Reviews with content warning for Ableism - The Sound and the Fury

Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

24 reviews

petrajuliavw's review against another edition

Really long chapters do me in. Not my cup of tea

Content Warnings

respirelejasmin's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark 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

This was definitely a very challenging read. I'm glad I pushed through it and I definitely understand its importance in terms of literary history and what makes it a classic. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had studied it in class or with somebody's help to guide me.

Content Warnings

maikenfrslev's review against another edition

2.5

challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

buggjuicce's review against another edition

5.0

challenging reflective slow-paced

Content Warnings

berkeleyfisher's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional sad 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

I went into The Sound and the Fury completely blind, and I truly had no idea what was happening at first. I had to pause and read a synopsis just to get my bearings. I didn’t realize the first two sections were stream of consciousness, but once I did, it made more sense. The writing style feels like an extension of each character’s identity, making the novel more about how it’s written than what actually happens. It’s like an impressionist painting: disjointed up close but forming something powerful when you step back.

Because of this, the audiobook was sometimes hard to follow. Stream of consciousness is already disorienting in print, but in audio format, it’s even harder to tell when time shifts or thoughts blend into action. This is probably why it took me a while to grasp Faulkner’s narration style. That said, the voice acting was fantastic, with Jason’s narrator making his section especially unsettling. Honestly, I don’t think I could have read this book in print. The narrators made all the difference.

I have mixed feelings about how new productions handle language in older works. I’m not sure why Blackstone chose to include the N-word, and it made me wonder about the decision-making behind that.

In the end, The Sound and the Fury is unrelentingly sad, with no relief—just pure emotional weight. But Faulkner’s writing style is what gives the novel its power. The structure, rhythm, and chaos of the words matter more than the actual story. It’s a novel that isn’t just about telling a tale; it’s about showcasing the art of novel writing itself.

Content Warnings