Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Cat's Cradle

I will admit, whatever the humour was here, went over my head. It seemed you needed to remember a load of nonsense made-up words to follow what on earth was going on here.

What didn’t go over my head was the problematic language, including a lot of super unnecessary ableism.

I was glad when this book was over.

Content Warnings

joensign's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

jemappellecat's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Content Warnings

charbck's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

i like the ideas presented in this book but i didnt find it particularly funny like i was supposed to , and the misogyny was too glaring for me to focus. i think the funniness was to come from the “stupid” women and newt being a little person, but obv that is not funny to a 21st century reader

this is still a good book nonetheless, just not for me i think. i like what it comments on, about the nothingless of life and the absurdity of religion and

how ice-nine is basically the atom bomb also and how i guess it represents the cold war and puts into more perspective how the atom bomb would ruin earth but he had to create a new thing because we are so desensitized to the idea of the atom bomb.

so i guess thats why people like it.

i think i read it at the wrong time. with my general depression about and the collapse of our nation led by christian lunatics and with the overtaking of technology…. it was a little too on the nose for me.

i understand why the san lorenzo ppl listened to bokonon and killed themselves. it was so easy, and it made sense. it was the perfect ending and tbh i could see a similar thing happening now, if the cold war could thaw out and be less cold

Content Warnings

jayisreading's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny fast-paced

3.0

I would be lying if I said that I fully understood what happened in this book. There were one too many instances where I thought, “He is definitely alluding to something here, but I couldn’t tell you what that something is.” As a result, it impacted my overall enjoyment of reading this novel, particularly because it felt too disjointed (for a lack of a better descriptor). It almost felt as though the book was written more for the sake of being absurdist more than anything. However, and again, it’s quite likely that a lot of things flew over my head.

There was definitely an allegorical aspect of Cat’s Cradle that aligned well with what was happening at the time (i.e., responding to the Cuban Missile Crisis). Had I paid more attention during my US history class, maybe I would have had a better sense of what Vonnegut was trying to get at. I did, however, find the way Vonnegut explored religion through Bokononism really interesting with how upfront the religion is about its untruths. There was also the—frankly, scathing—observation that humans are just… stupid, especially in their pursuit to find meaning in their existence and often with the help of religion.

I think this might be one of those books I might have to revisit later in life— But this is definitely a must-read for anyone who loves working out what Vonnegut is alluding to, as well as his distinct writing style.

Content Warnings

lilybreen's review

Go to review page

adventurous funny slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Content Warnings

More...