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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
4.5 stars
I loved this book, will be thinking about it for a long time, can’t wait to read more from Hemingway. Hell, the ending almost made me cry.
I loved this book, will be thinking about it for a long time, can’t wait to read more from Hemingway. Hell, the ending almost made me cry.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
unfortunately I am not enough of a Cool Girl to like whatever was happening here. men I’m sure this speaks to you… for some reason.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
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
-2 stars for Catherine Barkley's syrupy, fawning love, 3 stars for still being way better than I could ever write.
After seeing "Testament of Youth" recently (a so-so movie), I've been "into" WWI. Most people in my generation never knew anyone who fought or lived through that era, so it seems mysterious and distant. Until watching Testament and reading this book, the only thing I knew about WWI was that Thomas from Downton Abbey held a lighter up in the trenches to get his hand shot off so he could go home and pick up where he left off, i.e. serving the rich all day, every day. Now I know that there were many ways people tried to get out of service, and that most people seemed to hate the war and not feel an overriding sense of duty and judicial righteousness in fighting it, unlike WWII, which everyone loooooooooved (I don't know: remind me to read an actual history book), and that Italians really do eat spaghetti all the time (according to EH).
But, okay: it's a really good war story. Lt. Henry is so wonderfully macho. He smiles through the pain, drinks two bottles of wine for breakfast, and doesn't love anyone, until he does, and then he REALLY loves her. With manly abandon. The love story between Catherine and he is actually pretty sweet, but it's hard to get past their dialogue. Even when they're in a hotel room, talking to each other like that, you want them to get ANOTHER, smaller room inside that room, so you don't have to listen to them saying things like "You're a grand girl" and "You're a lovely wife." Henry basically just chants those two phrases at her, over and over, and she just swoons. She is having all of it.
AND LOOK WHERE IT GETS HER.
A drinking game that would kill the reader: taking a sip every time Catherine Barkley says, "I'm a good girl, aren't I, Darling?"
After seeing "Testament of Youth" recently (a so-so movie), I've been "into" WWI. Most people in my generation never knew anyone who fought or lived through that era, so it seems mysterious and distant. Until watching Testament and reading this book, the only thing I knew about WWI was that Thomas from Downton Abbey held a lighter up in the trenches to get his hand shot off so he could go home and pick up where he left off, i.e. serving the rich all day, every day. Now I know that there were many ways people tried to get out of service, and that most people seemed to hate the war and not feel an overriding sense of duty and judicial righteousness in fighting it, unlike WWII, which everyone loooooooooved (I don't know: remind me to read an actual history book), and that Italians really do eat spaghetti all the time (according to EH).
But, okay: it's a really good war story. Lt. Henry is so wonderfully macho. He smiles through the pain, drinks two bottles of wine for breakfast, and doesn't love anyone, until he does, and then he REALLY loves her. With manly abandon. The love story between Catherine and he is actually pretty sweet, but it's hard to get past their dialogue. Even when they're in a hotel room, talking to each other like that, you want them to get ANOTHER, smaller room inside that room, so you don't have to listen to them saying things like "You're a grand girl" and "You're a lovely wife." Henry basically just chants those two phrases at her, over and over, and she just swoons. She is having all of it.
AND LOOK WHERE IT GETS HER.
A drinking game that would kill the reader: taking a sip every time Catherine Barkley says, "I'm a good girl, aren't I, Darling?"