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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Jest, was indeed, Infinite.
OH MY GOD I did it. I'm done. What a journey. Now how on earth do I sum up everything thought that crossed my mind? Every time I try and talk about this book, I sound insane! It would take a book 3x the length of Infinite Jest to try and break down Infinite Jest, and that would only be one person's perspective, and it would be the concise version. We could also all save time by slamming our heads against walls to get the same effect as reading this thing.
Big picture opinions: David Foster Wallace was an incredibly gifted and deeply troubled man, and it's one of the greatest literary tragedies that he's no longer with us. This monster of a novel is one of the most intimate, vulnerable, uncomfortable baring of a soul I've ever encountered. Within every plot, character, connection, there is humanity and absurdity to the nth degree. Infinite Jest is one of the greatest books ever written, and one of the worst. And this is nothing to say of the technical skill involved, Infinite Jest makes House of Leaves look like a middle grade novel! There is no number of words that can prepare you for the experience, you simply have to read it for yourself.
(I'm going to rage and angst about the ending, or lack thereof. Is it a bit childish? Yes.)
OH MY GOD I did it. I'm done. What a journey. Now how on earth do I sum up everything thought that crossed my mind? Every time I try and talk about this book, I sound insane! It would take a book 3x the length of Infinite Jest to try and break down Infinite Jest, and that would only be one person's perspective, and it would be the concise version. We could also all save time by slamming our heads against walls to get the same effect as reading this thing.
Big picture opinions: David Foster Wallace was an incredibly gifted and deeply troubled man, and it's one of the greatest literary tragedies that he's no longer with us. This monster of a novel is one of the most intimate, vulnerable, uncomfortable baring of a soul I've ever encountered. Within every plot, character, connection, there is humanity and absurdity to the nth degree. Infinite Jest is one of the greatest books ever written, and one of the worst. And this is nothing to say of the technical skill involved, Infinite Jest makes House of Leaves look like a middle grade novel! There is no number of words that can prepare you for the experience, you simply have to read it for yourself.
(I'm going to rage and angst about the ending, or lack thereof. Is it a bit childish? Yes.)
There's things about this book that really does deserve five stars-- certain passages are arresting and penetrative. I think I understand why people laud this book, but there are elements that irked me to no end, so I had to compromise between wanting to give it two (sometimes only one) stars and five stars. I'll probably return to this rating after I digest this very heavy meal.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow ... just wow...
I feel sorry for the author of the next book I read because no matter what it is, its going to seem inconsequential.
If you make it through the first 901 pages your reward is the two paragraphs that begin on (at least this is the page number in my copy) page 902 :
"Gately's cognomen growing up and moving through public grades been Bim or Bimmy, or the Bimulator, etc., from the acronym B.I.M., 'Big Indestructible Moron'......"
I feel sorry for the author of the next book I read because no matter what it is, its going to seem inconsequential.
If you make it through the first 901 pages your reward is the two paragraphs that begin on (at least this is the page number in my copy) page 902 :
"Gately's cognomen growing up and moving through public grades been Bim or Bimmy, or the Bimulator, etc., from the acronym B.I.M., 'Big Indestructible Moron'......"
challenging
inspiring
ok this is the biggest cope of my reading life making this as finished after reading and giving up at the 2/3 mark. i started it 5-6 months ago, with a biiig break at some point.
deciding today to finally put it to rest, part ways with it, because i simply can't drag it on with everything that has added itself to my plate. having some sort of reading burnout, which feels very in tune with this fucking book.
initially not knowing much about it except for its status, i have to say i didn't get what was happening in the first quarter; i was nonetheless somewhat enjoying myself, especially after another quarter in (vague proportions). rather smooth sailing up until somewhere at the 2/3 mark (which is an ocean in itself). guilty to say i did skip some stuff, notably some (lol) footnotes.
i did not dislike this book, on the contrary (so many great lines, and cunning observations that evokes a modern Proust, if I do say so myself).
getting down to it brought much to me as a reader. being such a challenge, anything compared to it is now accessible.
this is not an adieu, just a goodbye. next time (however far in time that is), i will be more prepared: I'll make sure to be. in the meantime, i will explore DFW's other works — the nonfiction extracts of his ive seen where a big reason as to why i even undertook Infinite Jest.
deciding today to finally put it to rest, part ways with it, because i simply can't drag it on with everything that has added itself to my plate. having some sort of reading burnout, which feels very in tune with this fucking book.
initially not knowing much about it except for its status, i have to say i didn't get what was happening in the first quarter; i was nonetheless somewhat enjoying myself, especially after another quarter in (vague proportions). rather smooth sailing up until somewhere at the 2/3 mark (which is an ocean in itself). guilty to say i did skip some stuff, notably some (lol) footnotes.
i did not dislike this book, on the contrary (so many great lines, and cunning observations that evokes a modern Proust, if I do say so myself).
getting down to it brought much to me as a reader. being such a challenge, anything compared to it is now accessible.
this is not an adieu, just a goodbye. next time (however far in time that is), i will be more prepared: I'll make sure to be. in the meantime, i will explore DFW's other works — the nonfiction extracts of his ive seen where a big reason as to why i even undertook Infinite Jest.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes