Reviews with content warning for Death - The Catcher in the Rye

Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

76 reviews

samugranjo's review against another edition

dark emotional funny

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I know this book is known as a 'red flag' read and although I can see how it could be taken out of context and made into a shrine for thinking everyone else is fake and everything sucks. However, while reading this the only thing I could think of was how lonely and depressed Holden was, how much unprocessed guilt he had and how lost he seemed. Yes, it is full of teenage angst, because we are seeing the world through the eyes of a kid that just once again gave up on school and continuously fails to find joy in the world around him.
Although some of the middle part was a bit dull, this book and the Bell Jar are, in my opinion, some of the best portrayals of depression I have ever read and I need to give credit when credit is due.

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wuthrinheights's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I first picked up this book when I was a teenager and I loved it since. It was the first classic book I read that wasn't assigned in class. And that was the birth of my love for classics. Reading it again in my 20's, it's even better than when I first met him.

Holden was witty and observant, sarcastic, and the biggest hater you've ever met. His narration was often so comical, I kept giggling or literally laughing out loud with tears in my eyes. Really, he killed me.

But as you read on, this story of his account of spending the night alone in New York City, in between meeting all kinds of people in his life who happened to be available to meet him that night, while his memories weaved in and out, and he tried his hardest to hang on, your heart gets broken piece by piece. Holden's voice will stay with you and you can't shake him out.

A full 5 stars for me. Heck, I'd give 6 out of 5 stars if I could. This is my favourite book and it holds a special place in my heart for it.

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emmiesbooks16's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

May I say I had to read this book for English class so yea. Anyways I truly did not enjoy this book most of the book I only really started to enjoy it was the last couple of chapters. I really did not like Holden because he was hypocritical and honestly a bit of a misogynist. I thought some of his ideas of life were a bit out there like his whole stance on movies. Though I can say I did enjoy how you could see how unstable he was at the very beginning of the book and how his mental health declined throughout the books, by the way he became more erratic, desperate, the way he spoke so fast and thought a million thoughts so fast. I also did enjoy some of the messages in the last few chapters and the interactions with his little sister Phoebe. Because if Phoebe I felt I saw more of Holden true character and what he could be. But it’s only really then ending with his sister that redeemed a bit of the book for me, for most of the book I was miserable at the least.

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islamccormack's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Child death, Alcohol, Body horror, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Suicide

I honestly wasn’t expecting that book to be so amazing. I know that it’s a classic, but sometimes classics can be dusty and complicated to read. This was far from that, despite its slight slow pace sometimes (hence 4.75 stars). I have never felt so connected to a character in all the times that I’ve read in a VERY long time. Holden is such a complex but heartbreakingly innocent character. He is exposed and is exposing himself to self destructive behaviours and experiences a series of chaotic events during this novel which he chooses to pursue, yet he is so in pain, which makes me sympathise with him so much. I was so incredibly moved by this story - I’m actually speechless. And the twist at the end was even more heartbreaking. Holders attention to detail, his observant nature, his immaturity yet his mature tendencies, his wit and humour, his melancholia (that “killed me”) and his pluckiness that initiates these illicit activities that he pursues on these adventures around New York make for a amusing yet harrowing tale. Its like I was simultaneously laughing but nearly crying the entire way through the novel. One, because I have a brother the same age as Holden and I was imagining him in this mischievous position of trying to claim his masculinity and maturity around a big city. But two, I was so deeply saddened by Holden’s depression which overarches all of the mischief that it almost brought me to tears. The relationship he had with his sister was also very touching and personal to me. I felt even the nuances of a sibling relationship was executed perfectly, and the carousel scene had me in tears. Salinger’s ability to capture the complexities of the human mind, dialogue, inner turmoil and nuances of American people and society from the naive yet tormented mind of a 16 year old boy was eye opening, pivotal in challenging Americanism and essential in shining a light on internalised melancholia and grief. And all under the shadow of a post war society to top it all off! This is the work of a genius. I definitely can stand with everybody now when they dub this book a classic.

stuckduck's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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eib_21's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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_e_v_a's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

At first I thought the book would not really be my thing, but the further i came, the more emotionally connected i became to Holden.

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ambarleti's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Content Warnings

ekcd_'s review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

joharrismay's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

This is one of my all time favorite books now. I really liked how the character spoke about things and it honestly felt like just speaking to a friend. I really loved the story because it was not overly dramatized and it also had elements of mental health in it which kinda brings things you can relate to. I really enjoyed this book.

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