1.89k reviews for:

Ulysses

James Joyce

3.64 AVERAGE


I’ll often read SparkNotes or Cliff’s Notes when I’m reading a challenging book, or one with references that are out of my league. It can help contextualize the plot and make it more interesting/ insightful/ compelling/ etc.

Reading Ulysses, there was more than one instance in which I needed one of these resources to help me understand the plot in the first place

Like Ulysses needs another review! Haha. After my second reading, can confirm it is still a great work of modern lit, despite being sometimes awful and/or a slog.

It ends with an orgasm. What could be better?

I did it. It took me 4 years (yes, literaly 4 years!) to get through this and it only happened out of sheer spite and will power. I did it. I won't do it again.

Brilliant but I don’t think I’ll be a Joycian in this lifetime

Трети опит-успешен. Иска ми се да се направя на интересна и да напиша нещо от сорта на "отвя ме", или друго противно клише, но истината е че си дадох сметка колко не съм умна. Това е. Поне разбрах отговора на оня лексиконски въпрос Коя книга ще взема с мен ако ще ме пращат на пустинен остров и имам право само на една..



(Представям си как има мини наградки Оскар за прочелите книгата, и държа реч в която казвам че Джойс е гений, отправям благодарност към Иглика Василева за прекрасния превод и после се отплесвам в суперлативи за невижданата игра на думи, преплитането на стилове на писане, случки, факти и всевъзможна логорея, преминавам през гневни провиквания как на моменти ми е идвало да я зафукам, после как отново съм хващала нишката и ми е идвало да ръкопляскам, докато не пуснат музика и започнат да ме избутват от сцената. На онези които са разбрали книгата без бележките под черта и от първия прочит, трябва да се връчват по 3 оскара. Съмнявам че има такива, обаче.)
challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I read this book as a teenager, but wasn't able to come up with anything. Certainly, Joyce is not interested in making his thoughts accessible. Having read it again as an adult, I find the experience to have completely changed my perspective on many things. Be aware that this book is the literary equivalent of a Surrealist painting; you will only get the truth by looking away and catching it in your peripheral vision. The book is like sitting next to a drunk savant and listening to his unedited and unorganized train of thought. I think this is one of the most important books I have read and I will continue reading and re-reading it for the rest of my life.

Tough to get through but so so worth it.