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toffishay's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is the first book that I've ever read by James Joyce. I have the honor of being able to study in Ireland soon and wanted to read a little to prepare. Wow, what a great read! These stories are so casually devastating. The characters are all living in suspended animation, some with limited self-awareness and, even sadder, some keenly aware of what they're missing. James Joyce has really crafted some real, sad characters. The depictions of the pitfalls of chauvinism and toxic masculinity are interesting as well. Favorite stories: "Araby", "Eveline", "The Boarding House", "A Little Cloud", "A Painful Case", "A Mother", and "The Dead."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Antisemitism, Death, and Racism
akirma's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Minor: Antisemitism
idesofmarch's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Racism, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Antisemitism, Misogyny, and Child abuse
zmorgason's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
On the precipice of revolution, Ireland's great modern author takes stock of his countrymen and their ideals—the hardscrabble lives of the denizens of Dublin. Each story is like a biopsy, subjective and internal outlooks that collectively form a patchwork picture of the eponymous city after the turn of the century and before the vicissitude of the Civil War. In just a couple hundred pages we can detect the bubbling conflict between Protestants and Catholics, between nationalism and conservatism, all within the delicate framework of a small city confronting its unknown future. Tales range from joyous to dour, often within the space of a paragraph, a mere few bottles of stout. They range all the seasons and each mood; and the final, masterful story, "The Dead," makes this early work by Joyce an essential read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Antisemitism
jakobvongunten's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Pedophilia
Minor: Antisemitism and Racism
lena_and_her_books's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Antisemitism, and Homophobia
Minor: Death
A content warning for Sexism and Racism should come as no surprise, since this book was published in 1914s Ireland...
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