Reviews - The Things They Carried

3.96k reviews for:

The Things They Carried

Tim O'Brien

4.12 AVERAGE

connorreid1's review against another edition

4.75

inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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: Yes

Stunning book. Haven't read this for a good 5 years and I forgot how powerful it is, how many themes it explores, and how concise the prose are to great effect. The book flies by, and really leaves you with lots of thoughts as to its themes. It's great one a war book is written by someone who is genuinely literary, and not concerned with any action sequences or potential glorification. I'd say all quiet on the western front is the gold standard, but this really isn't far behind

prittyinpinkdiva's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mikeheych's review against another edition

5.0

Still one of my favorite books of all time after four re-readings.

eliseponi's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark reflective sad

camillewhowrites's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Content Warnings

jleone1002's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

swaggyswiffer's review against another edition

3.25

adventurous dark reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

read this for English class so it was paced strangely. like the fourth chapter feels like it wasn't that long ago, v strange.

I thought it was kinda slow but the first chapter we were assigned to read (Sweetheart) made me go "wait..... tea"

I thought it was definitely interesting, I had never read metafiction before so that was different.

Wonder why the first couple of chapters had no "." marks, that was confusing, and why the main focus was Jimmy Cross for like a chapter or two then never again. idk.

I defo enjoyed the last two 100 pages more than the first. very insightful. the "how to tell a true war story" stuck w me

ik I have more thoughts but not sure what else to say 🫡

Content Warnings