Reviews - Slaughterhouse 5

15.4k reviews for:

Slaughterhouse 5

Kurt Vonnegut

4.06 AVERAGE

fi0's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark reflective slow-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

allie_schallert's review against another edition

4.5

dark funny reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I was a little unsure how I would enjoy this book after not loving The Sirens of Titan, and I wasn’t I wasn’t convinced of this book’s goal for almost half of it, especially when science fiction made an appearance. My mind and perspective broke open when I read, “So they were trying to re-invent themselves and their universe. Science fiction was a big help.”

This story is incredibly and tragically layered in its meanings of life, death, and living through and after death. I interpreted Billy Pilgrim as innocence, especially viewing WWII as the Vonnegut’s idea of a “Children’s Crusade.” Billy’s consistent nonchalance, from the remembering the war to getting married to having a mental breakdown etc, punches the reader harder with the level of trauma a child faced. Even as he reached personal and financial success decades later, it meant nothing. It was easier to be abducted by aliens and live in a safe bubble with a beautiful woman that you could easily express your grief to than to overcome the PTSD of war. The actual bombing of Dresden is such a small portion of the book, and it needs to be as to not sensationalize the “heroics” of war and to focus on the lifelong impact such events have on survivor. The genius of Vonnegut is also seen in the anecdotes and side characters sprinkled throughout the journey. Truly a thought-provoking novel.

Content Warnings

katypg's review against another edition

4.25

challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

sahara_bye's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

charlieapperly's review against another edition

4.5

dark funny informative reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Vonnegut offers an extremely profound, witty and thoughtful examination of his personal experiences in WII, through such a creative and uniquely absurd narrative. Loved it