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Top 10 Overrated Books That You Can Go Without Reading

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The books in this list are thought to be classics but are in fact, quite overrated. The content is mundane and so are the characters- the reason they are so popular is because the PR department was smart enough to use the right words and phrases.

 

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien was a professor before he started writing-  fact which is clear in these books. Even though The Lord of the Rings series is very popular and has raised the bar as far as the fantasy adventure genre is concerned, it will not be an exaggeration to say that the details are superfluous and the plot is slightly vague.

 

2. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster

The characters in this popular book are described in such a way that they seem like wooden and lifeless caricatures, the plot is quite boring and the writing is out-dated.

 

3. White Noise by Don Delillo

Don Delillo is doted on by professors of English literature and is despised by an equal number of students who are forced to read it.

 

4. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Once a child passes a certain age; he is told to read Atlas Shrugged. It is a widely celebrated book and is considered to be epic and massively successful. In reality, the book moves at a snail’s pace and the political theme is over-hyped enough to bring down the overall quality of the book.

 

5. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

One Hundred Years of Solitude is said to be that book which gave rise to the genre of magical realism. The plot is extremely complex and there is no doubt that the average and for that matter, the above-average reader will need to log onto the internet just to understand the basics of the novel.

 

6. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

This book did well because the story was laced with controversial elements because of which it managed to bag an impressive spot on the best seller list. It is popular among the masses but is despised by professors and majors of literature. The basic foundation of the book is created using facts that are wrong, making the book amateurish and quite poor.

 

7. Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

John Kennedy Toole could not get his book published for several years which is why he ended up killing himself. It was published 10 years after and managed to win a Pulitzer Prize. The writing is good but the humorous element one is supposed to find within the pages seems to be hiding till the last page.

 

8. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This book was removed from the shelves in bookstores for over 30 years and students were saved from the pain of reading it. However, two professors decided to combine their love for the author and published innumerable papers about his apparent brilliance because of which it was put back into print.

 

9. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

This book broke records when it was released which is why it is still considered to be a classic.  Let’s just say it shouldn’t be.


10. Emma by Jane Austen

The plot of this book is quite a mystery because nothing concrete seems to happen till the end. It is definitely the most overrated book of all time and is nothing more than a summer read.

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146 Responses

  1. Bailz

    wtf? twilights not on here it is the most overrated book ever written. if people took a step back and looked at it theyd realize it sucks. everyone just made a big ass hype about it

    Reply
  2. Ben

    Lord of the rings plot is slightly vague? Take the ring to Mordor….they spell it out numerous times…

    Also – +1 to the post about Twilight above, that book is shockingly bad

    Reply
  4. sarah

    This list contains 4 of my favorite books: LOTR, One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Great Gatsby and Wuthering Heights, all of which I have read numerous times. You argue that the content is mundane and so are the characters? I think you need to look-up the definition of mundane, considering the fact that you some of your descriptions–such as the complexity of the plot in One Hundred Years of Solitude–refutes that argument. Furthermore, characters such as Aragorn, Heathcliff, and Colonel Aureliano Buendia are extremely multifaceted and inventive. And honestly, many of the insights garnered from these books have helped me view the world and abstract ideas such as love, friendship, and courage in more profound ways. I am interested in hearing what books you consider worth reading.

    Reply
  5. Elarwen

    This list contains several of the most brilliant books, containing some of the most well thought out and complex characters in fiction. I’d suggest the write of this post did more research, instead of presenting their own opinion as poorly written fact.

    Reply
  7. Kate

    Obviously the guy who made this list is totaly ignorant of the word “literature”. Probably the only book he has ever read was “Twilight”.

    Reply
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