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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
What a dumb, trash book. I hated every change in style in every chapter of this book. It's a huge slog with no payoff. There's some creative styling, but an absolute disdain for the reader that'll make you wonder why the author bothered in the first place. Well, with that fun introduction, let me tell you what it's "about"!
Ulysses is a slow, tedious day-in-the-life journey of some people living in Dublin. Mostly, it's about this guy named Leopold Bloom, but it also sometimes is about this other guy Stephen Dedalus, and even more rarely about Leopold's wife, Molly Bloom. Bloom walks around the city - he talks to people, goes to a funeral, goes to a library, goes to a museum, masturbates to a girl in a park, goes to a cafe and gets accosted by anti-semites, goes to a brothel, blah blah blah. He runs into Stephen at a few of these things. At the brothel, Stephen basically gets beat up outside and has nowhere to stay the night. Bloom gets Stephen up and takes him to his home and gives him some hot chocolate. After, Stephen leaves to go I don't know where.
Some of the book is stream-of-consciousness in the heads of various characters (mostly Leopold, sometimes Stephen/Molly, and maybe other folks at times). Some of the book is in different literary styles, sometimes even changing styles within the chapter. What results is very confusing - at least to me. There were some chapters where I was unclear about what happened at all. Some people seem to really love this - maybe there's something I missed there. Maybe you have to study this book for a year to grasp some of these things. I read it in about a month and a half - I guess that's not good enough!
So yeah, the book is confusing. It's also so so so so so so so so so so dull. Not very much really happens in the book. It's over 1000 pages, but, in terms of stuff happening, I've described probably like 75% of it in the above paragraphs. It is quotidian to the max.
I don't have much more to say about Ulysses. It is probably the worst book experience I've ever had (I remember really hating Austerlitz when I read it, too - I don't revisit these miserable books often enough to find out which one is most miserable!). So, I guess I don't recommend it.
Ulysses is a slow, tedious day-in-the-life journey of some people living in Dublin. Mostly, it's about this guy named Leopold Bloom, but it also sometimes is about this other guy Stephen Dedalus, and even more rarely about Leopold's wife, Molly Bloom. Bloom walks around the city - he talks to people, goes to a funeral, goes to a library, goes to a museum, masturbates to a girl in a park, goes to a cafe and gets accosted by anti-semites, goes to a brothel, blah blah blah. He runs into Stephen at a few of these things. At the brothel, Stephen basically gets beat up outside and has nowhere to stay the night. Bloom gets Stephen up and takes him to his home and gives him some hot chocolate. After, Stephen leaves to go I don't know where.
Some of the book is stream-of-consciousness in the heads of various characters (mostly Leopold, sometimes Stephen/Molly, and maybe other folks at times). Some of the book is in different literary styles, sometimes even changing styles within the chapter. What results is very confusing - at least to me. There were some chapters where I was unclear about what happened at all. Some people seem to really love this - maybe there's something I missed there. Maybe you have to study this book for a year to grasp some of these things. I read it in about a month and a half - I guess that's not good enough!
So yeah, the book is confusing. It's also so so so so so so so so so so dull. Not very much really happens in the book. It's over 1000 pages, but, in terms of stuff happening, I've described probably like 75% of it in the above paragraphs. It is quotidian to the max.
I don't have much more to say about Ulysses. It is probably the worst book experience I've ever had (I remember really hating Austerlitz when I read it, too - I don't revisit these miserable books often enough to find out which one is most miserable!). So, I guess I don't recommend it.
This story of typical people from Dublin being ordinary is one of the oddest novels I’ve ever read. Though there are many admirers, it’s clear that the target audience for this book is James Joyce, and it celebrates his self-pleasure and creative freedom. This novel was published in serialized form, and we see a wide diversity in form. Some chapters spill from narration into actual script. Other chapters are pure stream of conscious, unattributed dialog, pages without punctuation, song… you name it. No restrictions at all, and about as extraordinary as a tale of the ordinary can become. There are run on sentences, there are comma splice like this one. Also, for then, for his time, there was daring obscenity (there still aren’t many books that talk about a man shitting) and subjects like masturbation, orgasm, and homosexuality.
Ulysses is the ultimate response to “You can’t do THAT.” Chapters like "Eumaeus", in turn, ask "Why would you do THAT?" or "Don't you like the readers?"
Still, it's good to know that you can do whatever you want as long as you have talent. Right?
So, why only 3 stars? Though in chunks it is a beautiful book, altogether it’s a slog. I’ve read this 3 times now and still don’t realize why I should care about Stephen, Molly, or Bloom. I have 3 ebook copies of the book (the free version is awful, the illustrated version with Dubliners pretty bad too… my recommendation is to pay a few bucks and get the integrated study guide from Shmoop - at least the table of contents is right.)
Anyway 5 stars for the art, but 3 stars for the book itself. It sounds fair to average and give 4 stars, but it seems generous, so 3.4444... Ulysses is a book to reflect upon, to admire Joyce’s courage, but not so much to read for pleasure. I mean put it this way, would you rather have sex or watch someone else masturbate?
Ulysses is the ultimate response to “You can’t do THAT.” Chapters like "Eumaeus", in turn, ask "Why would you do THAT?" or "Don't you like the readers?"
Still, it's good to know that you can do whatever you want as long as you have talent. Right?
So, why only 3 stars? Though in chunks it is a beautiful book, altogether it’s a slog. I’ve read this 3 times now and still don’t realize why I should care about Stephen, Molly, or Bloom. I have 3 ebook copies of the book (the free version is awful, the illustrated version with Dubliners pretty bad too… my recommendation is to pay a few bucks and get the integrated study guide from Shmoop - at least the table of contents is right.)
Anyway 5 stars for the art, but 3 stars for the book itself. It sounds fair to average and give 4 stars, but it seems generous, so 3.4444... Ulysses is a book to reflect upon, to admire Joyce’s courage, but not so much to read for pleasure. I mean put it this way, would you rather have sex or watch someone else masturbate?
I debated on whether to give this book a rating(I've seen others pass on doing that and felt completely sympathetic to that view) but decided to give it two generous. I've had this book for a long time and have tried to start it with negative results for years. This time, I decided to read the book and listen to audio at the same time.....let someone "pace" me to keep me going (a bit like a trainer at the gym). It worked.....at least the actuality of "finishing" the book. Done! Fini! BUT, did I enjoy this book? No. Most of it is too incomprehensible for me. I don't think this was written to enjoy, but to challenge and for that I can't give it more than 2 stars. I wouldn't read this again and unless you want to read it because it is on the lists of must reads (me)....than I would pass. Just not fun.
No es un libro sencillo y podría decir que ha sido de los libros más difíciles de leer que me he encontrado precisamente por el detalle de la historia, la forma de la narración y el tiempo que maneja adentro de la obra.
El libro es la narración de un día completo, el 16 de junio de 1904 (un día que para agregarle sabor, los fanáticos de Joyce celebran como el Bloomsday). Y se divide en 18 capítulos nombrados por el mismo Joyce como los episodios de Les Phéniciens et l’Odyssée de Victor Bérard.
El libro es la narración de un día completo, el 16 de junio de 1904 (un día que para agregarle sabor, los fanáticos de Joyce celebran como el Bloomsday). Y se divide en 18 capítulos nombrados por el mismo Joyce como los episodios de Les Phéniciens et l’Odyssée de Victor Bérard.
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF. Unable to follow the story. Feels like author just wrote down random ideas and left as that
challenging
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Antisemitism
Moderate: Cursing, Racial slurs, Medical content, Alcohol
Minor: Police brutality
Just because something is (in)famous doesn’t mean it’s good. “Twilight” is a famous, highly read pop culture book, loved by many; I think it’s crap. “Ulysses” is studied by many and praised by more, but I think it’s crap too. Doubtless this comparison will offend many and cause them to stop reading here; a shame, for I shall explain my reasoning below.
I read “Ulysses” for a 400-level English class. My professor was a Joyce-worshipper and had us read all of “Ulysses” in little over a month. He pointed out all the references to Homer’s “The Odyssey.” He explained how most of “Ulysses’” chapters had a “theme:” color, sense, body part, art, etc. I can now understand how Joyce put a great deal of thought and work into “Ulysses,” but I don’t like it.
All the amazing literary elements aside, the story itself sucks. Bloom goes to funeral. Bloom is a perv. Stephen gets drunk. Bloom meets Stephen. Bloom brings Stephen to his house. Bloom’s wife reveals that Bloom is really a perv. There’s more to it then that, but not much. All the action takes course over a day, and it’s all mundane, everyday actions, stretched to filled hundreds of pages by stuffing it obscenely with descriptions, metaphors, symbolism, and Greek references.
…yeah. That doesn’t entertain me. The only time I laughed reading “Ulysses” was when I read something particularly absurd or crude, like “scrotumtightening sea.” Any tears I shed were out of boredom, or a reaction to a “Ulysses”-induced headache. Not once did I feel happy reading the book, but I did feel angry: angry that I had to waste so much time reading it.
I guess the thing with “Ulysses,” is that it is subjective, like most art is. Jackson Pollock is a famous painter and his paintings are considered masterpieces, but I think they’re a bunch of nonsense and I wouldn’t pay a penny for any of them. It’s the same with “Ulysses,” because despite the chorus of people singing its praise, it would be difficult for me to like it any less.
I think I should throw in a quote someone told me that nicely sums up this book: "The best book written in English, or a book someone should've considered writing in English."
I read “Ulysses” for a 400-level English class. My professor was a Joyce-worshipper and had us read all of “Ulysses” in little over a month. He pointed out all the references to Homer’s “The Odyssey.” He explained how most of “Ulysses’” chapters had a “theme:” color, sense, body part, art, etc. I can now understand how Joyce put a great deal of thought and work into “Ulysses,” but I don’t like it.
All the amazing literary elements aside, the story itself sucks. Bloom goes to funeral. Bloom is a perv. Stephen gets drunk. Bloom meets Stephen. Bloom brings Stephen to his house. Bloom’s wife reveals that Bloom is really a perv. There’s more to it then that, but not much. All the action takes course over a day, and it’s all mundane, everyday actions, stretched to filled hundreds of pages by stuffing it obscenely with descriptions, metaphors, symbolism, and Greek references.
…yeah. That doesn’t entertain me. The only time I laughed reading “Ulysses” was when I read something particularly absurd or crude, like “scrotumtightening sea.” Any tears I shed were out of boredom, or a reaction to a “Ulysses”-induced headache. Not once did I feel happy reading the book, but I did feel angry: angry that I had to waste so much time reading it.
I guess the thing with “Ulysses,” is that it is subjective, like most art is. Jackson Pollock is a famous painter and his paintings are considered masterpieces, but I think they’re a bunch of nonsense and I wouldn’t pay a penny for any of them. It’s the same with “Ulysses,” because despite the chorus of people singing its praise, it would be difficult for me to like it any less.
I think I should throw in a quote someone told me that nicely sums up this book: "The best book written in English, or a book someone should've considered writing in English."