Reviews

Hemingway makes me want to take a shotgun to the head (sorry, too soon?). His style just isn’t for me. The first half of this book was insufferable.

But then something terrifying happened… for the last third of the book, I actually kind of… liked it???

Once they made it to Spain, the frivolity became entertaining and mixed with more humor, which made it infinitely more enjoyable because I knew I was supposed to find it funny, versus me finding the book ironically funny because the prose is so torturous.

apiphari's review against another edition

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hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

landonlunceford's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Loved the ending lines. Feels like you’re drowning in the characters by the end even when you think you’re on the surface.

ethanrwilliams's review against another edition

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reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

taelerk's review against another edition

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3.0

The pacing of this book was too slow for me. The points of contention were so spread out by the time I got to them the stakes were not high for me anymore. I think the time period slang was a bit dull for me as well. That being said, I do love the pages of dialogue as story device. Dialogue helped me get to know each character's personality well.

ilveu's review against another edition

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adventurous informative medium-paced

3.5

jashegerova's review against another edition

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4.0

my first foray into Hemingway, and I understand why people praise his writing ability. his love for my Paris, and the realisation that much of my Paris has been formed by people who learned about Paris through Hemingway, through this book, has been endearing, verging on heart warming. some of my favourite places i love because they were shown to me by people whom i love, who love them, and who in turn grew to love them through ernest and his witty words. rive gauche 4 life.

that being said - what the fuck. i am more than a bit confounded at not having once heard about his antisemitism, which is so blatantly obvious it might as well be considered one of the main drivers of this novel. i dont get it. is it because this novel was written before wwii, when he famously stood on the right (by which i mean, the anti-fascist) side of history? or because of this latter, vehement opposing of antisemitism of his? or because “everyone was an anti-semite back then”? eeh. doubtful. (not to mentiom the blatant homophobia present lol)

idk man. i thought the book was very well written and i enjoy his writting style a lot. hence the four stars. but: trigger warning for anyone. by the end of it, the content veers into the vile.

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