Reviews tagging 'War'

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

14 reviews

shadestate's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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oceanwriter's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective 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? Yes

3.0

This is a book I’ve been meaning to read since high school. I think at one point I actually did start it but didn’t get through the first chapter. Now as an adult, I still found myself quite bored throughout most of the story. I found the history of the book mentioned in the foreword more interesting.

My disinterest was more of a plot/character problem. I simply wasn’t interested in the subject matter. Another problem was the years of build up and having it fall short. Perhaps this is an unpopular opinion, but I found the storytelling dull. As a piece of historical literature, it’s interesting, but definitely not a book I would have read otherwise. 

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anoveldestination's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective sad fast-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

3.0

 Dialogue tags must be part of the iceberg we can’t see.

The lack of dialogue tags in the book wouldn’t have bothered me so much if I found the characters unique and memorable. I’ve forgotten most of their names but it seems appropriate just to call them all old chaps like 50% of the dialogue in this book does.

Don’t get me started on the characterization of Brett Ashley, the leading lady. A lot of people think her character is progressive for the time, and on the surface, she does seem sexually empowered, but the misogyny is also under the iceberg. One of the themes Hemingway seems to express is that women’s sexual empowerment comes at the expense of men and their masculinity. Brett’s sexual liberation is constantly blamed for the hardships men experience in the novel, so not the most empowering message it seems on the surface. Also there’s a reference to domestic abuse in Brett’s past that just felt too glossed over and belittled.

At this point, you may be wondering why I gave this book 3 stars. Despite my issues with the dialogue (including the amount of dialogue), I liked Hemingway’s more descriptive passages. I also think there are a lot of themes here to unpack, and I like a book that keeps me thinking and learning more afterwards. I found some of the themes surrounding the Lost Generation well executed and even resonant with the effect of the pandemic on today’s generation. A book that reverberates with me is always a good book for me.

However, ultimately, I don’t think Hemingway’s sparse writing style is my cup of tea. Also, there’s just homophobia, racism, misogyny, and antisemitism littered throughout, and I don’t think we have to excuse these things just because something is a classic. There are plenty of other classics and contemporary books that are just as smart without resorting to hate and prejudice. 

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haley49's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? Yes

2.75

I respect this book for what it is but I had a hard time relating to the characters or liking them based on their actions. Brett felt like a modern character to me because of how sexually open she was, especially for my perception of a woman of the time, but there are other parts that really date the book, particularly the anti-semitism present whenever they talk about one of the characters. Overall, I see why it is a classic and respect it, but not for me. 

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