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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Michael was hilarious but an asshole. Bill was very funny.
I loved this book! I read the Old Man and the Sea and For Whom the Bell Tolls years ago, but I never understood the Hemingway's genius until I read this book.
I loved the dialogue, loved Jake and Bill, loved the bull-fighting and Spain! I think I'll read it again!
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So I read it again. This time in 2022 and wasn’t as impressed as I was the first time. Yes, I still greatly admired Jake, but was impatient with the other characters. Hemingway does have a way of painting an atmosphere, creating a mystique about expatriates living in Europe. But I couldn’t help feeling annoyed about the uselessness of the story and the self-indulgent characters.
Reading this again makes want to read one of his other books of a more serious nature to determine if it’s just this story that didn’t appeal to me this time or if it’s Hemingway.
I loved the dialogue, loved Jake and Bill, loved the bull-fighting and Spain! I think I'll read it again!
****************************************
So I read it again. This time in 2022 and wasn’t as impressed as I was the first time. Yes, I still greatly admired Jake, but was impatient with the other characters. Hemingway does have a way of painting an atmosphere, creating a mystique about expatriates living in Europe. But I couldn’t help feeling annoyed about the uselessness of the story and the self-indulgent characters.
Reading this again makes want to read one of his other books of a more serious nature to determine if it’s just this story that didn’t appeal to me this time or if it’s Hemingway.
This feels like a book that you'll either love or hate. Hemmingway definitely takes a pretty restrained approach; this book is all about the things that are left unsaid. If you enjoy reading into subtext, you'll go nuts. If you don't, this book is definitely going to drag on for you. Page after page of a bunch of guys bar hopping and quietly (and less quietly) pining after the same woman. The dialogue all feels very fluid and real, in part since Hemmingway doesn't attribute most quotes to their speakers. With all the rapid back and forth, it can be hard to follow who said what.
I appreciated the style of this book, but overall it just wasn't my cup of tea. I'd still give Hemmingway another shot after this.
I appreciated the style of this book, but overall it just wasn't my cup of tea. I'd still give Hemmingway another shot after this.
Didn’t feel like much happened. But I still enjoyed going along for the ride the whole way. Good to read a Hemingway boom that doesn’t end completely morbidly
Really boring and frankly quite annoying most of the time
Very boring, halfway through the book and barely anything has happened. This read more like a screenplay than it did a novel. Hemingway is a great writer but a terrible novelist.
I have no recollection whatsoever of having read this book; being already on my shelf when I tried to add it, I must acknowledge the fact. However, there is a fair chance of this scenario happening again in a few years, so I intend this to serve as a kind reminder for my future self: Do not re-read this book. You will not care for the characters, nor the "plot" nor the style. I am sure you have better things to do than to read this book. Love you, your past self.