The WORST books I read in 2024

[@danielj.nickolas]

Definitely consider giving ‘The Underground Railroad’ a second chance in the future. The later half has great tension, and I really came to care about the characters (I also think it’s secretly a time-travel novel, but I won’t get into that here). I agree 100% about Huck Finn. The book sets itself up to be episodic, which I was excited for, but then Huck is with those two hobos for half the book. It got to the point where I was like, “They’re con-men, we get it! Move on!”

[@Crizzybooks]

I might give it another try. I wanted to check out some of his others first like Zone One or Nickel Boys.

[@yourlocaldirtyhippie]

​@@Crizzybooks Nickel Boys is definitely one to try out!

[@m.g.3618]

the reviews of the cows book are so fun to listen to for some reason. and i haven't even read it because dog abuse (of all things, yes)

[@Crizzybooks]

That’s a great reason not to 😂

[@SarcasticPoet]

The Underground Railroad didn't hit for me either. 30pgs in and I dropped it!

[@Crizzybooks]

Thank god I’m not alone! 😂

[@joeyq9953]

Same. Whitehead’s prose is ugly, the structure is messy, the characters are lacking so much depth, and for such heavy subject matter being featured the entire book felt…. clinical. Completely undeserving of the Pulitzer Prize.

[@BigHeavyLove]

I'd maybe suggest the nickel boys then bounce back to underground railroad. I actually prefer the former and think it's written more succinctly. I believe there's a movie or show coming out for it soon too which would be good to compare

[@skeller61]

8:14 It’s ironic that Huck Finn moves too slow for you, as things did move a little slower back in the 1800s, drifting down along river. I’d be disappointed if it moved faster, lol. Oh, you asked, so I DNF’d Neuromancer. I got the world of cyberpunk, which this is supposed to be the first and best of. But to me, it was boring.

[@Crizzybooks]

The era and the setting aren’t lost on me for sure. I didn’t HATE the book it just felt like it took a very long time to get through simple happenings.

[@skeller61]

@ I understand. Some books can seem like reading molasses. Cheers.

[@Horrorbabe4]

4:44 lol i remember watching criss angel when i was a teen

[@Crizzybooks]

Great show! 🪄

[@matty543210098]

I agree with your accessment of Dark Matter. I would also add the main protagonist Love of his wife was borderline creapy and unhealthy. Gave me the ick. Otherwise the premise was pretty cool.

[@Crizzybooks]

It gets away with a lot because of the plot lol

[@Roboboy17]

I have temporarily DNF'd the first Harry Potter book...in Spanish. I thought it would help expand my Spanish vocabulary (being bilingual but not having the most expansive vernacular) but it was SO slow because it's translated to a dialect I dont speak. Maybe I'll get back to it in 2025...

[@CliffsDarkGems]

Fun Video! I have heard just how nasty, vile and disgusting Cows is from other booktubers. Might give it a read one day. 🤣The most depraved, vile book I read this year was No-One Rides For Free by Judith Sonnet.

[@scottbayly1357]

Bag Of Bones by Stephen King was the one book I did finish that I thought was boring as crap. Drive by James Sallis was a different because it was confusing. The movie that is based on the book is amazing. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Roberrt Heinlein was almost a dnf because I was struggling to focus when reading it. Ended up doing the audiobook version which helped a lot more. Though it's my least favorite of the 3 books I've read of Heinlein. Shogun part one is currently a dnf. It will be attempted again in audio form.

[@Crizzybooks]

I actually like Bag of Bones but totally understand. It’s not one of his best for sure. Can’t say I’ve read the others but I do want to read Shogun at some point.

[@HorribleMuttonChops]

Wow it's so nice to finally find someone who acknowledges how stupid Blake Crouch is.

[@Crizzybooks]

It’s popcorn reading if that’s a thing?

[@PhilbillyWV]

Both agree and disagree with you on Huck Finn. I think the first 3/4ths of the book is a candidate for the greatest American novel, but the last part of it (the convoluted crap with Tom Sawyer/Sid) absolutely sucked.

[@Crizzybooks]

The ending segment was so drawn out I wanted to put my head through the wall lol

[@joeyq9953]

I HATED “Underground Railroad” so much 😭 Not only was it incredibly boring, but the characters are extremely paper-thin and the structure of the novel was clunky as hell. This might be controversial to say, but I really do feel like the book got heaps of praise due to the subject matter as opposed to literary merit. Tony Morrison did it so much better. Highly recommend her books if you haven’t read them already.

[@syds8752]

Toni* Morrison wrote a book about the Underground Railroad?

[@AnonymousAnonposter]

I've only DNF'd five books in my entire life, and were famous books making these DNFs even more unusual. This year I would say that the worst books or those that disappointed me the most were: Children Of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky Cabal: Nightbreed by Clive Barker Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne The Sun Dog, Needful Things and Joyland by Stephen King Other books had similar ratings but I expected less from them or their flaws were less pronounced throughout the entire journey. I received a Blake Crouch's book as a gift and I plan to read it with very low expectations.

[@Crizzybooks]

Good mindset to approach Blake Crouch with lol

[@Bobbie-c4sure]

Three books I dnf’d in 2024: Umberto Ecco’s “The Name of the Rose”, James Joyce’s “Ulysses”, Hillary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall”!

[@scottjo63]

Have you ever read Huck Finn's prequel, Tom Sawyer?? This is a much better book. I remember Huckleberry Finn and thought, mehh.

[@Crizzybooks]

I want to say yes but it was back in grade school lol. I intend to reread it at some point in my life.

[@danieldelappe7830]

Yeah cows was a bit much.

[@Crizzybooks]

🐄💩

[@Majesticon]

What did you dislike about Underground Railroad?

[@Crizzybooks]

I can’t pinpoint any one thing I just couldn’t get into it.

[@MrSwinefuzz]

Another BookTuber did a story walkthrough of COWS and that's an immediate hard pass for me. Yeeeeeeesh.

[@Crizzybooks]

It’s SICK! 🤮

[@DrMetalpin]

This guy is seriously saying a 19th century Mark Twain iconic and classic novel needs to be edited.

[@Crizzybooks]

Damn right I am

[@mariaradulovic3203]

Little Life. Badly written long garbage.

[@mcjovies36]

Blake Crouch is just dumb fun reads lol

[@Crizzybooks]

Agreed lol

[@reading_by_myshelf]

Now I want to read Cows 🐄 thanks 😂

[@Horrorbabe4]

get ready for gore and poop

[@Crizzybooks]

Good luck! 😂

[@torkar]

I wish people would stop reading and talking only about Cows all the time as Matthew Stokoe has way better books, like Empty Mile.

[@Crizzybooks]

Is it also about poop and pee?

[@torkar]

@@Crizzybooks Haha, less so, but still very much depraved :) In a better way, tho, since it has a better story to stick all that depravity onto. I think you'd like it, and not just more than Cows but as a novel in general.