Reviews with content warning for Violence - A Farewell to Arms

There aren't many things to say about A Farewell to Arms, but then again there doesn't need to be. Isn't that the whole point of Hemingway? Yes, Hemingway was not the greatest person to live, and because Lieutenant Henry is a near-self insert, the thought comes up from time to time. Somewhat apathetic, privileged and nonchalantly racist, the main character doesn't change those qualities very much. But that's not the point of the story anyways. Hemingway paints a very clear picture, using very little words, of the small daily pleasantries and happinesses of life - and their ultimate futility and inefficacy in comparison to the grandest of life's problems. It is a very somber gaze into the shadow of human history. 8.5/10.

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arcadering's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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mildlypretentiousreader's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms is a novel that tells the story of a tragic love affair between Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver, and Catherine Barkley, an English nurse who had recently lost her fiancé in World War I.

One could describe A Farewell to Arms as a love story set behind the backdrop of a war or a war story encompassed by a romance. Catherine and Frederick’s love story takes center stage as the war serves as a means to unify the two and also separate them. The war is a unifying and relatable event the two lovers are able to bound over. On the other hand, the romance serves as an escape from the traumatizing, taxing, and tiresome war. Catherine and Frederick escape their harsh realities with each other. I theorize that that is why their relationship progressed so quickly as well.

Either way, A Farewell to Arms is a visceral, passionate work of literature with undertones of the simplicity and pain that constitutes life. The juxtapositions and contradictions found with A Farewell to Arms lead to effortless yet sparse writing. This style allows the reader to focus on the essence of the story and the characters, and to experience their emotions without being distracted by extra descriptions.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the novel is the way in which Hemingway explores the concept of war. He does not present it as a heroic, noble endeavor, but rather as a senseless and brutal conflict that leaves its participants scarred and disenchanted. Throughout the novel, Henry struggles with his role in the war and his feelings of guilt at not being able to do more for the wounded soldiers he transports from the front lines.

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annoyingtwig's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

wish i was aymo

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hannasandmann's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I find it really hard to give a star rating to this book. I enjoyed reading it and I admire Hemingway's skill and I know I am going to come back to this book very often in my head, but quite often felt disconnected from what I think Hemingway's intentions were for the reader, e.g. I did not root for the romance at all. To the contrary, I hated their relationship.

So the ending did not have the devestating effect on me, it could have had, had I actually enjoyed their relationship.

Content Warnings

liseens's review against another edition

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dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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