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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Unsure how I ended up reading a book about fishing but here we are
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
The fly-fishing descriptions are great, and the question of if and how can one help others is eternally pressing. But ultimately this is a book about men who have trouble expressing emotions and communicating with each other, written by an author who is uncomfortable expressing his emotions so relies on descriptions of fly-fishing. It was a perfectly fine read, but less impressive than expected given it's critical praise. However, I'm not really a Hemingway fan, and given that much of the praise for this book compares it to Hemingway, it isn't surprising that I have some reservations.
This is a classic with a timeless theme. It is also one of the most wise and beautifully written books in American Literature.
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I thought I liked the movie until I read the book. Now I realize that the book blows the movie out of the water, so to speak. This book was as much about Maclean's style as much as the story. This simply was one of the most beautifully told stories I have read.
emotional
funny
informative
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
Phenomenally written. I tend to give five stars to anything I enjoyed throughout, and so five stars could be a spectrum; this book belongs at the top of that spectrum. There are few works one can be lucky enough to stumble upon that are written perfectly, works in which every paragraph seems to clearly belong, and every sentence is useful and beautiful. Those works are usually short, and "A River Runs Through It," is certainly one. It is the longest such work I have read. While the short stories following it are also excellent - caustic and fun, while serious bits of biography - they seem to make greatness a following ARRTI; the titular novella takes the cake, and is one of the finest written works I've ever read.
My only complaint: I was worried about the book after reading the introduction, (my copy is identical to the one pictured) which was boastful and full of the sort of academic pretension someone writing about a U Chicago author might expect. I had a downright scornful view of what I was about to read, thanks to the ego at the beginning. Maclean's introduction following that came off, thus, as even more academic and conceited than what could possibly have been intended, though I did detect a trace of ego in his introduction. Fortunately, the ego could be forgiven, because ARRTI earns it.
Once more for the back: Phenomenally written.
My only complaint: I was worried about the book after reading the introduction, (my copy is identical to the one pictured) which was boastful and full of the sort of academic pretension someone writing about a U Chicago author might expect. I had a downright scornful view of what I was about to read, thanks to the ego at the beginning. Maclean's introduction following that came off, thus, as even more academic and conceited than what could possibly have been intended, though I did detect a trace of ego in his introduction. Fortunately, the ego could be forgiven, because ARRTI earns it.
Once more for the back: Phenomenally written.