Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
American Pastoral - Phillip Roth 8.5
This was my first Phillip Roth book and surely will not be my last. Roth is a fantastic writer, who is very accessible and doesn't dabble in ostentatious writing, adding complexity or difficulty where needed, but never just to show off. His prose comes off as natural and effortless, though perhaps simple, until a moment of intensity shows what he is capable of. The story follows a family, in particular the father, who embodies the american ideal: hard working, open minded, infinitely kind, generous and selfless. However, he represents an old ideal of America which comes to confront a more chaotic and dark America, represented by his daughter, a radical in every sense. Roth's genius is exploring the psychologies of these different world views and, though there are occasional flirtations with more facile Freudian psychoanalysis, the majority of that exploration is much more, not settling on childhood traumas or would be 'natal scenes' that try to explain away their complexity. Instead, we follow the investigations of how they have ended up where they are and are never quite able to settle on anything. Both the ambiguity of motivations and the eventual conclusion of the book leave us wondering, in a way that is common to hear from more conservative people, "What happened here?" "Why has everything changed?" but perhaps with a expansive and nuanced perspective on those questions. Roth is a phenomenal writer and this is a phenomenal book. Somehow a touch understated, but in a way I appreciated. I don't think I can put him or the book in my top list of very favorite authors and books, but it is perhaps only a touch shy.
This was my first Phillip Roth book and surely will not be my last. Roth is a fantastic writer, who is very accessible and doesn't dabble in ostentatious writing, adding complexity or difficulty where needed, but never just to show off. His prose comes off as natural and effortless, though perhaps simple, until a moment of intensity shows what he is capable of. The story follows a family, in particular the father, who embodies the american ideal: hard working, open minded, infinitely kind, generous and selfless. However, he represents an old ideal of America which comes to confront a more chaotic and dark America, represented by his daughter, a radical in every sense. Roth's genius is exploring the psychologies of these different world views and, though there are occasional flirtations with more facile Freudian psychoanalysis, the majority of that exploration is much more, not settling on childhood traumas or would be 'natal scenes' that try to explain away their complexity. Instead, we follow the investigations of how they have ended up where they are and are never quite able to settle on anything. Both the ambiguity of motivations and the eventual conclusion of the book leave us wondering, in a way that is common to hear from more conservative people, "What happened here?" "Why has everything changed?" but perhaps with a expansive and nuanced perspective on those questions. Roth is a phenomenal writer and this is a phenomenal book. Somehow a touch understated, but in a way I appreciated. I don't think I can put him or the book in my top list of very favorite authors and books, but it is perhaps only a touch shy.
I found this unreadable. Extraordinarily turgid and needlessly long sentence construction. And sadly I didn't find anyone in the book emotionally interesting. Unreadable, unfinishable, unenjoyable.
It took me about 75 pages to get into this story. I can see why some people do not like Roth's books... his writing is very wordy and even borders on arrogant at times, but this book worked for me. I find myself still thinking about what it means to step into the "American pastoral" and wonder what role I play.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Not so good. I liked the Zuckernam reminiscences part, it was very good. But the Swede part was very bad. The interior of the people’s minds was unbelievable. Melodramatic almost for no point.
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
I read this book for the second time, having completely forgotten my first reading a couple of years ago. As I read it all came back to me. I think the slightly complex structure of the narrative being presented by a fictional novelist with numerous asides made it difficult. However the whole postwar slide from hope to despair was powerful and shattering.
challenging
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
Could not get into the writing style and found it difficult to connect to the main characters.
Interesting premise but extremely boring. There was so much unnecessary rambling. And I felt like there was no real conclusion. I only finished it to try to figure out what happens to certain characters and you don't.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced