Reviews

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

cort_francis's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

shaun7036's review against another edition

5.0

Kesey knocks this one out of the park. Thought provoking and provocative with the turn of every page. Spend more time reflecting on it than I did reading it.

alyssasbwaybooks's review

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

midwifereading's review against another edition

5.0

This is among the books that have moved me. It isn't a pretty story, by any means, but it is powerful. It had me laughing, and at the end, crying.

It all unfolds so vividly, that I felt as though I were watching the story as a silent character myself. I had a hard time putting it down, and couldn't wait to pick it up again when I had to put it down.

The jacket cover describes it as "Boisterous, ribald, and ultimately shattering." I couldn't come up with better adjectives for it. It's not a novel for the faint of heart, but it is very much a vivid word-painting of the battle between good and evil. What is ultimately shattering about it, to me, is that in the end, even the "good" is only filthy rags. The book is dark, with only glimpses of light, and even that little light is dim compared to the Light of God's mercy and grace.

Ultimately, it ends without hope, and that is its tragedy, albeit a powerful and moving one.

jamesadams0's review against another edition

Years ago

lurkinglignin's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide

kcrouth's review against another edition

5.0

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a beautifully told tale of life inside a mental institution in the 1950's. Its primary focus is on a new resident McMurphy as he upsets the delicate and carefully controlled balance maintained by Head Nurse Ratched. We are given personal views into the other residents, their conditions, and how they deal with life there, and are dealt with by the institution and staff. Having seen the Oscar winning film based on the book many times, i especially loved the intimate telling of the story the book gives. I was hooked upon discovering that i had completely missed (in the film) the point of view from which the story is told! Even if you have seen the film, this book is well worth the time to revisit the story through fresh eyes, and experience it again and anew.

alex_wordweaver's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was a big oof. Having worked in the in-home healthcare field, I can see how far we've come after reading this book,. Favorite characters would definitely have to be Chief and McMurphy. 

jmcook's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

amallard's review

dark emotional tense

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5