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hannahrho3's review
5.0
This book was a total surprise, intriguing me with its striking combinations of logic and insanity woven through its storyline, piercing every character J.G. Ballard orchestrates through the insane human zoo of the High Rise.
This book has become a favorite of mine over the years with its intelligent character interactions, Laing's twisted, animalistic view of the building that slowly crumbles around him, Wilder's head-strong, overpowering masculinity, and the insane actions of these and other characters, and their ideas regarding the apartments they're occupying.
The High Rise itself is a social experiment wrapped up in class wars, mechanical, carnal gears turning, and an unsettling amount of insanity and derangement on full display. J.G. Ballard is able to brilliantly broach the subjects of rival classes with the arrangement of the floors and their rankings based on Royal's building designs, each male character displays a different aspect of masculinity, and he carefully sculpts the transition of normal civilian life into the decay and downfall of all possible civility within the building's secluded concrete walls.
J.G. Ballard reminds us that beneath each educated, reasonable, civilized person is a bestial, lascivious barbarian, normally unaware of their dark, primal, brutal nature until it is forced upon them in a dire fight for survival and self-control in the face of a dangerous, unforgiving environment. Ballard creates the perfect combination of unusual, unacceptable actions coming together to release the ruinous parts within the residents of the High Rise and fabricates a ruthless display of the most gruesome shadows of humanity.
Will leave you stricken with both the logic and absurdity of humanity's creation and destruction within a simple 40-story apartment complex, concealing the literal concrete jungle within.
This book has become a favorite of mine over the years with its intelligent character interactions, Laing's twisted, animalistic view of the building that slowly crumbles around him, Wilder's head-strong, overpowering masculinity, and the insane actions of these and other characters, and their ideas regarding the apartments they're occupying.
The High Rise itself is a social experiment wrapped up in class wars, mechanical, carnal gears turning, and an unsettling amount of insanity and derangement on full display. J.G. Ballard is able to brilliantly broach the subjects of rival classes with the arrangement of the floors and their rankings based on Royal's building designs, each male character displays a different aspect of masculinity, and he carefully sculpts the transition of normal civilian life into the decay and downfall of all possible civility within the building's secluded concrete walls.
J.G. Ballard reminds us that beneath each educated, reasonable, civilized person is a bestial, lascivious barbarian, normally unaware of their dark, primal, brutal nature until it is forced upon them in a dire fight for survival and self-control in the face of a dangerous, unforgiving environment. Ballard creates the perfect combination of unusual, unacceptable actions coming together to release the ruinous parts within the residents of the High Rise and fabricates a ruthless display of the most gruesome shadows of humanity.
Will leave you stricken with both the logic and absurdity of humanity's creation and destruction within a simple 40-story apartment complex, concealing the literal concrete jungle within.
popsiwinkle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
tmackn98's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
hburgardt's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
bortdasport's review
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Lord of the flies but about the British upper/upper-middle class in the 70s. This is a quick read and it rocks. No time feels wasted and Ballard’s prose is fantastic. I’ll be reading more of his work.
sydsnot71's review against another edition
1.0
I really disliked this book. Not as much as I disliked 'Money' by Martin Amis, which is the book I've hated most from my reading of the last few years but I really disliked it.
I can see that technically there is much to be admired but it seemed cold and soulless. Maybe that's the point and I've missed it. Perhaps I've got a problem with dystopias? Or perhaps I've got an issue with books where the characters all seem pretty unsympathetic, to begin with, and then get more unpleasant with every passing chapter.
Whatever it was I found this a struggle to finish from the half-way point. So much so that I kept reading other books in order to avoid finishing it. When I finally finished it I was glad. And hope never to see it again.
The truth is I'm struggling to explain why I didn't like it. As I said I can appreciate it is well-written but I for me it is missing something important at its centre. It's a black-hole of a novel.
I can see that technically there is much to be admired but it seemed cold and soulless. Maybe that's the point and I've missed it. Perhaps I've got a problem with dystopias? Or perhaps I've got an issue with books where the characters all seem pretty unsympathetic, to begin with, and then get more unpleasant with every passing chapter.
Whatever it was I found this a struggle to finish from the half-way point. So much so that I kept reading other books in order to avoid finishing it. When I finally finished it I was glad. And hope never to see it again.
The truth is I'm struggling to explain why I didn't like it. As I said I can appreciate it is well-written but I for me it is missing something important at its centre. It's a black-hole of a novel.
jinason's review
3.0
So incredibly disturbing and fascinating to read about how human beings bring their own destruction. I have to say as much as I enjoyed the book, I feel so dirty and uncomfortable for the entire time reading it, especially the second half.
tackerly's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
tedpikul's review
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0