Scan barcode
mike_onofrio21's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
5.0
lindsaytt's review against another edition
dark
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
4.0
eleanorryd's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
moreale's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.25
1957s's review against another edition
dark
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Lo leí siendo muy chico, tendría que reelerlo para darle un puntaje.
immy_25's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
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
3.75
ra1ns0unds's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
annamickreads's review against another edition
3.0
I'm going to be honest--I did not finish this book, and the rating is mostly due to Faulkner's writing and not necessarily content!
To be fair, I do see how Faulkner is regarded as one of the "writing greats". His stream-of-consciousness writing is compelling, but equally confusing as to figuring out which of his characters is telling the story. I also had problems with the story itself, which, sold as being told from the point of view of a young man with disabilities in a time where people didn't really write about disabilities, enthused me.
What I found instead was a book littered with hostility; every single person except for the main character, Benjamin, and maybe his sister, Candace (known affectionately as Caddy) were selfish, judgmental, and cruel to Benjamin. The only black characters in the novel were servants and the use of the n-word was so extreme that I was embarrassed to read this book on my train home from work.
I understand that the point of this book was to highlight the selfishness of the main characters, but I think based on the premise I expected more from a book that slut-shames its heroine for having a child out of wedlock--especially when it's previously established that the reason she is engaged in frequent flings is due to her parents' lack of attention or support at all. Also, it doesn't help many of the main characters share names (Jason and Jason Jr, Quincey the boy and Miss Quincey, Candace's daughter) combined with the stream-of-consciousness writing that makes the plot difficult to follow with its jumps in time.
In summary: I gave Faulkner a go because I love southern gothic, but I am now weary of any stream-of-consciousness writing lest I have to spend 20 minutes trying to figure out whose perspective the story is being told from per page.
To be fair, I do see how Faulkner is regarded as one of the "writing greats". His stream-of-consciousness writing is compelling, but equally confusing as to figuring out which of his characters is telling the story. I also had problems with the story itself, which, sold as being told from the point of view of a young man with disabilities in a time where people didn't really write about disabilities, enthused me.
What I found instead was a book littered with hostility; every single person except for the main character, Benjamin, and maybe his sister, Candace (known affectionately as Caddy) were selfish, judgmental, and cruel to Benjamin. The only black characters in the novel were servants and the use of the n-word was so extreme that I was embarrassed to read this book on my train home from work.
I understand that the point of this book was to highlight the selfishness of the main characters, but I think based on the premise I expected more from a book that slut-shames its heroine for having a child out of wedlock--especially when it's previously established that the reason she is engaged in frequent flings is due to her parents' lack of attention or support at all. Also, it doesn't help many of the main characters share names (Jason and Jason Jr, Quincey the boy and Miss Quincey, Candace's daughter) combined with the stream-of-consciousness writing that makes the plot difficult to follow with its jumps in time.
In summary: I gave Faulkner a go because I love southern gothic, but I am now weary of any stream-of-consciousness writing lest I have to spend 20 minutes trying to figure out whose perspective the story is being told from per page.
hp_reading's review against another edition
4.0
“Then Ben wailed again, hopeless and prolonged. It was nothing. Just sound. It might have been all time and injustice and sorrow become vocal for an instant by a conjunction of planets.”