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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautifully written book, and though I love old western films, this one felt…. Boring, maybe? I don’t know what it was, but I could not get into it. Maybe because all the characters are terrible people? Nobody to root for or see yourself as? Again, beautiful flowery language and description as written, but I didn’t really like the story. Humanity is only violence? We hate who/what is not “ourselves”? I guess… I wanted to enjoy this, but I just did not.
I feel gross after reading this. Like staring at a festering wound. The Judge is evil, and he wins at the end and it felt like his vile acts and the philosophy behind them chased you around the book asking you to engage. I realized how sad the kids life was, not engaging with or putting up a fight against evil, but just running to keep his soul safe. The judge only wins because no one enacts a worldview cohesive enough to challenge his. No will matches his. To believe in something or live each day with anarchistic empathy. I dont know. Somethings lost either way.
challenging
dark
slow-paced
a BRUTAL and PUNISHING read
I'll have to come back and update this review, this shit was crazy
I'll have to come back and update this review, this shit was crazy
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Should be required reading in all American high-schools. It's not an easy read, and lays bare the horrific bloodshed present at the end of the Mexican American war.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
haunting
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
One of the most haunting, evocative, disorienting, and disturbing books I’ve ever read. It’s a compelling meditation on the nature of violence, fate, and the purpose of human existence, with Judge Holden acting as the nearly supernatural arbiter for each. He is possibly the most chilling antagonist I’ve ever encountered across all media. I’ve heard this referred to as “the greatest American novel” and I’m not sure if I agree with that, but I do believe it captures the true nature of America’s history of imperialism, racism, and violence in a way that I’ve never experienced before and likely will not again. I don’t think I enjoyed this book very much at all, but I’m rating it 4 stars for the completely unique experience that I had reading it.