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annchoviereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
zuzi's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sweli_sa's review against another edition
5.0
Really good book. The book exposed the poor working conditions in the meat packing industry during the 1900s. The authors raw description of the characters, food, and lifestyle is what led to the emplacement of federal food safety laws in 1906.
samlikestoreadbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
One of the best books I’ve ever read
sljonz84's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked this, until it got towards the end, and then I realized it was all about Socialism and how "wonderful" that can be. Can't say I'm all for that, but just learning about the horrible working conditions of the time, and also just the unthinkable things that people were eating in the meat back then! Yep, pretty disgusting!
poetsaredepressed's review against another edition
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Sexual violence, Child death, Sexual assault, Death, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cannibalism
ac_lytle's review against another edition
4.25
Vividly written, and very compelling. Suffers a bit in the following ways:
There isn't a conventional story structure so much as a series of tragedies that befall the characters. This really wore me down at points.
This was obviously written as an anti-capitalist polemic and for the most part that is fine. But in the last 20 or so pages the main character is kind of just there as other characters monologue about the horrors of capitalism and the wonderful world of a future governed by socialism. Whatever you may think of socialism, that is a very sloppy and tedious way to end your book.
There isn't a conventional story structure so much as a series of tragedies that befall the characters. This really wore me down at points.
This was obviously written as an anti-capitalist polemic and for the most part that is fine. But in the last 20 or so pages the main character is kind of just there as other characters monologue about the horrors of capitalism and the wonderful world of a future governed by socialism. Whatever you may think of socialism, that is a very sloppy and tedious way to end your book.
georgia_lk's review against another edition
4.0
A very powerful and thought-provoking book, I would recommend but be warned that it is very serious and has zero laughs.
theag7's review against another edition
This was...interesting. It's definitely going to help me always remember the Gilded Age, but I'm not a girl who adores reading about how dirt got mixed into canned meat...yeah, no.
yellowswagger's review against another edition
5.0
I wouldn’t call the prose poetic, but the story feels so relevant today. Jurgis is so relatable with his mindset that he is healthy and if he just works harder he can make ends meet. Things have definitely gotten better for many since this book was published, but in so many ways things haven’t changed. It is the image of the exploitation of the working class from a birds eye view. I highly recommend this book.