
Nevertheless, some people really have several words to defend the novel, so make sure you hear both sides!
Yes, Elizabeth Gilbert is quite popular, and that's the name you undoubtedly know. Still, we have to confess that she really is far from good – at least her infamous "Eat, Pray, Love," and her terrible 2000's novel "Stern Men." If this lady wanted to deliver some humor, we'd like someone to tell her that neither of the books was funny!
Actually, the real struggle about this novel is that it's promoted as a "self-help" book. Unfortunately, this genre has grown way too much in the coming years. It's also made to look realistic and inspiring to women, but as the years went by, people realized that a solo trip won't really change your life. Not in any crucial way, sorry!
6. "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
Many people don't care about this book having the title of "a classic," and we see why
Ernest Hemingway might be the name the whole world recognizes as a classic, but we still know his work collected more hate than support. Since Hemingway was more a journalist than a writer, his style was too "simple" and concrete for fiction. "The Sun Also Rises" was the peak of his "boring" type of writing, and we have no idea how you could read the whole novel.
Of course, not every Hemingway's work failed, and we cannot forget "The Old Man and The Sea's" significance. No matter what, it's a must if you're discovering classics of English literature. Still, if you'd gladly avoid all the other Hemingway's works, we absolutely understand. "The Sun Also Rises" is something barely anyone can stand!
5. "After" Series by Anna Todd
This video's title tells enough about the reader's impression
Being a Wattpad casual writer and turning into a global sensation sounds like a dream come true for all of us that love writing more than any other hobby. However, is everything perfect in a world like that? Anna Todd might be living our dreams, but her "After" series of books (and even movies!) is way more hated than loved.
What makes this young girl so relatable is that she created a career out of a fan-fiction based on Harry Styles and One Direction, so it makes you believe that you could do the same. Still, would it be a compliment if the movie based on your book were everything you don't want to see in a film? At this point, no one liked the "cheesy" moment this work gave to the world.
4. "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne
If you've put this book down and now you can't reread it, here's a summary to help you
When it comes to "The Scarlet Letter," its reviews range from "being the most inspiring novel ever" to "the book that killed literacy." Still, most readers in high schools find it way too dull, mainly because it's tough to understand the whole phenomenon that the narrator displays through the allegorical plot.
In conclusion, it belongs to those novels that are way too hard to understand, so you put them down instead. The language, the themes of sin and punishment… It's a novel to come back to when you're ready for it, so don't bother too much.
3. "Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger
Do you agree with Ariel about Holden's struggles?
It's hard to understand and embrace a character that is the actual catcher in the rye of this novel. Holden Caulfield is a name to remember in the world of literature, and he's an absolutely unique character. Still, the narrator somehow managed to make the most boring plot out of a young man who should be someone we all understand.
Actually, J. D. Salinger even preceded the "depressed" generation of the 21st century, and Holden's behavior is relatable. Still, the way this book delivers it just makes you dislike it instantly. This should be only an excellent example of how a story can have the potential, but if the plot isn't done right, nothing can help. Hence, we can see it creating reader's block for many people.
2. "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville
Reviews are usually very mixed – this channel created a generally positive critic
If no one asked the general public if they actually hated this classic, you'd probably still think you're the only one who felt like it was terrible. We basically don't know many people who enjoyed "Moby Dick" to the fullest, and that says something about the general opinions! Unfortunately, these views are pretty realistic.
Of course, this will be an adventurous journey for everyone who enjoys experimental writing pieces and obviously for the whale enthusiasts. Everything in this book has to do with these animals, to the point that the plot gets lost. Well, sounds good only if you share the obsession! So while a book is a great gift, this one might not be the best choice.
1. "Fifty Shades" trilogy by E. L. James
Well, it's evident that this guy hated it
Let's face it – basically, no one liked "Fifty Shades" in reality. It might be true that the books are better than the movies, and their differences are significant, but that doesn't help much. Shallow characters with almost no development, no topics, and plot make this one a genuine disaster.
The absolute truth is that there are probably plenty of other erotic novels that you'd prefer way more than Christian and Ana's story. Some writings explode on the Internet because they're revolutionary, but "Fifty Shades" will have you questioning the public's taste on and on and where it went wrong.
After all, like celebrity poetry books, these top ten works are loved by many people. If you doubt it, just remember that all of them had at least thousands of readers. That probably means many of your friends or acquaintances didn't read them ironically, and even you might be one of these people. If you are, some might hate your taste, but don't stress about it – read whatever makes you happy!
What's your favorite book out of all these "catastrophic" ones? Are they really disastrous the way all people portray them? Let us know if you agree!
Photo: Artiom Vallat on Unsplash