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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
I liked Hemingway's writing style a lot and it was an interesting read but I've read too many books about wars now and im sick of it and not very interested in the war stories anyways. The second half of the book really went into another direction and i liked it a bit better plot-wise.
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Alcohol, War
Moderate: Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma
I didn't love this book. It was okay I guess but I'm not a fan of reading about war all that much. I love anything to do with Italy so that was a plus and I did like a lot of characters. I loved that Rinaldi always called Lt. Henry "Baby." I really was surprised by the ending and it really hit home for me but it didn't make me emotional at all. And that's strange because books and movies can make me cry fairly easily. I think this was part of the disappointment. How could something so horrible happen and not make feel more emotion? Hmm.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
I found Hemingway’s prose to be unlike any I’ve ever encountered before. Other readers described the dialogue as unnatural or stilted, but I never found it distracting. The longer I read, the more charmed I was by the characters and their personalities.
The story is bleak, and any hint of optimism in the narrative is ultimately undone by the end of the book. This addition, with the unused alternate ending sheds additional light on the various themes Hemingway wanted to explore, which cast my perspective of the story in a completely different light.
Ultimately, I enjoyed the book very much. It was an experience unlike anything else. The text makes no light of the brutality of war, and ironically we are shown far more deaths by friendly fire than by enemy combatants. Even in his escape with Catherine, Fred is still captive to death, which I guess is ultimately the case for all of us too.
The story is bleak, and any hint of optimism in the narrative is ultimately undone by the end of the book. This addition, with the unused alternate ending sheds additional light on the various themes Hemingway wanted to explore, which cast my perspective of the story in a completely different light.
Ultimately, I enjoyed the book very much. It was an experience unlike anything else. The text makes no light of the brutality of war, and ironically we are shown far more deaths by friendly fire than by enemy combatants. Even in his escape with Catherine, Fred is still captive to death, which I guess is ultimately the case for all of us too.
I don't know that I'm super enamored with Hemingway's writing style still, but the end of this carried quite a hell of an emotional punch. In that much, this was effective and pretty powerful.
Not a terribly difficult read, and not too many slow sections. It's not bad as far as classics go, but it definitely wasn't my favorite thing ever.
Not a terribly difficult read, and not too many slow sections. It's not bad as far as classics go, but it definitely wasn't my favorite thing ever.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Ce livre est vraiment long avant de vraiment démarrer. La première moitié est longue et on sait pas vraiment où s'en va l'histoire. L'histoire débute vraiment lors de la débandade italienne. C'est à partir de ce moment que j'ai trouvé Henry vraiment intéressant. Tout le reste n'est qu'une question de survie. Ce livre, c'est aussi une belle histoire d'amour. J'ai préféré Pour Qui Sonne Le Glas à ce livre dans le style de roman de guerre.
Aside from the descriptions of First World War, front-line battle, and unexpectedly kind treatment of desertion (from a man who I assumed would have thought that to be the height of cowardice), I didn't engage much with most of this story... until the final chapter. I have never read a more vivid sand heart rending passage of fear and loss.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Hemingways semi autographical narrative on his experience in ww1 uses simplistic style of writing which at point turns poignant as the chapters close. He introduces a range of different characters - war mates and Catherine (nurse/girlfriend) who was a odd character but that only added to the intrigue.
However I found the book a bit dull overall despite the warfare and I didn't take to the writing style as much as I thought.
I'd like to read more of his books but as a first time reader this one stuck me as a bit average.
However I found the book a bit dull overall despite the warfare and I didn't take to the writing style as much as I thought.
I'd like to read more of his books but as a first time reader this one stuck me as a bit average.