8.92k reviews for:

Stoner

John Williams

4.35 AVERAGE

dharmaraell's review against another edition

3.25

reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

leggsly's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Idk if cancer is actually a triggering topic for me or if the ending was just so perfectly written that it freaked me out. Probably a bit of both. 

I went in expecting to be bored out of my mind, but I actually found this quite engaging? William Stoner is a side character in his own life, yet John Williams somehow made him a compelling main character for the reader.

He even got me to root for Bill to cheat on his wife. I know she probably had her own issues going on but Edith suxxxx

stefanie_c's review against another edition

4.75

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

ahmed_el_kady's review against another edition

5.0

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Endlessly thoughtful. Achingly beautiful.

yepstrawbs's review against another edition

4.5

reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

griffinshufeldt's review against another edition

5.0

emotional inspiring reflective sad

halrg's review against another edition

4.0

reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

marlonaustin's review against another edition

5.0

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intriguing!

lost_carcosa's review against another edition

4.0

reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This definitely comes across as a contemplative classic. Reading it has the vibe of sitting alone by a lake and pondering life while you watch sunlight glimmer off the water as the surface ripples with the breeze. Very old-school American novel.

The portrayal of a poorly matched marriage is tough to read, I felt bad for both sides - and I felt still worse about how

their daughter becomes a human staging ground for Edith's aggressions against Stoner. Another glaring point is how clear it is that communications about intimacy, discomfort, and consent are important in creating healthy relationships, Edith and Stoner just do not have that at all and it's not great.

I have to give stars for how uncomfortable the prose made me feel at times, that's not easy to accomplish with me.

Also Hollis Lomax sucks.

jesshock's review against another edition

3.75

reflective medium-paced