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

reading this, it was pretty evident to me why this is a classic. it’s one of those books where you can’t analyze it without revealing pieces of yourself. holden can be relatable, insufferable, deeply mentally ill, and any combination thereof, but how you come out viewing him will vary with your experiences. he’s an extremely compelling protagonist with clear unresolved trauma and identity issues that makes him easy to root for even as he’s making all the wrong choices.

Content Warnings

evawertz's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is one of the few books where I felt like mental illness was shown from the perspective of the person experiencing the mental illness in a very accurate way. Holden's superiority complex is precisely how it is to have one in real life, you feel justified to point out everything you find wrong in people while excusing your even worse faults. You act rashly because everything seems to lack value and time zooms by or stretches on forever in your mind. Unlike most books, there's not a final destination or moment in someone's life that completes the book. The book is a snippet of the plain but complex days in someone's life. There is no happy or sad ending just a pause and let's see what happens. It portrays how life isn't a story with a perfect beginning to end and how you never know what's next.

Content Warnings

xjr's review

Go to review page

emotional funny reflective fast-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

3.0

Holden is a true teenager. It was funny how he kept complaining about the phoniness of his peers as the way he viewed himself and the way he talked often came across as phony to me ! The book was a quick read, maybe cos I read him as a mostly chaotic fast talking/thinking teenager trying to be smooth while doing so. And as most of this is a reflective retelling of his little adventure most of the book was quick-paced in my reading (plus it's relatively short ~200 pages).

But as the book continued and more emotional highlights were put in the book (albeit often adressed lightheartedly or joking) I started to feel for him. Especially the last dozen pages were quite good, hopeful even.

That said, little actually happened but I enjoyed some the smaller details of Holden's character and life that I wish I could've seen more on. I think it works thematically with his personality and escapism, or yellowness so to say, to not delve into it purposefully. Doesn't mean I'm into that though...

Content Warnings

mme_carton's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

Content Warnings

yustawrites's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny reflective sad medium-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

5.0

Oh my God. If you rate this book low then you're a phony. I swear to God you are.

I'm lost for words. I just loved it. Holden really feels like a close friend. This book is overall SAD, but the humour in it is very special and has made me laugh to myself a few times. Very well done.

The writing is direct, it doesn't feel like there are any fillers, everything Holden says is important and I loved being in his head for a few days (even if that meant being a little sad, worried, heartbroken).

Negative reviews tend to say that the writing is repetitive - but this is exactly the point. Holden is talking to YOU. He is telling you his story about what happened after he got kicked out of the school (again) - so shut up and LISTEN.

Other negative reviews talk about Holden as this annoying anti-hero. I read one that said something like:

"I enjoyed the main character. Or rather I enjoyed hating him".

He is a 16-year old boy on the brink of a mental breakdown.

You cannot post reviews like that and wonder WHY WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. It's exactly because of people like this - a.k.a. "phonies"; who won't listen, and shrug a struggling person off as "annoying", "rude", "obnoxious", "stupid".

This book made me cry. But what's different this time is that I cried while explaining the plot to someone else. Can you imagine?

God I love Phoebe. She's so like my little sister (and that kills me). Little kids really are more clever than you assume, and they are so pure.

I would like to thank J. D. Salinger for the ending. I really thought Holden is going to die in the end, but if he did I don't know if I could've taken that. Thank you for giving him a chance. Thank you for letting him live. Thank you for making him my friend.

Content Warnings