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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Well, after the first section I was sure I wasn’t smart enough to get through the book. I turned to SparkNotes to help me muddle through. The second section was supposed to make more sense, but after reading that I was pretty sure I was in trouble for the rest of the book. According to SparkNotes I understood the second section way more than I gave myself credit for.... then the 3rd section hit me like a brick wall. Jason is a terrible, bitter little man, that’s all I have to say about that. I don’t feel like the last section gave me any real closure. I do appreciate that Jason got his just desserts, though. I’m glad I powered through and finished the book, it was worth the struggle.
The power of Faulkner's writing cannot be denied. The layers of the book are deep and, most likely, require several reading to comprehend.
Sadly, the story is boring, the family uninteresting, and the payback is not worth the effort. I look at "sound ..." as a period piece. Its influence traces into the stream of conscious/absurdist writers of the later 20th century who, for the few I've read, tend to do a better job: or at least I can relate better since we are of the same time period.
Sadly, the story is boring, the family uninteresting, and the payback is not worth the effort. I look at "sound ..." as a period piece. Its influence traces into the stream of conscious/absurdist writers of the later 20th century who, for the few I've read, tend to do a better job: or at least I can relate better since we are of the same time period.
I know it's a great book, but I surely did not enjoy reading it. I don't think I have ever met such an unlikable group of characters before; I had to force myself to finish this one.
This is not an easy read, but it is worth persevering with! The story is non-linear, and told from a number of perspectives-none of which offer clear narratives, but which immerse you in the unravelling world of the Compson family. It is troubling, poignant and compelling reading-but not something to attempt unless you have the time and the concentration to devote to it.
I did not try, but how appropriate that I managed to finish this challenging novel on the same date as the title of the final chapter (89 years later). Yes, a real challenge, more so than previous Faulkner novels I've read. There were times I just had to pause, but as I neared the end, it all managed to come together.
Well, not all. I am left with many questions. I recall seeing a comment by Faulkner in response to criticism of The Sound and the Fury; that it was so very abstruse. He said, "Read it four times." Immediately upon finishing, I returned to the beginning and started rereading the first chapter, which I found nearly opaque when I began the novel. Now, it is almost clear and comprehensible; I can understand the switching back and forth in time that helped make it so confusing at first. No telling what I might glean after 2 or 3 more tries!
This novel definitely requires perseverance and a sort of acceptance that the reader will be lost at times, but by pushing on, things do come together ... eventually ... mostly (kind of life I guess). In the end, very rewarding.
Faulkner, like no author I've encountered yet, manages to dig deep into the American Southern mind and reveal its most inner workings, a remarkable feat. It may be no wonder the journey can be so convoluted.
Well, not all. I am left with many questions. I recall seeing a comment by Faulkner in response to criticism of The Sound and the Fury; that it was so very abstruse. He said, "Read it four times." Immediately upon finishing, I returned to the beginning and started rereading the first chapter, which I found nearly opaque when I began the novel. Now, it is almost clear and comprehensible; I can understand the switching back and forth in time that helped make it so confusing at first. No telling what I might glean after 2 or 3 more tries!
This novel definitely requires perseverance and a sort of acceptance that the reader will be lost at times, but by pushing on, things do come together ... eventually ... mostly (kind of life I guess). In the end, very rewarding.
Faulkner, like no author I've encountered yet, manages to dig deep into the American Southern mind and reveal its most inner workings, a remarkable feat. It may be no wonder the journey can be so convoluted.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes