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salslifelist's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
‘The Children of Sisyphus’ is a sad portrayal of life on ‘The Dungle’ - a rubbish heap where the poorest live. Patterson blends personal stories with sociological theory for a thought-provoking look at urban life.
The book mirrors the myth of Sisyphus, portraying characters trapped in a cyclical struggle against seemingly insurmountable forces, like Dinah, a prostitute who despite her best efforts can never escape her tragic circumstances. It also illuminates the (delusional) hope for a brighter future in Brother Solomon, a Rastafarian leader who allows his followers to believe that a ship is coming to take them away to Ethiopia.
While Patterson skilfully portrays the struggles of those caught in poverty, a narrative hiccup arises with Dinah’s extreme poverty. The claim that she's never interacted with a basic item like an egg clashes oddly with her ease in using a vacuum cleaner - and disrupts the book’s coherence. Despite this, Patterson's narrative remains powerful and heartrending, shedding light on human resilience amid adversity.
The book delves into poverty, crime, and a broken social system, yet it's not all doom and gloom; a thread of hope runs through, making complex sociological ideas relatable and portraying the raw reality of human struggle.
The book mirrors the myth of Sisyphus, portraying characters trapped in a cyclical struggle against seemingly insurmountable forces, like Dinah, a prostitute who despite her best efforts can never escape her tragic circumstances. It also illuminates the (delusional) hope for a brighter future in Brother Solomon, a Rastafarian leader who allows his followers to believe that a ship is coming to take them away to Ethiopia.
While Patterson skilfully portrays the struggles of those caught in poverty, a narrative hiccup arises with Dinah’s extreme poverty. The claim that she's never interacted with a basic item like an egg clashes oddly with her ease in using a vacuum cleaner - and disrupts the book’s coherence. Despite this, Patterson's narrative remains powerful and heartrending, shedding light on human resilience amid adversity.
The book delves into poverty, crime, and a broken social system, yet it's not all doom and gloom; a thread of hope runs through, making complex sociological ideas relatable and portraying the raw reality of human struggle.
evelyn_roy_writes's review against another edition
5.0
Someone needs to republish this book in the USA to make it more easily accessible. It really is a literary classic for people from any country.
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