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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I was extremely impressed by the introspective, philosophical nature of this novel, especially for being published in 1949. There are philosophical quibbles for a contemporary reader, but surprisingly little. This has definitely earned its status as a classic of the genre.
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Very slow and academic. I’m glad I read this historic piece of post apocalyptic work- but I’m glad to be done. I switched from kindle to audio version halfway through in hopes the audio version would keep my interest better. It’s well narrated, but still did not hold my interest enough to rate it highly.
Ugh, what a snooze fest. This started out with a great premise, loner in the woods misses the apocalypse and when he returns to civilization he finds everything changed and abandoned, and almost everyone dead. Finding himself still alone, he wanders across America looking for survivors and a purpose. Then comes the most boring road trip you’ll ever read, a more in-depth look at a character you won’t be able to stand, and a heap of racism and sexism that nobody wanted. I know this was written in the 40s, but I’ve read other novels from this era (The Day of the Triffids, The Death of Grass,etc.) that don’t make me want to punch the main character in the face. I’m not sure why this is still considered a classic of the genre when there are other much more well written and developed post-apocalyptic stories out there. Just because something is a founder of a genre doesn’t mean that almost 70 years later we have to treat it like a gem or give it praise where it isn’t deserved. I DNF’d this book as I just couldn’t stand it, its main character, nor its boring plot for another sentence. What a disappointment for a book I thought I was going to love.
The problem with reading books that are classics in their respective fields is that so many others who came after took up similar tropes and did much better with them.
In a post-plague world, one man and his band of friends and relatives do what they can to survive and prepare for the next generation.
So many books now start with that premise that it is difficult to take a book that fails to consider what later books would handle so well and enjoy it. Though Stewart definitely considers the failure of some man-made items, he neglects others, creating a world that keeps too many of the relics of 1949 functioning for far too long. Yes, he envisions the decay of water systems and electrical power grids. But long after gasoline should have lost effectiveness and long after cars would continue to run, two young men go on a cross-country expedition. And even though those boys go, only one other individual ever makes his way into their camp outaide of a major city like San Francisco... And only because those same two boys happen to bring him back?
And in the entire last section, why are there only young men in the community and Ish? If you take the idea that everyone else has moved on and gone elsewhere, that is fine...and given Ish's mental state near the end, it cerainly seems logical that it wouldnt have been treated in the text... But then why all the consternation about where to go after the fire? Why not, "we will go back to our new settlement"?
I really wanted to give this book 2 stars. But I gave it 3 because of the importance of the novel to the creation of post-plague literature in general. It took me far too long to get through (mostly because it wasn't that interesting) given its short length of less than 350 pages.
In a post-plague world, one man and his band of friends and relatives do what they can to survive and prepare for the next generation.
So many books now start with that premise that it is difficult to take a book that fails to consider what later books would handle so well and enjoy it. Though Stewart definitely considers the failure of some man-made items, he neglects others, creating a world that keeps too many of the relics of 1949 functioning for far too long. Yes, he envisions the decay of water systems and electrical power grids. But long after gasoline should have lost effectiveness and long after cars would continue to run, two young men go on a cross-country expedition. And even though those boys go, only one other individual ever makes his way into their camp outaide of a major city like San Francisco... And only because those same two boys happen to bring him back?
And in the entire last section, why are there only young men in the community and Ish? If you take the idea that everyone else has moved on and gone elsewhere, that is fine...and given Ish's mental state near the end, it cerainly seems logical that it wouldnt have been treated in the text... But then why all the consternation about where to go after the fire? Why not, "we will go back to our new settlement"?
I really wanted to give this book 2 stars. But I gave it 3 because of the importance of the novel to the creation of post-plague literature in general. It took me far too long to get through (mostly because it wasn't that interesting) given its short length of less than 350 pages.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
If a book that is a "product of it's times" i.e. racist, misogynistic, ableist and in all other ways all hail the straight white man and fuck all the rest, it needs to have some pretty decent writing and great ideas and themes to win me over. This has neither.
I get that this is a pioneer of the apocalyptic genre and should be read as such, but the writing just isn't good and a large part of the plot wasn't believable (not to be confused with realistic, because that I don't need from a believable book.)
I'm glad I read this just so it's off my SF Masterpieces reading list, but I won't ever re-read this one.
I get that this is a pioneer of the apocalyptic genre and should be read as such, but the writing just isn't good and a large part of the plot wasn't believable (not to be confused with realistic, because that I don't need from a believable book.)
I'm glad I read this just so it's off my SF Masterpieces reading list, but I won't ever re-read this one.
challenging
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was in the mood for a post apocalyptic book, and I really enjoyed this. Written in 1949, I found the differences from our society/technology fascinating. We would be much worse off, should this event happen now versus 1949. Lots of thinking points, although I will admit it got a bit slow in the middle and there was a lot of repetition in the musings of the main character
I was disappointed in this book, maybe because I had different expectations or because it came so highly recommended. I just never connected to it, and couldn't shake the feeling that I was just reading some kind of Boy's Life version of life after the apocalypse. I wasn't a big fan of his writing style, and a lot of it felt dated, especially the sexism and patriarchal tone of the whole thing.
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes