What Are the Five Worst Books I Read in 2020?

TL;DR

The five worst books I read in 2020 include 'Serpent & Dove,' criticized for its absurd plot; 'The Couple Next Door,' noted for unlikable characters; 'Nevernight,' seen as overly edgy; 'True Colors,' problematic in its depiction of sisterhood and body image; and 'The Wives,' which suffered from convoluted plot twists. Each book had significant flaws that detracted from the reading experience.

Transcript

If there was a book that could gaslight me, it would be this book. [music] Today I'm gonna be talking about the worst books I read this year. And when I say that I don't mean that these were objectively the worst books that were published in 2020, I just mean that these were books that I happen to have picked up this year, and they didn't turn out ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🪭 The creator found "Serpent & Dove" ridiculous but acknowledged the author's ability to cater to fans of similar books like Sarah J. Maas's "A Court of Thorns and Roses" series.
• ✍️ The characters in "The Couple Next Door" were unlikable, and the writing relied too much on telling instead of showing.
• 🥶 "Nevernight" was criticized for its edginess, purple prose, and the unrealistic portrayal of a 16-year-old assassin.
• ❓ The problematic aspects of "True Colors" included the portrayal of sisterhood, body image, and an indigenous character.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the main character in "Serpent & Dove" end up in a forced marriage?

The main character, a witch, and a witch hunter are forced into a marriage after a misunderstanding where the witch is mistaken for a man beating the girl up. The priest offers marriage as a solution to clear up the misunderstanding, which leads to the forced union.

Q: Why did the creator dislike "The Couple Next Door"?

The creator found the characters annoying, particularly the hysterical crying of the mother and the illogical actions of the father. The aggressive behavior of the detectives and the reliance on telling instead of showing in the writing also contributed to the dislike.

Q: What did the creator find problematic about "True Colors" by Kristin Hannah?

The creator criticized the portrayal of sisterhood, body image, and the depiction of an indigenous character. They felt that the characters were unlikeable, and the way the indigenous character was presented as a dangerous seducer was troubling.

Q: Why did the creator dislike "The Wives" by Tarryn Fisher?

The plot twists in the book were heavy-handed and convoluted, and the author's attempt to surprise readers with twists and turns became confusing and melodramatic. The main character's constant comparison and judgment of the other wives also contributed to the dislike.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The creator discusses the book "Serpent & Dove," a young adult fantasy with a primarily romantic focus. They found the plot absurd and didn't agree with certain aspects, but acknowledged the author's writing style.

• "The Couple Next Door" is a domestic thriller about a couple whose baby goes missing while they are at their neighbor's house. The creator found the characters annoying and didn't enjoy the execution of the story.

• "Nevernight" is an adult fantasy book that the creator found too edgy and filled with purple prose. They couldn't connect with the 16-year-old protagonist or the writing style.

• "True Colors" by Kristin Hannah is criticized for its portrayal of sisterhood, body image, and an indigenous character. The creator found the characters to be unlikeable and problematic.

• "The Wives" features a main character married to a man with two other wives. The creator found the plot twists convoluted and melodramatic.