8 Classic Novels It's Not Worth Reading ...

Being a keen bookworm, I’ll read almost anything. Over time, though, I’ve come to realise that there are some books that just aren’t worth reading, many of them being so-called classic novels. Eventually I disposed of many that had been sitting on my shelf for years. The following novels are among those I consider not worthy of their reputation as classics …

1 Ulysses

Ulysses Photo Credit: Bibi

This is one of the weirdest books I’ve ever come across. It has a very strange structure and style, and if you can make sense of it you’ve done better than I did!

2 Anything by Charles Dickens

Anything by Charles Dickens Photo Credit: habkb

In Dickens’ time, writers were paid by the word. And boy, does it show in his novels. On and on he waffles … another 1,000 words, kerching …

3 Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights Photo Credit: andrew_byrne

Heathcliff! Cathy! Oh for the love of God, will you two just stop faffing about and get on with it? Maybe if they had, it wouldn’t have made much of a drama, but at least we’d have been spared a boring book.

4 War and Peace

War and Peace Photo Credit: Jill Clardy

Is there anyone alive who has actually worked their way through this mammoth tome? And do they feel guilty about the vast forests that died to print each copy?

5 Shakespeare

Shakespeare Photo Credit: AntyDiluvian

Okay, so he didn’t write novels, but Shakespeare is so overrated. Yet his tedious plays continue to be performed, filmed and televised. It’s about time the whole industry was put to sleep, and some of his (better) contemporaries given a chance instead.

6 Waverley

Waverley Photo Credit: cjanebuy

I was forced to study this utterly tedious Walter Scott novel at university, and 10 years later still haven’t woken up properly. It is the literary equivalent of the poisoned needle in ‘Sleeping Beauty’.

7 Lord of the Rings

Lord of the Rings Photo Credit: Aqua Libra

At the risk of alienating Tolkien fans, I have to say that I found the first book so incredibly dull that I couldn’t get past the first four or five chapters. This is one case where I much preferred the films to their source material.

8 Absalom, Absalom!

Absalom, Absalom! Photo Credit: Mareen Fischinger

I had never heard of William Faulkner before being forced to read this book, during the same course where I had to read Waverley. I can only conclude that the reading list was part of some twisted psychological experiment by the university’s Psychology department. It was that awful.

I’m sure that there will be people who have loved these books. If we all read the same things, it would not only be boring, but there would be huge waiting lists at the library. Do you agree though that some classic novels are overrated? Have you ever abandoned one because you weren’t enjoying it?

Top Photo Credit: David Hopkins Photography

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Comments

Heather didn't read LOTR but Hobbit is awesome
Sorth You poor thing. Best stick to comics and magazines with big type and not too many hard words.
- Denise Hahaha. So sarcastic. But come to think of it, I'm an English major but I haven't even attempted to read most of the books in this list. I do have a fascination with Shakespeare so I've read a couple of his plays and a lot of his sonnets.
Zerina Sorry, but I disagree with this list, you see, it is your opinion, but you shouldn't have named this list 8 Classic Novels It’s Not Worth Reading … Someone will skip this books just because you said so, and it is such a shame...
- Alison Ooh! Am I that influential?!
Alison You see my point now? Certain books may be generally considered classics, but many people find them dull. We all have our own list of overrated classics. Oh, and if my intellectual credentials are still in doubt, here are some of the authors on my shelves. John Irving, Hanif Kureshi, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Simenon (in original French), Oscar Wilde, Haruki Murakami. Oh, and how many of you have read medieval literature in English OR French?
Shakti Though I actually love some on the list I think some classics are overrated.
Lisa Obviously you weren't in the English program when you attended university...
Paige Ps. ignore the rude commenters. Sometimes the classics aren't all they're cracked up to be, and the torture of reading them just isn't worth appearing intelligent and worldly.
- Lisa What rude commentors, the only people here are literature lovers.
- Alison Thanks Paige! I nearly died laughing at the Twilight comment - I have never read a Twilight novel or seen a film. I'm 42, not 14 ... My point was that classics can - CAN - be vastly overrated. Of course it's an opinion! Where did I say it was the gospel truth? Oh, and I am a native English speaker, an experienced academic proof reader (you don't get to do that line of work without being intellectual), have a History degree, have read widely all my life, and enjoy a wide variety of books. Some of these comments just cracked me up at the assumptions about me ...
Paige How about Nine Stories? After about a page and a half I just couldn't take it. I cannot bring myself to attempt another J. D. Salinger novel for fear of needing intensive therapy.
Kelsey Great Expectations by Charles Dickens happens to be one of my favorite novels. The length may be intimidating, but every page of this book is interesting. Shakespeare is a huge part of theatre because his plays show the true, raw emotion and behavior of humans. Sometimes they're jealous, sometimes they have affairs, sometimes their anger blinds their judgment. Macbeth, Othello, and Hamlet were fantastic.
Merey You had never heard of Faulkner before you took that course? No wonder why you can't appreciate these classics...Jesus Christ! (Unless your first language isn't English, then maybe that's acceptable.)
katie This post just completely ruined this site for me, how can anyone have such a lack of taste when it comes to reading?
Rachael So you have no patience whatsoever and cannot handle anything more complex than Twilight. Congratulations.
Ashley agreed with all the people above. This is your OPINION- these books are classics are for a reason.
Todd Yeah...whoever wrote this list has Twilight as their favorite book. Sometimes books are very old and very boring, but that doesn't diminish their stature as influential and important.
Octavio If you criticize a book by its length and weight (??!!) it's because you can't appreciate literature.
Ashleigh Maybe these books were just too much for you? ;) What exactly would you call a good book? Just curious.
Nat I agree with sukaiumi, some of those books are quite decent, although lord of the rings was a little tedious, I still enjoyed it but the movie adaption is easier for people to understand
Goobieboo As I said before: art is subjective... I very much like Shakespeare and War and Peace...
Rebecca LOL! This list only makes me want to read them! : D
sukaiumi Wow, I love Wuthering Heights and Shakespeare is fantastic. Maybe change the title to 8 Classic Novels I didn't enjoy, because most of those are definitely worth reading!
- Heather I agree with sukaiumo

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