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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Didn't enjoy this nearly as much as Freedom. Alfred's rambling psychotic hallucinations were totally lost on me.
ebook
i am having a very hard time rating this book. i must admit that i truly disliked...i can with all honestly say HATED this book. until i hit page 375 or so, and then it was mildly tolerable through to the end.
i feel like jonathan franzen started out writing a pretentious book in a pretentious way, for pretentious people, who want to talk to their pretentious friends about pretentious books, to read. well after reading the first two thirds of this book, i feel he succeeded in his quest.
i must admit that the second half (or third) of this book was somewhat better, definitely more easy to swallow, and perhaps even a tad bit interesting. i guess i am glad that i stuck with it and didn't stop reading. if only for the sake that i can write an intelligent review of this "groundbreaking" story.
things i must discuss:
- all the characters in this novel were depressing, miserable, horrid shits. there was nothing redeeming about any of them. i loathed each one more than the next, and as their stories unfolded...i loathed them more.
- i understand that there were points in this novel meant to be satirical. i didn't care.
- the political, sexual, disastrous nature of chip's story bored me. so much so that i contemplated skipping any parts that contained his name in them. for the sake of the novel, i didn't. i now wish that i had.
- when alfred began conversing with his shit, i almost walked over to my husband (who recommended this novel to me) and hit him in the head with my nook. two reasons i did not do this are that i didn't want to break my nook, and i didn't want to break my husband.
- i feel horrible for anyone who has a family like this. if i were you, and you were in this family, i would kill myself now in order to avoid another minute of misery. and i don't believe in suicide.
that's all.
i am having a very hard time rating this book. i must admit that i truly disliked...i can with all honestly say HATED this book. until i hit page 375 or so, and then it was mildly tolerable through to the end.
i feel like jonathan franzen started out writing a pretentious book in a pretentious way, for pretentious people, who want to talk to their pretentious friends about pretentious books, to read. well after reading the first two thirds of this book, i feel he succeeded in his quest.
i must admit that the second half (or third) of this book was somewhat better, definitely more easy to swallow, and perhaps even a tad bit interesting. i guess i am glad that i stuck with it and didn't stop reading. if only for the sake that i can write an intelligent review of this "groundbreaking" story.
things i must discuss:
- all the characters in this novel were depressing, miserable, horrid shits. there was nothing redeeming about any of them. i loathed each one more than the next, and as their stories unfolded...i loathed them more.
- i understand that there were points in this novel meant to be satirical. i didn't care.
- the political, sexual, disastrous nature of chip's story bored me. so much so that i contemplated skipping any parts that contained his name in them. for the sake of the novel, i didn't. i now wish that i had.
- when alfred began conversing with his shit, i almost walked over to my husband (who recommended this novel to me) and hit him in the head with my nook. two reasons i did not do this are that i didn't want to break my nook, and i didn't want to break my husband.
- i feel horrible for anyone who has a family like this. if i were you, and you were in this family, i would kill myself now in order to avoid another minute of misery. and i don't believe in suicide.
that's all.
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had been wanting to read this for years.. if only for all the buzz surrounding it. Not only that, any book that generates such extreme feelings ("Best book ever" or "Reading that book was like a slow death") must have something to it. So... the result on my end? Franzen is an amazingly skilled writer who has a certain way with words that few authors (especially modern authors) possess. This is not a fast-paced book; rather, it moves through and prods the individual and collective lives of one family. This is a family that could easily be your own, your next-door neighbor's, or even if not someone you know yourself - you can easily imagine these people existing. The beauty of this book is not necessarily in the actual story (although the story isn't bad)... but in the development and analysis of each of these tremendously (and differently)flawed (but very real!) characters, their relationships with each other and also with themselves. It's one of those that sinks in after you finish.. kind of lingering there.. and then you realize you have just read a modern masterpiece. There are many who disagree with that sentiment (perhaps due to the slow-ish moving plot-line? Then they didn't "get it," in my humble opinion). I would highly recommend this book (and then some therapy!).
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ne lisez jamais ce livre si vous avez des parents
challenging
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Franzen is a fantastic writer. All of the characters in this book are insufferable and terrible human beings.
challenging
funny
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Are the flaws of the main characters a main focus of this book? Yes.