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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
While I appreciate so many of John Irving’s insights into the nature of humanity and society, I feel like we often look at the same instructive circumstances and come to opposite conclusions on what is sane and what is art. Garp is a novel with a lot of insightful and comic angles on men, women, sex, lust, gender politics, fear, art, and parenthood. While it comes out ironically on a very large reflective scale, much of this novel feels like aimless wandering with a somewhat confusing conclusion in my opinion. All of the right elements are presented by the end, but much of it feels as superfluous as life itself.
Garp starts before Garp is born and wanders on until long after he is gone. Through many comic scenes and anecdotes, it explains how his libido-less mother manages to conceive a child without any interest in sex. It explains how she raises him within her own world and leaves him feeling confusion toward his own gender. Nearly by accident, Garp’s mother becomes a champion of women’s rights when her autobiography becomes an all time best seller. Left to come to terms with lust and love on his one, Garp slowly grows as a storyteller and eventually takes on the roles of homemaker and overprotective parent. After meandering through piles and piles of marital incidents, it comes to a few conclusions that bring some sort of slow conclusions in Garp’s mind. In the end, he rebels against any “cause” in favor of the individuals he loves.
The more I observe the high level themes of this book, the more I enjoys its ironies and insights. There are so many paradoxes and parallels that are moving and so many elements that are funny, but nothing about the book feels comic and nothing in the reading feels deeply insightful. The parallels are drawn out from dust jacket to dust jacket and the comic elements are conveyed so soberly that it feels somber and literal all along while a paragraph of explanation would make it sound like a comic parable. It is much more enjoyable to reflect on than it is to read.
Garp starts before Garp is born and wanders on until long after he is gone. Through many comic scenes and anecdotes, it explains how his libido-less mother manages to conceive a child without any interest in sex. It explains how she raises him within her own world and leaves him feeling confusion toward his own gender. Nearly by accident, Garp’s mother becomes a champion of women’s rights when her autobiography becomes an all time best seller. Left to come to terms with lust and love on his one, Garp slowly grows as a storyteller and eventually takes on the roles of homemaker and overprotective parent. After meandering through piles and piles of marital incidents, it comes to a few conclusions that bring some sort of slow conclusions in Garp’s mind. In the end, he rebels against any “cause” in favor of the individuals he loves.
The more I observe the high level themes of this book, the more I enjoys its ironies and insights. There are so many paradoxes and parallels that are moving and so many elements that are funny, but nothing about the book feels comic and nothing in the reading feels deeply insightful. The parallels are drawn out from dust jacket to dust jacket and the comic elements are conveyed so soberly that it feels somber and literal all along while a paragraph of explanation would make it sound like a comic parable. It is much more enjoyable to reflect on than it is to read.
3.5 but rounded up because its literature. I can appreciate the skill and beauty this is written in without completely loving it. Basically the story of a man from pre birth to post death. The story dives deep into many sexual taboos and doesn’t particularly age well with modern feminism. There is a middle section that is one of the most heartbreaking and horrific incidents i have read. Overall maybe I’m just not a literary kinda gal, but glad i read this.
Absurdist, heartbreaking, brilliant. There's little more to be said.
Not my favorite by Irving, but it's still Irving. The writing is, of course, magical. The story starts out strong, but got to be too much of the "same old, same old" after a while.
This is hands down my favorite book. Well developed, relatable characters with incredibly stories.
I first read this when I was 15, more than 15 years ago! I barely remembered it, except for the pigeon incident and the excerpt from the shocking (to me at 15 years old) "x-rated soap opera" book that Garp writes.
I'm really glad I re-read this. I made a goal to get through at least 50 pages a day, so that I wouldn't get bogged down by the length of the text, and I think that strategy made the story especially absorbing and entertaining. The beginning of the story was definitely my favorite; I found Jenny Fields to be the most hilarious and lovable character of the whole book. Garp's various trials and tribulations were interesting and wacky, although I often found myself annoyed at his decisions. I guess that's good writing, to make the reader feel annoyed at a character but nevertheless compelled to read on, and see what happens to him.
I'm really glad I re-read this. I made a goal to get through at least 50 pages a day, so that I wouldn't get bogged down by the length of the text, and I think that strategy made the story especially absorbing and entertaining. The beginning of the story was definitely my favorite; I found Jenny Fields to be the most hilarious and lovable character of the whole book. Garp's various trials and tribulations were interesting and wacky, although I often found myself annoyed at his decisions. I guess that's good writing, to make the reader feel annoyed at a character but nevertheless compelled to read on, and see what happens to him.
4.5 stars. I loved it
It is better to imagine than to remember..
Is that true?
It is better to imagine than to remember..
Is that true?
I will read pretty much everything, but I draw a line when a nurse rapes a comatose patient because she wants a baby. Nope....