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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
fast-paced
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
a brilliant characterization of war: incompetent men full of pettiness, driven by greed, and who only continue killing so that they may satisfy their despicable sexual desires. men who are smart enough to exploit young, misled men and celebrate the news of their deaths for the positive PR it will bring and the meaningless promotion that may follow.
heller succeeds in bringing to life a messy network of colonels, pilots, doctors, and a chaplain, each of whom feels undeniably human yet bafflingly selfish and moronic. Milo is a highlight: the military industrial complex, and even capitalism in its entirety, are brought to life ingeniously. "everybody has a share" is enough to justify war crimes, sheer acts of traitor-ism, and convince men to eat chocolate-covered cotton.
death lingers in the air for the first half of the book, but is easily dismissed in favor of the absurd. but even absurdism has its limits: luck runs out, reality sets in, and grief and trauma reign supreme.
the paradoxical wittiness is present throughout the entire book, sometimes subtle, sometimes overt. it's satisfying and infuriating and hilarious and truly, absolutely tragic.
remember: those in power can choose which official report to use, they can only send you home if you're crazy (and if you want to get sent hone, you must not be crazy), and for every feather in your cap you may receive, you shall also receive a black eye.
heller succeeds in bringing to life a messy network of colonels, pilots, doctors, and a chaplain, each of whom feels undeniably human yet bafflingly selfish and moronic. Milo is a highlight: the military industrial complex, and even capitalism in its entirety, are brought to life ingeniously. "everybody has a share" is enough to justify war crimes, sheer acts of traitor-ism, and convince men to eat chocolate-covered cotton.
death lingers in the air for the first half of the book, but is easily dismissed in favor of the absurd. but even absurdism has its limits: luck runs out, reality sets in, and grief and trauma reign supreme.
the paradoxical wittiness is present throughout the entire book, sometimes subtle, sometimes overt. it's satisfying and infuriating and hilarious and truly, absolutely tragic.
remember: those in power can choose which official report to use, they can only send you home if you're crazy (and if you want to get sent hone, you must not be crazy), and for every feather in your cap you may receive, you shall also receive a black eye.
dark
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A book with a lot to say and a lot of what is said comes across as silly until one sits with it for a while. LONG.
Was listening to audiobook through Library, did not finish before book was due back. Will pick up again because I did enjoy it I just didn’t prioritize it
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't know that it deserves the rating I've given it. I just know I read it at a pivotal time in my life and it rewired my brain for both better and worse.
Finally finished this after putting it off for a semester. Really enjoyable read, if a bit slogging and repetitive at times. Some of the most fun dialogue I’ve ever read, I love the loops and ever-present circular logic. At first the characters were tough to tell apart, but they get really fleshed out as the book goes on, and I ended up loving the chaplain, Nately, Orr, and of course Yossarian. Milo pissed me off I hate that guy.