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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
Perfect beach book shimmering with the genesis of gonzo journalism.
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
lighthearted
reflective
tense
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
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not my kind of book; I found it annoyingly unsatisfying. If this hadn't been a book group read, it is not the kind of book I'd gravitate too.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Rum Diary is pretty much autobiographical novel or rather travel diary written by Hunter S. Thompson while working as a journalist in Puerto Rico. It is definitely dry and very journalistic in nature, which drags at the beginning but does eventually pick up as the events unfolding become more and more extraordinary. The second half is a whirlwind of boozy nights in the Caribbean, which could only ever had happened in the ‘60s, and made me feel nostalgic for a time and place I’ll never know. In that sense, this book is a rare testimony of the wild life that journalists, of all people, could experience back in the day. I have no idea whether the Caribbean are still as free as they were back in the day, but even just travelling by plane was so different, it’s kind of crazy. This book felt like a Jack Kerouac on a bigger budget, with characters who have a purpose, creatives on a mission. It definitely grew on me.
I normally love Thompson. This is him at his worst: arrogant, tone-deaf, and misogynistic.