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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love when authors build overarching worlds that thread through their novels. It's a way of reimagining the entire world, not just the world within the book and it gives repeat readers a satisfying nod of recognition. This novel nods at The 158 Pound Marriage and sets roots for The Hotel New Hampshire - plus others I'm sure I didn't catch/haven't read yet. It's a neat trick and I appreciate it.
I was less appreciative of the stories within the story. For me, these examples of the character's work are more of a distraction than a bonus. The contents of the stories don't effect the actual plot of the book, so reading them can feel like a bit of a waste of time/a bit of a page filler.
I do enjoy reading about a writer and an author's writing process. And I love books that take from the main characters birth until their death - it's like living an entire life. But the end of this book was a doozy. Garp's life if reduced to a recap of his written novels in the end. And all of the character's life stories seem to go on forever, and yet they all die so young.
The book could use a bit of an update. I didn't like the clear assumption that trans people can't be beautiful and I hate that the totally unnecessary use of the R word. I get that some things like this are left in old books to serve as teaching tools or for plot purposes or even as a historical record, but in this book these references were so minor - why not give them a quick edit (esp in the e-book). :)
I was less appreciative of the stories within the story. For me, these examples of the character's work are more of a distraction than a bonus. The contents of the stories don't effect the actual plot of the book, so reading them can feel like a bit of a waste of time/a bit of a page filler.
I do enjoy reading about a writer and an author's writing process. And I love books that take from the main characters birth until their death - it's like living an entire life. But the end of this book was a doozy. Garp's life if reduced to a recap of his written novels in the end. And all of the character's life stories seem to go on forever, and yet they all die so young.
The book could use a bit of an update. I didn't like the clear assumption that trans people can't be beautiful and I hate that the totally unnecessary use of the R word. I get that some things like this are left in old books to serve as teaching tools or for plot purposes or even as a historical record, but in this book these references were so minor - why not give them a quick edit (esp in the e-book). :)
emotional
funny
inspiring
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:
Yes
Garp's interior novel is one of the compelling piece of writing I had read in years.
Not my kind of humour. I won't laugh if you tell me so-and-so died by choking on an olive, or a guy had an affair with a woman with a lisp. As an author you need to describe the scene to me, and make it funny. It's not comic in and of itself. One of the last deaths in the book is described as "random, stupid, and unnecessary; comic and ugly and bizarre". Erase "comic", and this is exactly how I would describe the entire book. And the "bizarre" is more contrived than shocking. 2/3 into the story I just wanted it to end, and the ending was total overkill (excuse the pun).
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Irving’s characters struggle so much but they learn and reflect and change. This reflection shows their humanity. I believe it also shows us the heart of John Irving and what he holds as important in this messy world.
In the 20 year anniversary edition of Garp, Irving wrote about how he gad changed and his career and changed since the publication of Garp. In the 40 year anniversary foreword, Irving reflected that this novel that he thought was a period piece exploring a closed- minded time was now an enduring record of how long people have struggled for sexual privacy and autonomy and that the fight has become even more prudent with the election of Trump and the rolling back of personal rights.
In the 20 year anniversary edition of Garp, Irving wrote about how he gad changed and his career and changed since the publication of Garp. In the 40 year anniversary foreword, Irving reflected that this novel that he thought was a period piece exploring a closed- minded time was now an enduring record of how long people have struggled for sexual privacy and autonomy and that the fight has become even more prudent with the election of Trump and the rolling back of personal rights.
This might have been the first 'adult' book I read. Unfortunately, it's the only one by John Irving that I've ever finished.
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just "read" this book again, as in listened to it on audiobook, and was reminded why I love John Irving. He truly is a crafty writer, and I love all of his zany characters so, so much.
Garp is a writer, born to a feminist, and raised at a boarding school. While he grows as a man and a writer, he meets many crazy people and many lovely people along the way. His mother, Jenny Fields, and his wife, Helen, are two incredible women in his life that help shape him.
Quite a tale, and quite a menagerie of lovable characters.
Garp is a writer, born to a feminist, and raised at a boarding school. While he grows as a man and a writer, he meets many crazy people and many lovely people along the way. His mother, Jenny Fields, and his wife, Helen, are two incredible women in his life that help shape him.
Quite a tale, and quite a menagerie of lovable characters.
This was a book club book, was quite interested to read it. Didn’t love it but didn’t hate it either. There were parts that just dragged on and then other bits where I wanted to find out what was happening next. It seemed to be like hundreds of small stories all put together, and a bit odd at times. Was a bit Forest Gumpish. I must admit I was never desperate to pick the book up though.