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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a genre that just isn't for me. Franzen was recommended by my boss, but this is absolutely not working for me.
I hated the characters, especially Gary and pre-Lithuania Chip, with a passion. I kept groaning about Enid and Alfred and how unnecessary difficult they made their life. The most accomplished seemed to be Denise, and after what she did, that success doesn't come easy. I think I like her, though.
I hated the characters, especially Gary and pre-Lithuania Chip, with a passion. I kept groaning about Enid and Alfred and how unnecessary difficult they made their life. The most accomplished seemed to be Denise, and after what she did, that success doesn't come easy. I think I like her, though.
dark
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very, very good book. Tough to get through the mental deterioration of Al at the end, but still an incredibly interesting view of family and our expectations of them.
There were times I hated this book, and other times when I thought it was verging on giving me the meaning of life. I read somewhere that this was a satire so maybe that's why every single character was completely unlikable. Also, some moments were very, very boring. In all, the pro aspects of this book don't outweigh the cons so I would recommend that you do NOT read this book.
I'm not sure what to think of this one - the characters were all very interesting and well-developed. As with most literary fiction, the focus was mostly character-based with the plot taking a backseat. The plot, though, was a common thread among all the character stories with each character getting a sizeable chunk of the book devoted to them; there was minimal shifting perspectives as the book progressed, until near the end.
Overall, just ok for me. I found most of the characters exasperating and hard to relate to. Chip and Gary were both awful, Denise was slightly better though seemingly capable of making only bad decisions, and Enid was deep down really angry at everyone, I think. The story was very human and even if you couldn't sympathize with the characters themselves, I found myself at least somewhat empathetic with their situations as in a lot of them, there were no easy or good decisions to be made and the sheer gravity of the situation is just saddening. Franzen's excellent writing saves this from a 1 star rating.
Overall, just ok for me. I found most of the characters exasperating and hard to relate to. Chip and Gary were both awful, Denise was slightly better though seemingly capable of making only bad decisions, and Enid was deep down really angry at everyone, I think. The story was very human and even if you couldn't sympathize with the characters themselves, I found myself at least somewhat empathetic with their situations as in a lot of them, there were no easy or good decisions to be made and the sheer gravity of the situation is just saddening. Franzen's excellent writing saves this from a 1 star rating.
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
sad
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
The writing is beautiful, but most of the characters are deeply flawed and not even slightly admirable, which makes it hard to buy into the story. Though it has nothing in common with "The Bonfire of the Vanities" (other than excellent writing) it leaves a similar bitter taste on the palate.