This prompt from Long and Short Reviews initially made me respond "Every one of them." I think studying English literature at school was a great way to ruin a decent book. (It says something that when I read "To Kill a Mockingbird" under my own steam I liked it, but my friends who had to read it for class hated every word.)
I did, however, come up with three in particular.
Joby - Stan Barstow. According to Amazon this book is supposed to be full of working class themes, but all I remember is being forced to read this book aloud paragraph by paragraph by people who were giggling at the mention of breasts.
The Charlie Barber Treatment - Carole Lloyd. For me this was one of those books the librarian tries to push off on you because it had "meaning", since it deals with a boy who finds love after his mother dies. We did at least finish this one, unlike "Joby", but I found it dreary as hell.
Lord of the Flies - William Golding. This is one I think I might have liked had I not had to read it down to the millimetre. I can remember getting a good mark for an essay comparing Simon and Roger as good and evil. That said, the fact that the plot hinges on using a pair of myopia glasses to make fire - which you can't actually do; you need long-sighted glasses - did rather ruin it for me.
So which books were ruined for you?
I liked Lord of the Flies in high school, but I haven't reread it since and remember little about it.
ReplyDeleteAlso I had no idea that you couldn't build a fire with the help of myopia glasses. Interesting!
My post.
I think when you have to read any book out loud line by line, it's basically ruined.
DeleteI wasn't a fan of Lord of the Flies and I've tried reading it again since the tot had to read it for school. Still didn't work for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. :-)
No, it's not something I'd have chosen to read.
DeleteTwo of these I've never read... and I forgot Lord of the Flies. I didn't care for it either. My post is live here.
ReplyDeleteI think that book is imprinted on my brain after being forced to study it for a year.
DeleteI've not read any of these, but Lord of the Flies is one I've thought about picking up as an adult.
ReplyDeleteMy post
It might be OK when you're not being forced to analyse every line.
DeleteLord of the Flies I had to read. I didn't like the ending.
ReplyDeleteMe neither.
DeleteLord of the Flies is the only one of those three that I've actually read, and while I found it interesting ("enjoyed" might be too strong a word) I remember that the characters really bothered me. Like, a dozen kids with an island entirely to themselves, and this was the best existence they could come up with?
ReplyDeleteMy list is here.
Written by a pessimist, I gather.
Delete