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Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'
Das Herz ist ein einsamer Jäger by Carson McCullers
7 reviews
heartworn69's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism
dustghosts's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
- There is a lot of period-standard racism, ableism, and antisemitism throughout the novel that can be difficult at times, and I think modern readers should prepare themselves for that. While capturing wider attitudes and tensions about these and other social issues, I think there’s a sense of empathy and human understanding that pervades McCullers’ writing despite— and, actively despite— wider society’s lack thereof (both within the book and without). I read Native Son just before this and was surprised how many ideas and sentiments echoed and mirrored throughout the two books, and I think the whole thing is a feat considering not only the time period but also McCullers’ age at the time of writing. Still, ymmv.
The structure: a series of vignettes, each from a different main character, and repeated in parts, is really interesting and admirable from a writing point of view. The loneliness that sets each of these characters apart also strings them together in a way that’s hopeful, strange, sorrowful, frustrating. The selfishness of that loneliness, and the way that it prevents each of the characters from recognizing it in each other, I found heartbreaking at times. Very accessible writing, even today, and again— the empathy and real feeling imbued into each character shines.
I had to take long breaks in-between reads, here, but I think that’s more to do with seasonal garbáge than anything. It weighs heavy to read a book where the characters’ troubles and gripes still reverberate today, and especially when you’re so close to each of these characters. A theme of futility vs optimism (“what is it all for?”) plagues character and reader alike. I think I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time, and I wish I had more folks to talk about it with!!!
The structure: a series of vignettes, each from a different main character, and repeated in parts, is really interesting and admirable from a writing point of view. The loneliness that sets each of these characters apart also strings them together in a way that’s hopeful, strange, sorrowful, frustrating. The selfishness of that loneliness, and the way that it prevents each of the characters from recognizing it in each other, I found heartbreaking at times. Very accessible writing, even today, and again— the empathy and real feeling imbued into each character shines.
I had to take long breaks in-between reads, here, but I think that’s more to do with seasonal garbáge than anything. It weighs heavy to read a book where the characters’ troubles and gripes still reverberate today, and especially when you’re so close to each of these characters. A theme of futility vs optimism (“what is it all for?”) plagues character and reader alike. I think I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time, and I wish I had more folks to talk about it with!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Suicide, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Hate crime, Gun violence, Antisemitism, and Ableism
Moderate: Grief, Alcoholism, Blood, and Classism
Minor: Vomit and Violence
phantomgecko's review against another edition
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
A book about people and how they feel. Things happen, but what happens is secondary to how the characters feel about it. I enjoy these sorts of books as long as the characters are likeable or at least interesting.
Kinda depressing though how this 80 year old novel is making some of the exact same social commentary you could make today. (You know, the racism and the capitalism.)
What does it say about me if John Singer is my favorite character? Am I projecting onto him just like the characters of the book? I don't think so? I just like misunderstood and depressed characters? I do not get his relationship with Antonapoulos, but it makes me feel bad for him (and thus want to protect him and like him.)
I assumed the book would culminate with Singer's death somehow. It being a suicide...a suicide because of the death of Antonapoulos...a suicide that none of the other characters will ever understand because none of them knew anything about Singer.... chef's kiss.
Kinda depressing though how this 80 year old novel is making some of the exact same social commentary you could make today. (You know, the racism and the capitalism.)
What does it say about me if John Singer is my favorite character? Am I projecting onto him just like the characters of the book? I don't think so? I just like misunderstood and depressed characters? I do not get his relationship with Antonapoulos, but it makes me feel bad for him (and thus want to protect him and like him.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic relationship
crizzle's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racism, Violence, Torture, Alcohol, Gun violence, Grief, and Addiction
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Ableism, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization
aliceandhoney's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Violence, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Death, Antisemitism, Torture, and Hate crime
elphaba105's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
This is probably my favourite novel of all time. It follows four characters and the friendships they each form with a deaf man, Mister Singer. Each character feels alone and misunderstood in society for different reasons and believe that Singer is the only one who can understand them, despite the fact he is mute. Singer in turn loves dearly his friend Antonapoulos, the only person who he can communicate with in sign language, but is separated from him due to mental disability. Exploring grief, racism, the alienation caused by capitalism and disability, it’s a beautiful and heart-wrenching book. I’ve read it twice (so far) and think about it constantly. I’m not sure I will ever find a book that touches my heart in the same way that this does. It’s very character-driven and almost unrelentingly bleak the whole way through, which I love, but if you’re looking for a lot of plot or a happy ending, you won’t find it here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Police brutality, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Death, Racism, and Ableism
Moderate: Suicide, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence and Sexual content
melissacushman's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Meditation on loneliness and misfits trying to find connection. Very mature writing and themes, hard to believe it was written by a 23-year-old!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Police brutality, Mental illness, Death, Cancer, and Alcoholism
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