Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo

9 reviews

inica's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

Foundational anti-war book that kind of destroys you from the inside out. Lovely read and my favorite book ever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, War, and Injury/Injury detail

sammi1966's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐📖 Book Review 📖
#johnnygothisgun
#daltontrumbo
#antiwar
#powerful
#hollywood10

I'm not even sure what to say about this book but WOW! This was probably the most powerful #fiction book I have ever read. Possibly will be the most powerful that I will ever read in my lifetime. Written and published 2 weeks after WWII started. It is story is based on a man that was severely injured in WWI. #fullydisabled, physically. Brain still fully functional. This book has been used almost as a manual for those questioning, why war? Especially during the Vietnam War. 

I don't believe that this will be spoiler bc it is all written in the forward. During the story, the MC discovers that he has lost his legs, his arms, his hearing and his face. Yes, his face. There are several #flashbacks. There is much #philisophical questioning, searching for answers. Surprisingly, very (easily) readable. 

Apparently, Dalton Trumbo was 1 of the Hollywood 10. Those men who where black-balled bc they were believed to be communist. I think I need to see what else I can find that was written by him. I hope other writings are available. 
#veryimportantread

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

juliaxgulia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

fizzymicro's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Unlike other anti-war books, Johnny Got His Gun focuses less on the happenings of war but rather on the logistics of it, on life before and after, and it seeks to humanize soldiers by bringing light to their individual experience in a haunting, staggering way. As American people, this glorified image of fighting for honor and patriotism is shoved down our throats. Trumbo tears these ideas away from the reader in turn for a reality, in which is glaring and gory and brutal and unforgettable. That reality is simply war.

I've seen this book face criticism for being, in every sense, a ramble. I think that's what makes it so real. With the minimal punctuation, you run through sentence after sentence and naturally they begin to take on this great sense of urgency and panic. It's a genius way to place the reader in Joe Bonham's shoes (or lack thereof). I'm amazed at Dalton Trumbo's ability to somehow write 250 pages of nothing but the inner thoughts of the protagonist, and for a wide span of the book, with little to no action except his memories. You're supposed to get bored. You're supposed to fumble. You're supposed to feel what Joe feels, trapped in this something that is nothing. All he has are his thoughts, and you get no further insight than he does. It's intimate and chillingly personal.

Taking it as it is, the morbid theme of this book is what makes it so striking. You're forced to imagine the unimaginable. Unlike other books which I'd say are not worth their shock factor, Johnny Got His Gun is. I want to force it into the hands of men who dream of going to war for glory, for patriotism, for a fight they know nothing of, for rhetorics no one can grasp. 

 "There's no word worth your life.... Nothing is bigger than life. There's nothing noble in death." — pg. 137. 

TL;DR - read this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

christmaskid's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

This is a difficult read to give a numbered rating. The narrative is difficult to follow in places because it drifts in and out of dream states between past, present, reality and dream. However: a very necessary read when historical context is taken into account as well as the way the novel holds itself today - ‘you point the way and we will point the way.’ Beautiful prose forges a powerful anti war message, especially in Trumbo’s forward and his last few pages

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Blood

bkmckown's review against another edition

5.0

This book was an emotional ride! This author was well beyond his time and struck every nerve and left them raw. The writing was amazing, the story was tragic and heartbreaking and it made the reader feel such strong empathy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail

spooderman's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Xenophobia, Vomit, and Alcohol

meaghanelizabook's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Slavery

ohgoditswonderful's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

My history teacher the first year of college had us read an except from the book and I immediately fell in love with the writing. It's the ultimate anti-war musing with such beautiful language that it's hard to put down.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Violence