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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
Short stories were exceptional and tragic (audiobook narrated by Brian Cranston--phenomenal). It took me a long time to finish this audiobook because the extra essay (written and narrated by O'Brien) was even sadder (still very well written).
challenging
emotional
fast-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
This book captures the intensity and trauma of war well. It’s a great read for young adults learning about the intangible effects of war. Experienced older readers will probably have already learned about war’s impact but they can still enjoy it.
“At some point I had come to understand that Linda was sick, maybe even dying, but I loved her and just couldn’t accept it. In the middle of the summer, I remember, my mother tried to explain to me about brain tumors. Now and then, she said, bad things start growing inside us. Sometimes you can cut them out and other times you can’t, and for Linda it was one of the times where you can’t.”
Ok, I know, I know, this is a really deep account of the Vietnam war and stuff. But I... kinda got bored of it? I'm sorry, I really am, but I just... don't really care for war. Including this one. I read this one for school, and that's one of the reasons I'm not too surprised that I didn't like this book much. Most of the books I read for school aren't very good. Besides, I read basically the same thing but WW1 version last year, in the form of All Quiet on the Western Front . That book wasn't the greatest - neither was this one. It was just depressing and sad and violent. And did I mention depressing? Because it was very depressing. Anyway. This book just wasn't for me, that's the thing. It's not a bad book per se, it's just not for me.
Brilliant writing structure coupled with a disturbing look at war and its effects create an interesting little book that reads very quickly. Part philosophy, part storytelling, part memories, this book filled me with sadness, despair, and at times horror. But, underlying all of that, there was a sense of innocence and stolen innocence that is captivating.
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I first read this book in high school, and I don’t remember the impression it made on me. Reading it now, years later, I feel like having a better understanding of some of the context around the Vietnam War and being - maybe - a more thoughtful reader made it hit harder this time around. War, is brutal, and it changes people - and it is not always heroic.
I'm not sure how to classify this book, because O'Brien says it's fiction, but it's also nonfiction, and the line is so fuzzy that all I can say is that it doesn't matter how it's classified because this book grabs you tight and doesn't let you go until the end. I didn't think I'd like this book as much as I did--it's about the Vietnam War, which has never held great fascination for me. It's linked stories/essays, which can be hard to sink your teeth into. But this book is so elegantly written, so evocative, so able to convey what O'Brien and his cohort felt that I stayed up late reading. At times the death was hard to read but this is such a stellar example of how to tell a story.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes