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sunn_bleach's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Another one of those revisits from the mid-2010s when I was getting deeper into adult reading. I felt middling upon first reading "Cat's Cradle" in around 2015 or 2016. Upon this read, I get it a lot more, albeit it's still not my favorite Vonnegut. The parallels to MAD and nuclear warfare are more obvious, though it's clearly meant to be so - the man is angry. Vonnegut writes imperfect and unlikeable characters yet usually separate that from the author's voice (masterful in "Breakfast of Champions"), but here it's hard to separate the pseudo-nameless narrator from Vonnegut's own voice in the native sexualization and overuse of "midget". One can always say he's aware of this - especially since Newt gets it more than anyone else - but it's still jarring. The banana republic satire is similarly confused, at once sardonic toward the USA's involvement in the rape and pillage of those countries while also kind of playing it straight with McCabe and Bokonon.
Yet, as with some other mixed opinion reads this year, I still liked it. The ultimate "fuck you" to God at the end and mordant tendency toward fatalism is incredible. I had a friend who in his early 20s called himself a "Bokononist", and I see why.
Yet, as with some other mixed opinion reads this year, I still liked it. The ultimate "fuck you" to God at the end and mordant tendency toward fatalism is incredible. I had a friend who in his early 20s called himself a "Bokononist", and I see why.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Death
Moderate: Ableism, Racism, Bullying, and Animal death
technicolorxsn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This book is the lightest of Vonnegut's novels that I've read so far honestly. I found it's engagement with faith very fascinating and somewhat adjacent to my own spirituality. I thought the concept of ice-nine was really cool and the exploration of its mechanics fascinating, even if it wasn't the core of the story.
(it's been a while since I've read it)
(it's been a while since I've read it)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Ableism
Moderate: Racial slurs
Minor: Sexual content
abmochapman's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
this was mid, nihilism is overrated, and i think i do deadpan comedy better than vonnegut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Suicide, Ableism, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
jordan_noel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Cat’s Cradle is a dive into the modern madness of humanity and its inability to remain in a peaceful state. There are contrasts between morals and science that prompt the question of why goodness is important when our nature leads us to destroy ourselves anyway. A demolished, war-driven world seems inevitable with these characters motivated almost solely by their individual interests. The main religion of a hopeless people is openly founded on lies, and yet it is the only religion that these people so devoutly serve. There are no comforts and there are no explanations. It is only chaos.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent and Suicide
Minor: Colonisation, Alcohol, Grief, Gore, and Racism
mordshunger's review against another edition
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? No
3.75
I finished this and gave it a 3.0. But I did keep thinking about it a lot for the next few days and I enjoyed those thoughts, so now it is a 3.75.
It's a Kurt Vonnegut, so I expected a lot. I didn't get as much as I wanted. It's a bit long for a short idea, but the idea is fun. The "One day, all this will be yours" scene was the most memorable for me. The foot fetish is strong in this one and over all, I'd feel better about recommending this to anyone if Mona wasn't in it.
It's a Kurt Vonnegut, so I expected a lot. I didn't get as much as I wanted. It's a bit long for a short idea, but the idea is fun. The "One day, all this will be yours" scene was the most memorable for me. The foot fetish is strong in this one and over all, I'd feel better about recommending this to anyone if Mona wasn't in it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
paulwesterberg's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Suicide, War, and Ableism
Moderate: Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Colonisation, Confinement, Medical content, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
Minor: Fatphobia, Animal cruelty, Grief, Excrement, Genocide, and Slavery
Also includes technically legal but nonetheless predatory age gaps.mackinley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
emoryscott's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I enjoyed this read. Several times, I found myself laughing aloud. I don’t think I fully understood the broader picture that Vonnegut was trying to paint with this story, but here and there I was able to notice the deeper meaning. Vonnegut is a tricky author to read, but he can be very reflective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism, Death of parent, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Cancer, Confinement, Vomit, Death, and Racial slurs
salm0n's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I went in to this book knowing nothing about it and have finished feeling like I've always known the story. This book is reflective, witty, and attention holding-- a wonderful introduction to Vonnegut's writing. The ending is just brilliant. I think we all could learn something from Bokononism.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, and Suicide
Minor: Alcohol, War, and Slavery