Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

86 reviews

mme_carton's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

clairegannondorf's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.0

This book is widely known for its relatability of the character feeling bitter about people and the world, while also having the self righteousness most have during one’s teenage and young adult years.  Although I think this book has merit, I find it odd when grown adults identify this book as one of their all time favorites, or when someone claims that they feel akin to Holden. Holden is an extremely flawed character and has a narrow understanding of the depth of the people he knows.  He makes light of very serious things, which may not have been concerning when it was first published, but would be cause for concern if anyone said such things in today’s world. I think this book would be beneficial to read in college with more perspective, rather than assigning it to high school students who may relate to and even admire Holden and his thoughts. All that being said, J.D. Salinger perfectly captures teenage angst and the universal struggle to make sense of people and the world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

sabrinaleaf's review against another edition

emotional 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

5.0

2nd time reading: 
At first, I was gonna give it a lower rating, maybe a 3.5 ⭐️. But I had too much fun annotating and analyzing this book. Finally understand it’s meaning and the underlying themes now that I’m older was truly magical.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Grief

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Pedophilia, and Violence

bellaiu's review against another edition

adventurous funny reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Addiction and Drug use

nomatophobia's review against another edition

dark emotional funny medium-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

1.0

You know that game where somebody gives you a prompt and you have to rant about it as if you had years worth of bottled up anger on the subject? That's how this book was written. In the end they try to make it seem like MainCharacter will stop being so pessimistic but it was said in a way that was so unsatisfying to me.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Grief

Minor: Homophobia

alisonnicholslol's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-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

1.25

Holden is a whiny bitch. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Grief, and Classism

grace_cr1's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, and Alcohol

naomistrom06's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Spoilers Ahead!!

Firstly, I wanna say that I read this as a teenager - which may affect the way I view this book. Holden is a very unlikeable character who hates everything and there is a repeating theme of: walking around New York, I hate this, memory, walking around, etc. But I was so interested in what Holden thought about everything and how he would reveal more about his life and memories to the reader. Some people feel like the beginning was too slow and unbearable to read. However, of course it is not as good as the ending, but I enjoyed how there wasn’t a point he was reaching or a goal he had in mind. I think that points towards the message of the book as well.

The teacher whom he stays with at the end of the book points of that Holden is headed towards a falling trajectory. Holden has been looking for something to hold onto and he just can’t find it.

I wasn’t until Holden spent time with his younger sister (one of the only people he has high regard for) and saw her playing on the carousel. The entire book the reader sees how depressed he is and how he hates everything. All of a sudden, he feels immense happiness.

I’m going to be completely honest, I cried so much that chapter. Seeing someone depressed thrn their lives around made me so emotional. 

I am not depressed or anything, but I related to Holden’s point of view and gave me hope and motivation for my own future.

 thanks for reading :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

sunny_not's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-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

2.5

Just a weird teenage boy hating everything, being sexist, racist and homophobic at the same time. Definitely of its time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

maliciouslesbian's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Grief

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual harassment, and Classism