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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After failing twice to get through the Ulysses ebook, I switched to the audiobook and finally made it through. Hearing Joyce’s words read out loud definitely helped me appreciate his masterful use of the English language and understand why Ulysses is such an important work of literature.
That being said, on a personal level, I found it a drag and felt constantly taken out of the story by the constant sexist and antisemitic remarks (not to mention the fact thata grown man literally masturbates while spying on a 17-year-old girl )
That being said, on a personal level, I found it a drag and felt constantly taken out of the story by the constant sexist and antisemitic remarks (not to mention the fact that
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Misogyny, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, War
Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Suicide, Excrement, Abortion
Book takes place during the final years of British colonialism in Ireland. There is some political discussion around Home Rule.
One of the characters is half-Jewish and experiences vocal prejudice.
Several uses of the n-word and stereotyping about Black people.
Explicit details of extramarital affairs.
Sexist remarks against women throughout (including a long scene about Anne Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife).
One character is bullied by his roommate and colleagues.
One character is haunted by a ghost of their dead parent.
Brief mention of a character’s parent dying of cancer.
Brief mention of a character’s parent dying by suicide.
A character loses a child before the book begins and grieves at several points throughout the book.
Several mentions of the Boer War.
One character gives birth in a hospital.
Brief discussion on abortion.
Brief scene of a character using the toilet.
Some scenes in a pub, with drinking.
A man in his late 30s spies on a 17-year-old girl. When she catches him looking at her, she shows him her underwear and he begins to masturbate.
One character has a physical disability in her leg. It is suggested that this is the reason she lost her boyfriend.
There is a long scene in a brothel, where one of the characters has a hallucination where he is a woman being sexually assaulted by the madam (who becomes a man in the hallucination). The character also has a hallucination that he is murdered by an angry mob.
A character destroys property during a hallucination and is later almost attacked by an Orangeman for insulting the King.
Very...listy... lists all over this novel. Interesting craft move.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
13 years ago I tried to borrow a technical book from a professor to read while traveling to Ireland for spring break. He refused to lend me anything and told me to pickup any book by any Irish great, and read it while I’m there.
The first full day in Dublin I bought a copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses (lol).
I gave up after reading two chapters.
I complained about the difficulty of the book to one of my best friends (an English major) who reprimanded me for being another person who ditches a book that challenges them.
I asked him what was I supposed to do when I felt so frustrated. He said, “you get over it.” Don’t try to understand everything. Don’t take it so seriously, and just let the language carry you.
I eventually slogged through the book 3 years later. I understood maybe 20% of it, and walked away hating it.
Now, 10 years later, I think understood maybe 60% of it, but loved it. So much.
I don’t have much to add that you couldn’t find in other reviews and discussions of the book. It’s very, very difficult to get through. Maybe the most difficult book I’ve ever read. There are times when I had to read the same page 4x to even figure out who was speaking. There are a lot of references and allusions. I didn’t read an annotated edition or use a guide. Those may help. Idk.
But also I laughed so much. Cried a little. Some days I performed my reading for the day as though I was reading a play, doing different voices for different characters. Some days I read everything as though everyone was angry. I just played with the words. And it was fun. A lot of fun.
I can’t in good conscience say who should or shouldn’t read this. I will say, if you choose to try, push through the discomfort.
Anyway. My old friend isn’t around anymore. I wish I could tell him I’ve seen the light and that we could talk about the Circe chapter, or argue over if the ending is sweet and happy, or very, very sad. Miss you, dude.
The first full day in Dublin I bought a copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses (lol).
I gave up after reading two chapters.
I complained about the difficulty of the book to one of my best friends (an English major) who reprimanded me for being another person who ditches a book that challenges them.
I asked him what was I supposed to do when I felt so frustrated. He said, “you get over it.” Don’t try to understand everything. Don’t take it so seriously, and just let the language carry you.
I eventually slogged through the book 3 years later. I understood maybe 20% of it, and walked away hating it.
Now, 10 years later, I think understood maybe 60% of it, but loved it. So much.
I don’t have much to add that you couldn’t find in other reviews and discussions of the book. It’s very, very difficult to get through. Maybe the most difficult book I’ve ever read. There are times when I had to read the same page 4x to even figure out who was speaking. There are a lot of references and allusions. I didn’t read an annotated edition or use a guide. Those may help. Idk.
But also I laughed so much. Cried a little. Some days I performed my reading for the day as though I was reading a play, doing different voices for different characters. Some days I read everything as though everyone was angry. I just played with the words. And it was fun. A lot of fun.
I can’t in good conscience say who should or shouldn’t read this. I will say, if you choose to try, push through the discomfort.
Anyway. My old friend isn’t around anymore. I wish I could tell him I’ve seen the light and that we could talk about the Circe chapter, or argue over if the ending is sweet and happy, or very, very sad. Miss you, dude.
Take that Rex you Cambridge upstart…
I read it too!
Thoughts & notes to come- but James you dirty bird…
I read it too!
Thoughts & notes to come- but James you dirty bird…
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
slow-paced
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated