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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was one of the rare books I never finished. It was so boring and entirely predictable what would happen next, that I was, nearing the end of the book, really ennoyed to havwe read this.
None of the characters had sides that helped me seeing it as a whole person, everyone stood as a cliché in a predictable plot.
This was really bad literature.
None of the characters had sides that helped me seeing it as a whole person, everyone stood as a cliché in a predictable plot.
This was really bad literature.
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wolfe does descriptive passages very well, but parts of this book do go on a bit. A lot, actually.
The ending is more of a fizzling out than a denouement. I was disappointed, but then Wolfe has done that to me before, in Bonfire of the Vanities.
The ending is more of a fizzling out than a denouement. I was disappointed, but then Wolfe has done that to me before, in Bonfire of the Vanities.
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The good, it is a very easy read and was tough to put down.
Did Found pretty much every scene involving African American characters to be awkward. Hated the deus ex machina that got one character from California to Georgia.
Did Found pretty much every scene involving African American characters to be awkward. Hated the deus ex machina that got one character from California to Georgia.
I found this book to be very engrossing, the characters alive on every page. More of a 4.5 for me - I didn't enjoy the constant description of architecture wherever the characters went, the slight female characterizations, or the Peepgass storyline - but the rest of the novel was a wonderful dive into the Deep South in the 90s. Even the smallest characters (I loved Brother and Sister so much! And the G(y)ardners!) were alive with the spark of Wolfe's writing. Wonderful lessons, great writing, and vibrant characters kept this novel moving along for me.
Great book, but the ending...meh. Seemed abrupt and sort of out of kilter with the rest of the book.
I think I started this book a long time ago, because I remembered parts of it. Its a very funny look at excess. I didn't like the ending, it was hasty and not really appropriate for the most part. I think it was an editor's decision to make an "ending", when it would have been fine not to do that. Charlie Croaker was a hoot. I kept laughing at his absurdity. But at least he saved himself. Great writing, great ambiance.
I understand the critiques made by other reviewers, but the big ideas in this book are so clearly communicated as to make it a 5 star, for me. Feels especially poignant in today’s political world (Charlie and Trump have similarities). I’ve also read “Bonfire of the Vanities”, and this book similarly examines race relations and identity- and like BotV it doesn’t come to a clear tidy ending. It more sets the stage in an interesting way for you to consider it all yourself- it’s 2/3rds of a finished story, but it’s designed in a way where that last 1/3rd is actually the least important and you can just close it however you like, mentally. But the generational, gender, and racial divides being presented, and Charlie being such a believable rich a-hole.. makes for a good read.
i have to try to remember not to forget how much i like tom wolfe. ha ha. i haven't read anything of his in a while but i want to. he is very good.