,

Most Depressing Book of All Time

What book do you think is the most depressing book that you have ever read?
1

by
4.20 avg rating — 4,100,820 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.20 avg rating — 5,282,481 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,009,779 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.38 avg rating — 1,340,853 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.06 avg rating — 582,315 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
3.89 avg rating — 2,770,482 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
4.52 avg rating — 17,352 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
3.70 avg rating — 3,136,608 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
3.86 avg rating — 2,445,145 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
4.23 avg rating — 770,983 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
4.12 avg rating — 434,980 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.14 avg rating — 456,424 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.05 avg rating — 1,171,240 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
4.38 avg rating — 1,215,731 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
4.11 avg rating — 1,266,929 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
4.16 avg rating — 943,497 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
4.15 avg rating — 652,822 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.10 avg rating — 28,366 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
4.35 avg rating — 3,423,934 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
3.85 avg rating — 823,939 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.02 avg rating — 976,832 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,973,629 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
4.39 avg rating — 2,819,466 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
3.93 avg rating — 5,773,618 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
3.84 avg rating — 1,016,721 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
4.45 avg rating — 1,695,846 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
3.80 avg rating — 3,822,962 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
4.01 avg rating — 4,402,001 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
3.88 avg rating — 1,260,765 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.15 avg rating — 2,347,393 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
3.84 avg rating — 298,994 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
4.11 avg rating — 3,626,844 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
3.90 avg rating — 1,359,160 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
4.17 avg rating — 93,818 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
3.83 avg rating — 75,109 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
4.21 avg rating — 2,005,996 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,846,912 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.26 avg rating — 6,732,867 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
4.12 avg rating — 5,613,970 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
3.74 avg rating — 2,780,869 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
41

by
4.12 avg rating — 2,750,062 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,335,398 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
43

by
3.58 avg rating — 254,116 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
4.10 avg rating — 508,773 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
3.45 avg rating — 135,576 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
4.21 avg rating — 833,792 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
4.10 avg rating — 102,692 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
4.31 avg rating — 269,957 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
4.05 avg rating — 624,761 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
3.93 avg rating — 92,416 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
4.28 avg rating — 1,037,744 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
52

by
4.29 avg rating — 877,678 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
3.44 avg rating — 905,104 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.78 avg rating — 152,877 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
4.35 avg rating — 9,668,380 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
56

by
4.38 avg rating — 157,671 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
4.03 avg rating — 1,026,417 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
58

by
3.78 avg rating — 399,983 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
4.09 avg rating — 714,741 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.61 avg rating — 2,089,581 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
3.89 avg rating — 1,787,279 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
62

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 757,340 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
3.87 avg rating — 925,462 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
64

by
3.56 avg rating — 264,039 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
65

by
3.97 avg rating — 480,187 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
66

by
4.24 avg rating — 1,960,794 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
4.08 avg rating — 208,316 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
3.98 avg rating — 48,541 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,247,778 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
3.74 avg rating — 289,575 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
71

by
3.97 avg rating — 2,746,238 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
4.62 avg rating — 4,033,288 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
4.10 avg rating — 912,572 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
4.13 avg rating — 291,115 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
3.74 avg rating — 405,273 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
3.94 avg rating — 380,563 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
3.60 avg rating — 230,139 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
4.16 avg rating — 2,274,722 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
3.91 avg rating — 358,631 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
4.18 avg rating — 328,254 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
81

by
4.17 avg rating — 412,438 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
82

by
3.80 avg rating — 861,411 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.74 avg rating — 141,613 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
3.98 avg rating — 330,311 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
85

by
3.98 avg rating — 123,025 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
3.95 avg rating — 555,089 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.35 avg rating — 4,049,091 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
88

by
4.20 avg rating — 770,785 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
89

by
3.96 avg rating — 147,398 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.01 avg rating — 258,544 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
91

by
3.91 avg rating — 233,799 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
92

by
4.03 avg rating — 324,727 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
93

by
4.30 avg rating — 212,439 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
4.14 avg rating — 347,950 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
95

by
3.94 avg rating — 1,734,351 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
3.97 avg rating — 104,136 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
3.99 avg rating — 117,484 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
3.89 avg rating — 429,993 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

by
3.99 avg rating — 90,548 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
100

by
3.71 avg rating — 366,628 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
1,238 books · 3,852 voters · list created November 29th, 2008 by Leila (votes) .
477 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Leila 1140 books
102 friends
Miss Chai 240 books
14 friends
D.L. 993 books
175 friends
Hanna 331 books
7 friends
Wilhelmina 1557 books
324 friends
Neil 676 books
22 friends
Ashley 163 books
36 friends
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads 3384 books
853 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-50 of 88 (88 new)


message 1: by jo (last edited Jan 09, 2009 05:44PM) (new)

jo a fine balance wins the prize, hands down.


message 2: by jo (new)

jo oh, mike, you put one book there, and, since it's only one book, it climbs right to the top. that's rigging the system, man.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Oooh, good question!


message 4: by Leila (new)

Leila I thought Bridge to Terabithia was a fun childrens book (haven't read it) with all the adventure and stuff. I had no idea that I was so depressing!


message 5: by Jen (new)

Jen Ralph and Sarah,

I must know. What is so depressing about the soccer field being empty? Those two guys there on it look like they're doing okay.


message 6: by Thom (new)

Thom Dunn After putting up several titles and adding a bunch more, I suddenly realized this list of depressing books was nearly identical to my list of favorite books. Shit.


message 7: by Lobstergirl (new)

Lobstergirl The way the question is framed, aren't we supposed to pick just one book?


message 8: by Thom (new)

Thom Dunn Yes, Lobs, I think you are probably correct, but I can't decide..."Depressing" books are, for some reason, the ones I come to love the most and to re-read...And I am not a gloomy person, just the opposite. I guess the "dark night of the soul" is the greatest adventure, challenge, or some such. Lucky me: I'm a lover, not a sufferer.


message 9: by Leila (new)

Leila It's fine to add several books if you like though if you can pinpoint the most depressing book for you, then do add just one :) If you can't decide however (most books are very different), then it's perfectly okay to add several :)


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads I voted for two I find equally depressing, though they are certainly very different books.


message 11: by Thom (new)

Thom Dunn There is a bottom line to "sad" Beckett's Endgame is so abyssmal it has to be comic.....I remember as a Sophomore being upset with Candide because I had a hard time getting past the "soldiers who ripped the girls' bellies open"....my girlfriend of the time was laughing like hell reading Candide and I just didn't get it. Incidentally, recently saw magnificent production of Bernstein et. al. Candide in the Berkshires. I laughed like hell.


message 12: by Mandy (new)

Mandy Why isn't Les Miserables by Victor Hugo on this list?! JK, I'm not angry...just...surprised. I mean, it has the word "miserable" in the title. Even if you're not pronouncing it. I don't know, just think about it.


message 13: by Ally (new)

Ally I really thought Plath's the Bell jar would make it on this list!


message 14: by Lobstergirl (new)

Lobstergirl Mandy wrote: "Why isn't Les Miserables by Victor Hugo on this list?! JK, I'm not angry...just...surprised. I mean, it has the word "miserable" in the title. Even if you're not pronouncing it. I don't know, just ..."

Because you didn't add it?


message 15: by [deleted user] (new)

Ally wrote: "I really thought Plath's the Bell jar would make it on this list!"

Odd, I had added it along with 7 other depressing books but then deleted it as I was only supposed to chose one. I still have 2 up. I consider that book too depressing to read again altho I bought myself an old paperback of it for NE quiz questions. No wonder she killed herself!




message 16: by Ally (new)

Ally Canary wrote: Odd, I had added it along with 7 other depressing books but then deleted it as I was only supposed to chose one. ..."
I had a very ambitious to read list when I was in school, but after The Bell Jar I decided to rather read books I enjoy and not books other people thought I should read. I agree though, I would not read it again



message 17: by Lynn (new)

Lynn Pribus jo wrote: "a fine balance wins the prize, hands down."

Well, I put it second to Angela's Ashes. I read this for a book group and at the end it seemed like nothing, absolutely nothing, had changed. Very depressing!




message 18: by Lynn (new)

Lynn Pribus Ally wrote: "Canary wrote: Odd, I had added it along with 7 other depressing books but then deleted it as I was only supposed to chose one. ..."
I had a very ambitious to read list when I was in school, but aft..."


Actually, I think you can post five, but you have to put them in order of depressingness.




message 21: by Thom (new)

Thom Dunn Lynn wrote: "jo wrote: "a fine balance wins the prize, hands down."

Well, I put it second to Angela's Ashes. I read this for a book group and at the end it seemed like nothing, absolutely nothing,..."


Is "realism" depression ? Doth Reality bite ? I'd like to ask Frank McCourt, but alas ! he's dead--and I find THAT depressing.


message 22: by Adam (new)

Adam the giver, the hunger games, anne frank, and bridge to teribithia are the winners for me.
AND WHY THE HECK IS TWILIGHT HERE????
ABSOLUTLY NOT DEPRESSING.


message 23: by Adam (new)

Adam Leila wrote: "I thought Bridge to Terabithia was a fun childrens book (haven't read it) with all the adventure and stuff. I had no idea that I was so depressing! "

I havent read it either (i want to) but saw the movie and i was bawling at the end! it is soooo sad! and just to let you know i am a teenage boy.



message 24: by Mary Ellen (new)

Mary Ellen McWhirter Whoa... I sure have read a lot of depressing books. When I taught junior high, most every book dealt with a death to either a person, a pet, or a marriage.


message 25: by Lynn (new)

Lynn Pribus My sister once took an adult education class on Modern Women British Writers. She decided it must have been sponsored by Prozac.

Mary Ellen wrote: "Whoa... I sure have read a lot of depressing books. When I taught junior high, most every book dealt with a death to either a person, a pet, or a marriage. "



message 26: by Adam (new)

Adam this is actually not a bad list! unlike most of them in goodreads...


message 27: by Reed (new)

Reed why are the twilight books on here?


message 28: by Reed (new)

Reed hunger games made me cry when someone died(its a spoiler not gonna say!) and im about 14 so yeah, real men do cry.




message 29: by Reed (new)

Reed i wonder y its like way down on the list though.


message 31: by Suzanne (new)

Suzanne Adam wrote: "this is actually not a bad list! unlike most of them in goodreads..."

I agree. Some of my favorite books are on this list!


message 32: by Adam (new)

Adam Reed wrote: "hunger games made me cry when someone died(its a spoiler not gonna say!) and im about 14 so yeah, real men do cry.

"


REED U AINT 14! U R 12.


message 33: by Rem (new)

Rem I just realized something...Alot of the books I think are depressing are my favourites, lol that is kinda scaring me.


message 34: by Jaclyn (new)

Jaclyn Why is it that we're taught in school that good = sad?
'course I found Candide hilarious, and I thought that The Giver turned its self around so much at the end that I found it uplifting.


message 35: by Mark (last edited Jan 29, 2010 12:25PM) (new)

Mark If people think The Road and Bridge to Terebithia are depressing, they have some reading to do (unless they want to remain happy people, which I highly recommend for some people). Tess of the d'Urbervilles has to be like five octillion times as depressing as either of those. Personally, I think there's a huge difference between a depressing book and a sad book.

I wouldn't call The Road a sad book, though. I can see how some people can think it was depressing, but I didn't come away from it feeling that way, personally.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Yeah, it's hard to argue with Hardy for depressing. (Jude the Obscure was my top choice.)


message 37: by Alex (new)

Alex Yates The hollow is most deffinitally the most boring depressing feel bad book ever! i cant believe i had to add it


message 38: by Will (new)

Will Where is "Johnny got his Gun" Hands down most depressing


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads The form to add books to the list is over at the right-hand side of the page.


message 40: by Janal (new)

Janal Ashby The Joy Luck book is the most depressing book i have ever read.


message 41: by Sara (new)

Sara I'm surprised I had to add Giovanni's Room myself! Although I agreed with the other books I've read that made it onto the list. And it was hard to pinpoint the fine line between depressing and intensely sad...


message 42: by Katie (new)

Katie The end of "The Road" made me cry for over 5 minutes. The entire book is pretty bleak.


message 43: by BMaire (new)

BMaire Go ask Alice never seems to loose relevance in our society.


message 44: by ɐzzıɹʞ (new)

ɐzzıɹʞ Bridge to Terabithia? Depressing?
I can't believe it.


message 45: by Coralie (new)

Coralie I feel that there is a vast difference between sad and depressing.


message 46: by Daria (new)

Daria Coralie wrote: "I feel that there is a vast difference between sad and depressing."

Yes I agree. That's why Wuthering Heights and The Hunger Games should not be on this list.


message 47: by Namida... (new)

Namida... i don't think books that have a good character dying all of a sudden in them should be called depressing, they're just momentarily sad. That's why i don't think the vampire academy series should be here, nor the hunger games AnD DeFiNaTeLy NOT twilight, why do i find this abominable saga in every list! also to kill a mocking bird is neither sad nor depressing for me. but wuthering heights yeah, it's gothic and freaky sometimes but it is damned depressing. somehow i find virginia woolf's books depressing too, mrs dalloway and the waves had me sobbing all night.
but hey that's just me ^^


message 48: by Isaac (new)

Isaac brideshead revisited imo


message 49: by [deleted user] (new)

Reed wrote: "why are the twilight books on here?"


In New Moon Bella suffers a major depressive episode so bad that her father thinks about putting her in the hospital. She really needs medication but doesn't get any which is good. After 3 or 4 months she pulls out of it due to Jacob Black helping her. I actually enjoy reading about it which is very odd but cannot bear to read about her death when she gives birth to Renesmee.


message 50: by Anna (new)

Anna Most of the books I've voted are in my favourite shelf... I love them, what can I do? =)

Many of them are about love... that's my favourite genre ^-^


« previous 1
back to top