I’ve noticed that there are a few authors, who despite receiving loads of acclaim for their works, I just could not get into for some reason or another and find overrated. What are some authors that you find overrated?
An author I think is overrated is:
Orhan Pamuk - The first novel I read of his was My Name is Red. What drew me to the novel was that it had an interesting setting and plot but upon reading…quite disappointing. I did not care for his writing style, which seems to ramble quite a bit and describes the most random and minute things in detail although they do not particularly contribute to the plot. I’m a bit obsessive compulsive and have this thing about finishing a book once i start it, so I trudged through until finishing My Name is Red. I gave Pamuk another try with The Museum of Innocence, and the same thing, although to a lesser extent, and I did finish the book. However, when I began reading Snow, I just could not take it anymore and only got half way through the book.
Chetan Bhagat. While his stories are ok (too bollywoody for me, but whatever), his writing is jarring because of the number of grammar mistakes. He needs a better editor!
^ I read his one book, only half. Most useless of India's writer, blown out of proportion. Once I saw his interview against Mohsin Hamid, he seems completely stupid in front of him
Dan Brown's books become predictable. The least expected baddie turns out to be the baddie.
This was my pick.
Everything about his books is predictable.....to the degree that it becomes annoying when you can tell what's gonna happen on the next page.
Chetan Bhagat. While his stories are ok (too bollywoody for me, but whatever), his writing is jarring because of the number of grammar mistakes. He needs a better editor!
^ I read his one book, only half. Most useless of India's writer, blown out of proportion. Once I saw his interview against Mohsin Hamid, he seems completely stupid in front of him
i dont know if you guys noticed - bookstores in india are flooded with books by really young indian authors who cant write to save their lives. -___-
i dont know if you guys noticed - bookstores in india are flooded with books by really young indian authors who cant write to save their lives. -___-
YES! For instance the Shiva trilogy books. The author - Amish someone - is a horrible writer. It is a cool concept, but he massacres it with his poor writing.
Not a big reader of contemporary fiction or fiction in general but from whatever fiction I've read, it has to be Oscar Wilde. Clearly an exceptional playwright and essayist but he was a mediocre novelist.
Not a big reader of contemporary fiction or fiction in general but from whatever fiction I've read, it has to be Oscar Wilde. Clearly an exceptional playwright and essayist but he was a mediocre novelist.
I quite agree with you. I found his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray especially overrated. Dorian Gray, the protagonist, is a rather shallow character. It is a case of “show, don’t tell.” Wilde constantly tells the reader about Gray’s supposedly sinful actions but only gives sparse details about his supposed debauchery without ever showing or exposing the reader to them. The other characters are equally shallow. Other than a couple of couple of interesting quotes, Wilde's writing style in this quite irritated me.
Probably coming from someone who's never read the books. I doubt anyone who's actually read the HP series would ever say J.K Rowling is overrated. She's nothing less than a literary genius!! To have turned millions of kids into bookworms with her books.
Probably coming from someone who's never read the books. I doubt anyone who's actually read the HP series would ever say J.K Rowling is overrated. She's nothing less than a literary genius!! To have turned millions of kids into bookworms with her books.
I think she is really exceptional at drawing characters, insightfully portraying real people, and making them come to life -- that is obviously true in the* Harry Potter* series, but also true in her two other novels. But in terms of having tight and rich prose, where each word serves a purpose and adds depth, I think her writing is still lacking.
May be something lost in process of translation