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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ok, moeilijk boekje om in te komen maar eens ge halverwege bent, dan gaat het wél vooruit. Eerste helft vond ik de personages wat abstract en had ik er 0,0 voeling mee, het boek leest dan ook niet als een trein (maar ook weer niet zo slecht om het boek weg te leggen en af te schrijven). Maar dat verandert in de tweede helft van het boek als de personages verder evolueren en er meer duidelijk wordt. 3 sterren!
Occasionally, a good piece from Jonathan Franzen will show up in the New Yorker, and as his last short story kept me quite entertained, I decided to pick up [b:The Corrections|3805|The Corrections|Jonathan Franzen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165363117s/3805.jpg|941200], his book most frequently found on used bookstores' shelves. A week, two days, and six hundred and seventy-two pages later, I was glad I did. Every character's story could stand alone making this book into a short story collection where every tale is connected. Very enjoyable to read.
slow-paced
This was unnecessarily long and boring. I have tried to read this at least 4 separate times over the years. I was determined this last time to finish it. It was a struggle.
emotional
tense
medium-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
I never found myself routing for anyone in the story but at times found myself almost voicing my wish for characters to choose a different path or make a different choice. That's what made this book so good. He did a great job building very flawed characters. Also, for anyone who has had a loss in a family or had an immediate family member have a stroke, suffer from dementia etc...it really can change so much in your family dynamics and your responses to the world around you, and not always in a good way. This book highlighted generational differences, geographic differences and most of all, the toll that a lifetime of repressed guilt can take on a person's psychological health.
Feel terrible for having identified with all the characters.
I read this book when it first came out and it was one of the best books i had ever read. I imagine this is still the case - will have to read it again to determine. AND - I am so glad that it was never made into a movie.
I actually read this book pretty quickly, because it's easy to read (and interpret). Then I put it down and was glad it was over. The world doesn't need another book about insipid, depressing American suburbanites with insipid, depressing secrets. The scenes were playful, but really Franzen just dolled up the cliche in different ways.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced