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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
Dense and tough to keep chipping away at. Took many breaks and shifted to other books before I had to give up on it.
I mostly enjoyed this. Kinda. Except for the part in the middle with the two excruciatingly long sermons on Hell. I was fascinated with one paragraph not long before the sermons, where the author describes, quite vividly, what is clearly to me a kundalini experience. I utterly failed to interpret the rest of the novel or the major character's movement with that in mind. It was weird, and almost seemed to be dropped in out of nowhere, and left utterly unexplored. Which I found a little odd, considering the way I've heard it described by people that had it happen to them. The last part of it, I had a moment where I felt like I was watching a Richard Linklater film, the way the characters just were with each other, arguing obscure philosophical points. Which I simultaneously enjoyed... and also felt completely lost (unlike Linklater, which I generally get). I feel like there's an entire set of life experiences and references that I'm lacking to truly get the novel. I've had a friend suggest I read "Dubliners" instead. Which (having googled) makes some sense. Reading this book, I can see where he might work better in a short story format.
I was bored, so so bored, only continued bc its an audiobook but still would rather not listen to it than do
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I handwrote a more detailed review and may transcribe, but in short it's fascinating to see a genius (though not yet considered at time of writing) reflect on what led them to be who they were. This is not a book of mere reflection, but also one of rebellion. Experiencing Stephen and Joyce at the time of writing grapple with family, religion, their nation, their peers, their teachers, and themselves is deeply interesting to me. The push and pull between higher duties and true intellectual freedom that consumes Stephen is deeply compelling and was personally inspiring to myself.
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wish I could say I enjoyed this book, but I just don't think I'm well-versed in Irish history to fully grasp it. The writing is dense and hard to parse and the characters are so repressed it's hard to distinguish their motivations -- I say this, again, as someone with little experience with Irish history, I understand others probably had different feelings towards this book. I was constantly flipping to the pages of footnotes to even understand what was going on. However, I think there are lots of interesting moments and growth within the novel, and I don't regret reading it. I wish it played a little more on Joyce's later confusing and eclectic style, but I feel I would have an even harder time reading it then, so maybe I'm saying that without fully believing it.
medium-paced
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this book has helped to reconcile some of my feelings as a misfit.