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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Totally pretentious! I didn't like the author after the whole Oprah issue (how condescending!) and then didn't like the book even more. I do know people who liked it though ?!
Incredible group of family members! Makes my family seem pretty normal :) A range of emotions reading this lengthy novel, with depression being one of the themes. Franzen is a a captivating and humorous writer.
freaky how it reminded me of my relationship with my dad; very dark
"...the word she wanted to apply to Robin Passafaro, who had lived in urban Philly all her life, was 'midwestern.' By which she meant hopeful or enthusiastic or community-spirited."
"Laredo Bob further believed that women were angels and men were poor sinners. The angel he was married to revealed her sweet, gracious nature mainly by forgiving his tobacky habit and feeding and clothing four children on a single smallish income, but he was by no means surprised when the Eternal Feminine turned out to have supernatural abilities in the area of labeling and alphabetically sorting thousand-count boxes of card-mounted microform."
"Laredo Bob further believed that women were angels and men were poor sinners. The angel he was married to revealed her sweet, gracious nature mainly by forgiving his tobacky habit and feeding and clothing four children on a single smallish income, but he was by no means surprised when the Eternal Feminine turned out to have supernatural abilities in the area of labeling and alphabetically sorting thousand-count boxes of card-mounted microform."
While there's no arguing that Franzen is an intelligent, overly capable writer with a talent for epic sentences and the occasional laugh-out-loud punchline, I can't bring myself to go higher than 3 stars simply because of how sickeningly despicable every character in this book is. This fact made the act of reading this novel unpleasant in a way that I have rarely encountered in my long history as a reader.
I did not finish this so it is entirely possible that at some point in the book it came together or something. I am at that point in my life, however, when I no longer feel guilt for walking out of a movie or not finishing a book.
It is an extremely well written book. I fully acknowledge that. I just could not stand any one of the characters.
Life is too short....
It is an extremely well written book. I fully acknowledge that. I just could not stand any one of the characters.
Life is too short....
E' un po' faticoso recensire un libro che si fa fatica sia a leggere che ad appoggiare; la pesantezza è onnipresente, dal tema ai personaggi, ma la levità e l'ironia con cui vengono trattati alcuni argomenti ti spingono a continuare a leggere. Le correzioni del titolo sono quelle che apporta la madre alla vita sua e della sua famiglia, quando le cose non vanno come vorrebbe lei, che, tra l'altro, non è nemmeno al corrente di tutto.
Una famiglia americana come ce ne sono tante, e non solo negli Stati Uniti, i conflitti più o meno espressi e la vita vissuta come un fardello più o meno da subito.
Sono contenta di averlo letto e ancora di più di averlo finito.
Una famiglia americana come ce ne sono tante, e non solo negli Stati Uniti, i conflitti più o meno espressi e la vita vissuta come un fardello più o meno da subito.
Sono contenta di averlo letto e ancora di più di averlo finito.
I had to put this down without finishing it. So not in the mood for such angsty characters. I'm sure this is a great book but I found it too hard to spend time withthose people!
The writing is exquisite, yet I was put off again and again by my inability to care for any character other than Alfred. Such a grim, grim book. I suspect if I read this at another point in history or maybe just in my own life, I may feel less blue about the book, but right now, the world is grim enough for me.
emotional
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:
Yes