You know how much I love to rag on books.
Kristin and Jenna did a Wasted Potential Book Tag that made my heart sing.
I started thinking of books that I thought could have been better.
Once I started, I couldn’t stop.
One. A book that tried but failed to tackle an issue
I didn’t know Revealing Eden existed until recently and HOO BOY.
A white woman developed a fictional world in which dark skin is prized and white people are second-class citizens.
Already questionable.
To survive, the white characters…wear blackface?
Excuse me, “dark makeup.”
…..so blackface????
Victoria, whyyyy??
When questioned, Foyt said she hadn’t intended to be racist and was trying to write about…global warming?
VICTORIA, WHYYYYY???
Two. An intriguing series that didn’t pay off
I didn’t read the entire Uglies series, but I was bummed when a large part of the first book turned out to be wilderness survival.
Why does dystopia have to involve NATURE?
Three. A great beginning with a mediocre ending
I raved about the beginning of The Sun is Also a Star. I connected with the writing style and the narrative structure right away.
Daniel started to get on my nerves pretty quickly.
He had to ruin the burgeoning romance by calling it “true love” and “destiny” way too soon.
Also, I couldn’t get over the way this novel misrepresents determinism.
Natasha would say, “I believe in determinism! That means we make our own destiny!”
…that is the OPPOSITE of what “determinism” means!
Four. A last-minute twist that ruined it all (SPOILERS)
Taylor Jenkins Reid is the M. Night Shyamalan of contemporary literature.
That is not a compliment.
Reid will spin a well-told, compelling story, then drop in a twist at the last second for no reason.
The identities of Harry Cameron’s lover in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and the interviewer in Daisy Jones & The Six add NOTHING to either story.
Waste. Of. Time.
Five. A great plot with some boring characters
Girl Town could have been great…if it hadn’t been a set of one-off stories about characters that weren’t given room to develop.
If these characters had all been friends…if their stories had connected…I could have loved this book.
Six. A character death that ruined a book (SPOILERS)
I AGREE WITH KRISTIN ABOUT THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO.
Let’s go back to books I read in my school days, though.
Just for fun, both books are about pigs!
Snowball’s death in Animal Farm marks a turn for the worse.
Though his death is only implied in the book, you can hear Snowball’s pained squeals after he’s chased offscreen in the 1954 film.
I hate it.
In Lord of the Flies, the boys TEAR SIMON APART.
As in WITH THEIR HANDS.
SUPER glad I read this as a fourteen-year-old.
Seven. A romance that ruined a book for you (SPOILERS)
I loved The Mortal Instruments until I got to City of Fallen Angels.
I got tired of the Jace/Clary ship.
I just don’t buy it.
If the relationship had developed at a slower pace, I might have been on board.
Instead, it kept intensifying until I couldn’t take the books seriously anymore.
Eight. A romance that you wanted to happen (SPOILERS)
UGH, where do I BEGIN??
I wanted
- Bitterblue to hook up with Giddon in Bitterblue
- Neville Longbottom to marry Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Alina to ditch Mal for the Darkling in Shadow and Bone
- Viola to give Lee a chance in The Ask and the Answer
- Ivanhoe to choose Rebecca over Rowena in Ivanhoe
- Jo to accept Laurie’s proposal in Little Women
ESPECIALLY that last one.
WHY DO I KEEP BACKING THE WRONG HORSE?
Nine. A scene you have petty beef with (SPOILERS)
I don’t like the Nina/Matthias ship in the Six of Crows duology.
To me, the hints at sensuality don’t match up with the complete sexlessness of this relationship.
When Nina revealed in Crooked Kingdom that she and Matthias hadn’t even kissed yet, I couldn’t stop an eyeroll.
Matthias manages to suck all the romance out of their first kiss by talking about his religious guilt, his sexual repression, and his prejudice against Ravkans.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOSSSS.
He might annoy me more than Kaz and THAT’S SAYING SOMETHING.
Woofity woof woof.
That was a nice bummer of a tag.
Tell me about books that you felt wasted their potential.
Especially if one of them happens to be Sam & Ilsa’s Last Hurrah.
Especially then.
Great post! Oh man … I really enjoyed Lord of the Flies TBH … but it’s so messed up. I remember not sleeping well after reading that horrific part. And I also got SUPER tired with Jace and Clary … I just got tired of the story. I wanted to continue to like the series because the concept is awesome, but I just wasn’t feeling it anymore.
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Lord of the Flies is rough! It’s one of those books that is objectively good but is hard to say I enjoyed? And saaaame! I was so excited when I found out there were more books, but it didn’t feel like there was much to the sequels. It was a lot of characters doing things and none of it mattering. AAAAH I should have brought up the Simon/Isabelle/Maya love triangle. I HATED IT.
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Ha-ha! I totally get what you mean. AND OH MY GOSH YES! I was NOT down for that weird love triangle … I don’t like love triangles in general though, so that’s not a shocker ha-ha!
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Omg this is the best!!! I honestly couldn’t stand The Sun is Also a Star – like WHAT you save some random girl’s life & suddenly it’s TRUE LOVE & DESTINY?? GIVE.ME.A.BREAK!!! Also yes yes YES to Luna & Neville – I’m glad there were hints of it in the movie, but I still think they should’ve been canon!
💛 Ngoc
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AAAAAH THANK YOU!! Why couldn’t it have been a cute romance without all the fate stuff!?!?
Yaaay I love that Neville and Luna were in the movies, but…I also want more! Also, I think J. K. Rowling said something to the effect of, “It’s not realistic to have everyone end up with their high school sweetheart.” MEANWHILE, EVERY OTHER HARRY POTTER CHARACTER…
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WHAT THAT’S SUCH A TERRIBLE EXCUSE!!! She could’ve made it so that they bumped into each other years later & sparks flew & BOOM! 😍
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RIGHT!? It’s FICTION. ANYTHING is possible!!
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