1.16k reviews for:

The World According to Garp

John Irving

4.03 AVERAGE

melissaatx's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

radski's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

juniper4ever2024's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

haesookim's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring tense

tannercurtis's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

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I’m a sucker for a multi-year family story, especially when the family is kinda fucked up like Garp’s. Entertaining and then suddenly devastating.

thetalkdoc's review against another edition

3.0

emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

sarahkatherin's review against another edition

2.5

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

hardreturn's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

imasiero's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-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

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Honestly, I found this story unexpectedly beautiful. Humorous and disturbing and incredibly strange but in the end - beautiful. John Irving’s way of weaving a story is masterful. I know I’ll be thinking about these characters for years to come. 

bxonrd's review against another edition

2.0

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Es ist unglaublich schwer, dieses Buch zu bewerten, weil es an sich von der Thematik her ziemlich gut und relevant ist. Die guten und schlechten Seiten des Feminismus werden ziemlich gut beleuchtet, was mich persönlich überrascht, weil es in den Jahren nach dem zweiten Weltkrieg spielt und ich keine Ahnung hatte, dass es die Frauenbewegung schon damals in diesem Maße gab. Andererseits musste ich mich jedoch durch das Buch kämpfen, weil es sich so unglaublich zog und Passagen dabei waren, bei denen man sich fragte: Sind die überhaupt wichtig für die Handlung?! Dazu kommt, dass ich einige Szenen over-the-top und übertrieben fand, was schon ziemlich störend war. Ich würde liebend gerne mehr Punkte geben, aber in Anbetracht der Tatsache, dass ich mich wirklich dazu aufraffen musste, weiter zu lesen, kann ich nur zwei Sterne vergeben. Ich mochte es. Lesen werde ich es aber nicht noch mal.