When I named my blog I thought I was being witty, I never thought I would have to post any actual confessions, however I do have one to make:
I don't like Harry Potter.
Just let that sink in for a little while. I am in a real-life book club that maintain that no one who doesn't like Harry Potter can be a good judge of books and I seek to challenge this notion! It's not even that I haven't read Harry Potter, I got through the first three books, I just couldn't like them. I thought it was because I was too old when I read them but I have been informed everyone from 0-1000 likes them so that can't be it. It is the language that is used, I believe, that I dislike. It is child-like for the very understandable reason that it was written for children. If any of you ever wonder why I state that I will not accept children's literature in my review policy, this is why. I know Harry Potter is amazing really, I just can't appreciate it at my age.
But the films. they are based at an older audience, does that mean I like them? No, no it doesn't. But I do very much prefer them to the books, Like really prefer them, The casting is amazing (I love Alan Rickman and Emma Watson ridiculous amounts) but I just can't enjoy the films fully. This may be due to the ever-overshadowing prospect of me accidentally telling someone that I prefer them to the books - something which I would likely be stoned for - or it may just be the lack of background knowledge. I've known of many people who didn't read the Hunger Games before watching it who just didn't get it and I may have that problem with Harry Potter.
I do hope that this one confession of dislike for a very mainstreamly adored book will not reduce your opinions of me. I posted this in order to prove that you shouldn't judge a reviewer on the books they don't like because that is just not a fair assessment.
Guys, just because I don't like Harry Potter does not mean I'm a bad judge of books - it means I am a unique one and I pride myself on this.
I've been getting lots of requests for children's literature and this is partly an explanation for why I have had to reject them all. It is also partly my curious mind wondering what other really really adored books people dislike.
Tell me about a well loved book you dislike in the comments!
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9 People dared to comment.:
I happen to love children’s lit so much that I’m getting a master’s degree in it, but I wouldn’t judge anyone (especially an adult) for not liking it. I think everybody should understand that book reviewing is subjective. There is no “correct” opinion about a book.
Aj @ Read All The Things!
You got much further with Harry Potter than I did. I picked up the first book, saw silly names like Dumbledore and put it right back on the shelf. I've also read a great deal of fantasy, so I thought the premise was unoriginal. This means that I had no motivation to get past my distaste for silly names. I have not seen the films. I have zero interest in the Harry Potter phenomenon.
I could be here all day posting about the popular books that I dislike. I very rarely like any popular books. Like you, I am an unusual reader.
I haven't read any of the books and I don't really have any real desire to. I watched the first film in the cinema and found it to be a bit... annoying. Kids tend to be crap actors and Harry Potter was no different.
I confess that I don't like Terry Pratchett's books. I read one, found it boring and unfunny, started a second one and gave up.
AJ - I like it when people have that understanding view but surprisingly a lot of people don't!
Shomeret - I'm glad I'm not the only one to be glad to classify myself a unique reader!
Michael - I haven't actually read any of Terry Pratchett's books but I feel he's another one that people judge you for not having read/liked.
The furthest I got was the first chapter. My daughter got it from the library and I figured I would check out what all the hype was about but I couldn't get into it which was surprising because I loved the movies. I have nothing against children's books there are actually a few middle grade books I have adored I even have The Iron Trial sitting on my shelf right now waiting to be read but for whatever odd reason me and Harry Potter did not click ....
I did enjoy the Harry Potter series, but my children were young at the time and the books were so much fun to read aloud.
I've attempted to read the first Discworld book more than once also, and it just isn't for me. I agree that I sometimes feel judged harshly when I admit I don't care for it. I'm not saying bad things about Terry Pratchett, but some people act as if he's their close relative and I've disparaged his character.
I read The Alchemist at the same time as a bunch of other people, and I was the only one that didn't gush about how it changed my life. I didn't hate it, but I didn't feel magically transformed immediately upon completion. Apparently this means I'm intellectually deficient. Or honest. I'm going with honest.
Emily, I've never read any of the Harry Porter books, believing them to be mediocre fantasy books when compared with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I've seen just the Philosopher's Stone movie and didn't like it at all - not even close in quality to the Lord of the Rings films.
I'm so glad to see I am not alone in this! Thank you for all of your insightful comments.
I also have zero interest in HP, LOTR or Hunger Games. And I understand your feeling of "I'm a bookaholic. Shouldn't I love these books too?" The truth is you can read and review and love whatever you want without guilt. I have a shelf on Goodreads called "Everyone loved it but me". I also don't pay attention to annual awards because the most popular books usually don't appeal to me. But trying to suffer through a book you don't like is agony and books are for fun, so I don't torture myself or waste my time with "mainstream" stuff. I will confess that I liked Fifty Shades and I know many readers hate it. To each our own.
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