For me, it’s Jude the Obscure. That book is easily the worst book I have ever read, without a single redeeming quality, other than that it finally ends. I only finished it because Far from the Madding Crowd was so damn good.

But really, Jude is the gold standard of awful books, in my opinion.

What’s your so-awful-it-deserves-shelf-space book, if you have one?

Or am I just weird?

  • soupdragon2020@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Jude the Obscure defence squad rise! furiously hurls pig organs and Latin books

    I actually totally get why Hardy isn’t universally popular, he has an offkey sense of humour and is more than a bit ridiculous in places, Jude not exempted.

    But it’s mostly an endearing ridiculous IMO. And he just writes characters and relationships I’ve not found anywhere else. Jude isn’t just about class, but how the world won’t tolerate people who don’t conform in various ways - Jude and Sue are both utter weirdos and I love them for it. And the sexual incompatibility is so sensitively written, without shaming either character - I really can’t think of another book that’s managed to pull that off so well, even today. (I couldn’t stand On Chesil Beach).