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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I know it’s a classic but f that dude. I may have liked it more if I hadn’t had to read it for AP Lit.
“I can’t explain what I mean. And even if I could, I’m not sure I’d feel like it.”
Well, Holden. If there’s one thing I can tell you for sure is that this depressed the hell out of me.
When I first started this book I really wanted to like it, with it being a classic and all. I wanted to know what everyone was gushing about, I really did. And once I got around 50 pages in I was enjoying it. But I also knew that I wasn’t enjoying it as much as I should be? And that really sucked. So then I tried to stop thinking about how much I should be liking it and just kept reading and then I really started to enjoy it. I mean I just love this book, and Holden. I really did enjoy the hell out of it. I think this just feels so relatable to me, Holden does. Especially being a 17-year-old and all. It just felt like the thoughts were plucked right out of my brain and written down. And the best part about it is it didn’t feel phony at all. At no point did it feel like I wasn’t really reading about Holden. It felt like I was reading his diary or journal or autobiography or he was speaking to me or something, no kidding. I could very clearly hear his voice in my head. I bet, that if I heard his voice right now I could recognise it, I really could. But really the best part was that it didn’t feel like an author writing from Holdens perspective. It really didn’t. So it didn’t feel like an older man trying to capture a teenagers inner turmoil. It felt like me, and simultaneously it felt like Holden. Does that make sense?
Also, why did no one tell me how funny this book was? Because it is, it really is. It’s hilarious. Holden is very funny. And not in a phony he’s trying to be funny or he knows he’s funny because he’s too funny and then it’s not funny anymore. I mean really, he’s funny, Holden is.
It just captured the anger and frustration and everyone wanting you to do something and be someone or listen or speak and you need it to stop or adjust to what you need but really why would anyone? And it feels like someone talking to you and you’re listening but you’re not really listening because you have to be in the right mood for that and if you aren’t you can’t do it right? I loved when Holden explained that. How sometimes you aren’t in the mood and you have to be in the mood for some things. Like when he said he wanted to give old Jane a buzz but he couldn’t because you have to be in the right mood and if you’re not you can’t do it. So he doesn’t. That felt staggeringly true to me. One of my favourite moments was when Holden is at his old teachers house after coming back from his house from visiting Phoebe. And he’s sitting there with his teacher and the coffee and he’s saying something but Holden is tired, and even though he is listening, he really is, he isn’t. Or his restless energy, but simultaneously feeling so tired but you can’t sleep because you aren’t tired for sleep.
So even though Holden is deemed a ‘red flag’, I really did agree with him. He’s me. Holden is me. But only me when I’m Holden, because I’m not always Holden but Holden is always me. I’m holden when i’m not me not being Holden. Does that make sense? It makes sense to me. And really everything he says I just agree with, except some things I don’t because they are too far and how could I agree with those?? I really couldn’t.
This whole thing felt so depressing and the inner turmoil depressed me. And when you thought about how depressing it all was, all the hating, it just depressed the hell out of me even more. Especially when you agree to most thing, especially then.
Holden just captures it perfectly and if you have read it and know what it is then you understand and if you don’t well i’m not sure I could explain it and even if I could, i’m not sure i’d feel like it…
Also I want Holdens red hunting hat. I want it so bad. Holden is so wholesome and if you don’t agree, I don’t care. It was so heartbreaking in a way.
I really did enjoy this book a whole lot. An honorable mention goes out to every time Holden says any variation of “it kills me”. Because it is just absolutely perfect every single time. I do get the gushing about Holden and this book. I really do.
You either love this book and Holden because you relate to him and you get it, or you hate it because you don’t understand his actions.
Im not sure I can really express how this book makes me feel and how I feel about this book though. I don’t think I can. If anything, i’d just say this was extremely validating. It felt comforting and validating.
Also, real question. Where do the ducks go in winter?
“Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.”
Well, Holden. If there’s one thing I can tell you for sure is that this depressed the hell out of me.
When I first started this book I really wanted to like it, with it being a classic and all. I wanted to know what everyone was gushing about, I really did. And once I got around 50 pages in I was enjoying it. But I also knew that I wasn’t enjoying it as much as I should be? And that really sucked. So then I tried to stop thinking about how much I should be liking it and just kept reading and then I really started to enjoy it. I mean I just love this book, and Holden. I really did enjoy the hell out of it. I think this just feels so relatable to me, Holden does. Especially being a 17-year-old and all. It just felt like the thoughts were plucked right out of my brain and written down. And the best part about it is it didn’t feel phony at all. At no point did it feel like I wasn’t really reading about Holden. It felt like I was reading his diary or journal or autobiography or he was speaking to me or something, no kidding. I could very clearly hear his voice in my head. I bet, that if I heard his voice right now I could recognise it, I really could. But really the best part was that it didn’t feel like an author writing from Holdens perspective. It really didn’t. So it didn’t feel like an older man trying to capture a teenagers inner turmoil. It felt like me, and simultaneously it felt like Holden. Does that make sense?
Also, why did no one tell me how funny this book was? Because it is, it really is. It’s hilarious. Holden is very funny. And not in a phony he’s trying to be funny or he knows he’s funny because he’s too funny and then it’s not funny anymore. I mean really, he’s funny, Holden is.
It just captured the anger and frustration and everyone wanting you to do something and be someone or listen or speak and you need it to stop or adjust to what you need but really why would anyone? And it feels like someone talking to you and you’re listening but you’re not really listening because you have to be in the right mood for that and if you aren’t you can’t do it right? I loved when Holden explained that. How sometimes you aren’t in the mood and you have to be in the mood for some things. Like when he said he wanted to give old Jane a buzz but he couldn’t because you have to be in the right mood and if you’re not you can’t do it. So he doesn’t. That felt staggeringly true to me. One of my favourite moments was when Holden is at his old teachers house after coming back from his house from visiting Phoebe. And he’s sitting there with his teacher and the coffee and he’s saying something but Holden is tired, and even though he is listening, he really is, he isn’t. Or his restless energy, but simultaneously feeling so tired but you can’t sleep because you aren’t tired for sleep.
So even though Holden is deemed a ‘red flag’, I really did agree with him. He’s me. Holden is me. But only me when I’m Holden, because I’m not always Holden but Holden is always me. I’m holden when i’m not me not being Holden. Does that make sense? It makes sense to me. And really everything he says I just agree with, except some things I don’t because they are too far and how could I agree with those?? I really couldn’t.
This whole thing felt so depressing and the inner turmoil depressed me. And when you thought about how depressing it all was, all the hating, it just depressed the hell out of me even more. Especially when you agree to most thing, especially then.
Holden just captures it perfectly and if you have read it and know what it is then you understand and if you don’t well i’m not sure I could explain it and even if I could, i’m not sure i’d feel like it…
Also I want Holdens red hunting hat. I want it so bad. Holden is so wholesome and if you don’t agree, I don’t care. It was so heartbreaking in a way.
I really did enjoy this book a whole lot. An honorable mention goes out to every time Holden says any variation of “it kills me”. Because it is just absolutely perfect every single time. I do get the gushing about Holden and this book. I really do.
You either love this book and Holden because you relate to him and you get it, or you hate it because you don’t understand his actions.
Im not sure I can really express how this book makes me feel and how I feel about this book though. I don’t think I can. If anything, i’d just say this was extremely validating. It felt comforting and validating.
Also, real question. Where do the ducks go in winter?
“Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.”
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I picked this book up several times but could never make it past chapter two. I hated the way the boy talked. I don't know what made me keep picking it up, but finally I made it all the way through. And I really enjoyed it.
Holden Caulfield is sixteen and has gotten expelled from prep school. Basically it's about going through your teenage years. Everyone's had those days where nothing goes right or you just don't care. That's what this book is about.
Holden Caulfield is sixteen and has gotten expelled from prep school. Basically it's about going through your teenage years. Everyone's had those days where nothing goes right or you just don't care. That's what this book is about.
4.5!
I must admit that I didn't like the book at all in the initial chapters! However, as the story progressed, I realized the scope and moral of the story, developing a newfound likeness for the protagonist and the story. I also learned some new words (Phony, Corny, Dough, Flit) and all!
And yeah old Phoebe killed me!
I must admit that I didn't like the book at all in the initial chapters! However, as the story progressed, I realized the scope and moral of the story, developing a newfound likeness for the protagonist and the story. I also learned some new words (Phony, Corny, Dough, Flit) and all!
And yeah old Phoebe killed me!
Thought there would be more calls to action. How did this book make anyone want to kill?
This is about a rich white wanker figuring out who he is. Enjoyable.
This is about a rich white wanker figuring out who he is. Enjoyable.
Didn’t like the characters, the narrative structure, or really anything about this book