What is one book that you were excited to read but ended up being disappointed completely when you finished?

[Brittany Pedersen]

For me, a year ago I was very excited to read Haruki Murakami's 1Q84 and there was a huge hype over the book. So I read it and it took me a grueling two weeks to finish (I had a deadline 'cause I had to write a review for it...ugh, so painful). I was so disappointed because the book had so much story and character potential. It could have been a wonderful and intriguing book, but it just ended up being a repetitive pile of junk. Anyway, has anybody else had a similar experience with other books?

[Efi T]

By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept - Paulo Coelho

I was so excited to read it because I know Paulo Coelho is an awesome writer, the topic is interesting and also the title sounds really cool. The first couple of pages I was patient because it sometimes takes time to 'get into the story', but it just kept disappointing me. I read about three quarters of the book and then stopped because it was so dead boring.

[Brittany Pedersen]

I've read The Alchemist and have thought about reading a few of his other books. Have you read some of his other books and enjoyed them?

[Marz Ars]

Hyperion--Dan Simmons

*spoiler alert* Suffice it to say, it ends with all the characters singing "We're off to see the Wizard." A completely intriguing and engrossing world ruined by a horrible ending. Also, I did read Fall of Hyperion and liked the way it wrapped everything up--until they started singing "Somewhere over the rainbow." -.-

[Brittany Pedersen]

Hahaha, really? And was Hyperion a serious book, too? Because if it was then the random sing at the end would be ever the more strange...Does the plot of the book tie in with the yellow brick road or something? Ah, you've made my day. That's funny :)

[Marz Ars]

Hyperion is an incredibly serious book. It's basically The Canterbury Tales in space. At the end of the book they were going to see this mysterious being called the Shrike which is like the Wizard, in a way. You know the really funny part? Only one character ever actually saw The Wizard of Oz, because it was so far in the future. XD

[Brittany Pedersen]

Only one saw it? Hmmm, that is so bizarre. How would the whole group be able to break into song if they had never heard the song before?

[Marz Ars]

Well they kind of picked up the tune. But it was still weird to come to the slow realization that they were actually singing the Wizard of Oz.

[Julia]

The first time I read The Great Gatsby, it wasn't as great as I anticipated. But the second time it got better and I REALLY loved it.

[The Inkling]

I'm planning on reading that one again. The first time I read it, I was like "OMG Fitzgerald, we get it, the gold and the green, and the dress tuttuttuting... and yes you're very clever with the metaphors, you want a stinking cookie? " But I've been told that once you get over that, it's not so bad.

[Alison Tee]

Oh no, I was planning to read that book sometime D: Should I forget about it then? For me it's When God was a Rabbit and The Bridge to Terabithia. Both disappointingly didn't live up to the hype and they were so horrible I just gave up halfway.

[Brittany Pedersen]

Are you talking about 1q84? Because for me, it was the first Haruki Murakami book i ever read. I've found that people who've read his other books before reading 1q84 were more likely to enjoy the book. I suppose it just depends. You can read my review here. It might give you an explanation of why I didn't like it.

[Alison Tee]

Oh yes, I did mean IQ84. I only have Kafka on the Shore now so I'll probably start with that first. Maybe that'd increase my chances of liking the book :) Your finishing the book in only two weeks is pretty impressive (to me) though! I wish I had that kind of reading speed. I kind of understand what you're talking about in your review, I've read some other books that were frustrating in the same way.