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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is my third Hemingway book and probably the one I liked the most. Compared to 'Old Man and the Sea' and 'The Sun Also Rises', this one actually had things happen. The focus on WWI gave the book structure and plot, which made up for the classic Hemingway style of writing which can be a lot. Most historical war novels are centered about WWII, so it was a good change of pace to learn a little more about the Great War. I think the main character offered up some good reflections on the meaningless of the fighting and the war in general. I thought the most gripping parts were the running, swimming and general escape from the front.
I'm not sure how believable I found all the characters, especially Catherine but I enjoyed reading about her ridiculous love affair. I found the other Italian characters to be a little forgettable and interchangeable. Not sure if I'd recommend to this people, but wouldn't outwardly discourage it.
I'm not sure how believable I found all the characters, especially Catherine but I enjoyed reading about her ridiculous love affair. I found the other Italian characters to be a little forgettable and interchangeable. Not sure if I'd recommend to this people, but wouldn't outwardly discourage it.
Poignant on the whole. A little flat, with a lot of nattering conversation, and a few moments of intensity... until the end, which is heart-wrenchingly brutal. I wish it had been more consistently engrossing, but the prime moments of action and emotion made up for it and kept the reader off balance in assuming the story was a simple uneventful memoir vs a fiction with a twisted and dramatic plot. Knowing Hemingway's real experience in Italy during WWI, you can understand how this is a wishful reinterpretation of a time and a romance, but with a sorrowful end, nevertheless.
“Will you come to our wedding, Fergy?” I said to her once. “You’ll never get married.” “We will.” “No you won’t.” “Why not?” “You’ll fight before you’ll marry.” “We never fight.” “You’ve time yet.” “We don’t fight.” “You’ll die then. Fight or die. That’s what people do. They don’t marry.”
This is going to be my most unforgiving review to date. I’ll not apologize for it because Christ, this was depressing. For a few different reasons. Hemingway’s style of writing was literal hell to me. The dialogue was sterile and normal structure was not to be found.
I couldn’t believe Henry and Catherine were in love because there was barely any emotion in this book. It was like two robots trying to make conversation for the first time without any knowledge of what to do or say. Catherine’s “love” for Henry seemed to me to be obsessive more than anything else. She seems to want to become Henry so the two won’t know where one ends and the other begins. Henry is fine with this, probably because his own personality is so droll and the only facets of a personality I see in him are his indifference to everything and everyone and his narcissism.
There was blatant disapproval for war, but no one seemed attached to what they said. There was a little sympathy for Henry’s accident or when Aymo died, but not much. I couldn’t connect to any character at all. All I learned was everybody dies, so before you die you might as well become an alcoholic. You have to be a pretty serious masochist to enjoy this and somewhat of a sadist to write it. I’m left with a feeling of depression and have come to the conclusion that I have largely wasted my time. I’ll generously grant it 2 Stars, if only for its supposed “classic” status.
Rating : 2 Stars
This is going to be my most unforgiving review to date. I’ll not apologize for it because Christ, this was depressing. For a few different reasons. Hemingway’s style of writing was literal hell to me. The dialogue was sterile and normal structure was not to be found.
I couldn’t believe Henry and Catherine were in love because there was barely any emotion in this book. It was like two robots trying to make conversation for the first time without any knowledge of what to do or say. Catherine’s “love” for Henry seemed to me to be obsessive more than anything else. She seems to want to become Henry so the two won’t know where one ends and the other begins. Henry is fine with this, probably because his own personality is so droll and the only facets of a personality I see in him are his indifference to everything and everyone and his narcissism.
There was blatant disapproval for war, but no one seemed attached to what they said. There was a little sympathy for Henry’s accident or when Aymo died, but not much. I couldn’t connect to any character at all. All I learned was everybody dies, so before you die you might as well become an alcoholic. You have to be a pretty serious masochist to enjoy this and somewhat of a sadist to write it. I’m left with a feeling of depression and have come to the conclusion that I have largely wasted my time. I’ll generously grant it 2 Stars, if only for its supposed “classic” status.
Rating : 2 Stars
Not my cup of tea. I stopped reading after getting through three quarters of the book. Half the time, I couldn't understand the protagonist's motivations, which made it difficult to relate to him. I also had trouble understanding the whole romantic aspect, because it seems like neither of them were truly honest with each other yet somehow they still loved each other (?). It was confusing.
This book reminded me of a bad TV show my daughter likes.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager. In it, teen characters
woodenly spout lines with little emotion (especially little
sister Ashley - man! Buy an expression for your face!)
Hemingway's dialogue felt as wooden & unrealistic to me.
Maybe there was some point to that?
I've finally read Hemingway - check. Never have to do that again.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager. In it, teen characters
woodenly spout lines with little emotion (especially little
sister Ashley - man! Buy an expression for your face!)
Hemingway's dialogue felt as wooden & unrealistic to me.
Maybe there was some point to that?
I've finally read Hemingway - check. Never have to do that again.
Not sure this stands up to the test of time. I loved it as a teenager when it all seemed adventurous, passionate, worldly, illicit... Now it just seems rather ordinary. When I was young, I appreciated Hemingway's terse style of writing. Now I wish someone had given him a thesaurus. I got tired of hearing that everything was grand and lovely. I might not have finished it had it not been for the brilliant narration of John Slattery (Mad Men).
**Review from May 2011, transferred from Shelfari**
I tried and tried to like this book but due to Hemingway's frustrating habit of writing run-on sentences which go on forever (like this) as well as his lack of descriptive imagination I just couldn't take it seriously. War is grim, we get it. Plus, the love story was utterly preposterous. Lighten up Hemingway you utter bore.
I tried and tried to like this book but due to Hemingway's frustrating habit of writing run-on sentences which go on forever (like this) as well as his lack of descriptive imagination I just couldn't take it seriously. War is grim, we get it. Plus, the love story was utterly preposterous. Lighten up Hemingway you utter bore.
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No