Most overrated novels

These are the top 5 most overrated novels of all time:
1. Paulo Coelho: The Alchemist
2. Dan Brown: The Da Vinci Code
3. J. D. Salinger: Catcher in the Rye
4. Gustave Flaubert: Madame Bovary
5. James Joyce: Ulysses

Everything by Vonnegut

He isn't that overrated since not that many people know him. Coehlio is much worse.

I’ve only read Slaughterhouse 5 but did, indeed, find it overrated

Coelho isn’t only pretentious and quasiphilosophical but outright bullshit
> When you desire something, the whole universe helps you achieve it
Um, no it doesn’t, Paulo. It really does not.

Is Joyce that bad? Is there any reason for me to read him? I've read nearly everything by Beckett and quite like him. My understanding of Joyce is that he is a formalist with much less to say; just over-complicated nonsense mostly. And the quotes I have read seem awkward, poorly flowing words, and sounds which aren't at all like what they intend to describe.
Thoughts.

Weird that you think so
I find a lot of Joyce's writing has a very musical quality, and he's very good at capturing a certain anxious melancholy.
You should read Dubliners, it's a relatively easy read for Joyce and you'll be able to tell pretty quickly if you like his style or not. Has some of my favorite short stories as well

It's just magic realism that got marketed as the quintesential harmless philosophical book of the century.
Every house has a copy; I bet not even half of them have even read the work (not that it's something mandatory by any means)

Idk why Vonnegut gets so much shit here. He's not high literature but he's got a very comfy, friendly style. Like he was writing for an old friend or favorite nephew

0. the bible

Joyce utterly fails in the art of the novel because of his complete disregard for story. While the writing has merit as an experiment, he seems to have been so submerged in his linguistic microcosm to produce pure masturbation instead of enjoyable fiction.

Ulysses
Gravity’s Rainbow
Infinite Jest

Hmm, this is what it seems, completely divergent opinions. I think I have three of his major works in my library, including Dubliners, so I guess I'll just give it a go when it feels right.
Thanks

This is actually a pretty good list. I especially agree with number 1, fuck that book

Thought I was the only one

it's like beethoven

Yes. I've gone as far as saying That Finnegans Wake is not a book in the English so much as it is a work of music with language and the voice as its sole instrument.

>he doesn't enjoy linguistic masturbation over plot

>Is too afraid to read them

He is regarded highly by critics. His books frequently make top position in "best books of whatever" lists. I think he is enjoyable for sure, even witty at times, but not the bastion of surreal literature many people think him to be.
However Veeky Forums's reaction is uneeded since no normalfags care about him really. They do enjoy Coehlo and Brown though but they are several levels below Vonnegut.

The Stranger is probably the most overrated novel of all time. He even got a Nobel for that shit back when the award meant something

>muh plot

>Madame Bovary
Hey fuck you

The award was shit since it began

Widely recognized as lit exclusively for angsty 19-22 year olds who don't want to get into serious literature.
Seems properly rated

> can’t think of a story
> crosses over the odyssey and a thesaurus
> muh prose
good novels have stories to tell. word autists should stick to dictionaries.

>3. J. D. Salinger: Catcher in the Rye
PLEB
L
E
B

>Widely recognized as lit exclusively for angsty 19-22 year olds who don't want to get into serious literature.

I don't think that's a fair assessment at all. Vonnegut writes in a very warm way, not really angsty. It's like your granddad telling you stories.

Literature for angsty 19-22 year olds is Celine and Houllebecq.

>Joyce
>Salinger
lol stop signaling you fucking faggot

>Catcher in the Rye

That killed me

>Madame Bovary
Why?

...

>madame Bovary
>MADAME BOVARY

Fuckig anglos I swear je vais ta niquer ta mère fils de putain albion de mes couilles je vais te faire bouffer ma verge sale américain de mon cul petite putain des palaces putain des trottoirs tu ne seras jamais qu'une petite putain la chatte à ta mère je vais te châtrer avec mon chibre fils de pute

Given how much the Bible consistently gets shit on by fedoracores and others I wouldn't say it's overrated

Try learning some actual insults putain boy

Va niquer ta daronne fils de putain fini à la pisse

Uninteresting story of an uninteresting character written in a horribly uninteresting way that has for some reason gained classic status

> putain putain putain
is this bait?

I've never seen it get shit on. No one care about it except Christians.

Ulysses
Infinite Jest
A Tale of Two Cities
Harry Potter
Anything by Shel Silverstein

Now just add that you read it in english and the bait will be complete

>Catcher in the Rye
yes but it is not bad

i would put 2666 up there, i have seen no hate on this novel and just love for it. there was very little in it for me and it is way too long for what it is.

IJ for the same reason except i think i had a little more fun reading that.

>he doesn't use putain instead of pute
It's like you live in Montreuil fils de putain la chatte à ta grand-mère

Stoner

you should say putain more

>salinger
>overrated

Although i guess you're sort of right that catcher is, consider it doesn't match up to his other work

He seems to appeal to people who like puzzling together the meaning of a pile of gobbledygook. I'm either too retarded or not retarded enough to enjoy him