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jasmine_paints's review against another edition
5.0
This is my new favorite novel. In my top 10 all time favorites. Amazing story, great writing. Everything I ever wanted in a book and more.
jess_mango's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
Up to this point in my life, I've read a handful of books by John Irving and have a couple more sitting waiting for me on my TBR shelf. I've read: [b:The Cider House Rules|4687|The Cider House Rules|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327962519l/4687._SY75_.jpg|3875895], [b:A Widow for One Year|4659|A Widow for One Year|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554220946l/4659._SY75_.jpg|3359767], [b:A Prayer for Owen Meany|4473|A Prayer for Owen Meany|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1260470010l/4473._SY75_.jpg|1734019], [b:The Fourth Hand|4656|The Fourth Hand|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1375776688l/4656._SY75_.jpg|1137643], [b:The Water-Method Man|4657|The Water-Method Man|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386925069l/4657._SY75_.jpg|2342047], and [b:The 158-Pound Marriage|4660|The 158-Pound Marriage|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388184362l/4660._SY75_.jpg|1831615]. The two books that I have waiting on my shelf are [b:A Son of the Circus|7073|A Son of the Circus|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561342994l/7073._SX50_.jpg|1323492] and [b:Until I Find You|9355|Until I Find You|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388193718l/9355._SY75_.jpg|2269323].
So yeah, I am a bit of an Irving fan. Which is why it is kind of surprising that it took me this long to read his most popular book (most popular based on his goodreads author page). AND I am so glad that I finally got to read it. This book was everything I love about Irving. In turns dark, humorous, clever, sentimental, weird...
Our protagonist T.S. Garp (no, the initials do not stand for anything) is conceived in a non-traditional way by his mother Jenny. Jenny is a nurse and has some feminist ideas but doesn't consider herself a feminist. Jenny receives notoriety after she publishes her memoir which is claimed as a seminal work by feminists. Garp has aspirations of his own to be a writer. Garp is a complex but ultimately sympathetic protagonist, in my opinion.
Since this is Irving, there is a bear somewhere in the story, of course. :)
Up to this point in my life, I've read a handful of books by John Irving and have a couple more sitting waiting for me on my TBR shelf. I've read: [b:The Cider House Rules|4687|The Cider House Rules|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327962519l/4687._SY75_.jpg|3875895], [b:A Widow for One Year|4659|A Widow for One Year|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554220946l/4659._SY75_.jpg|3359767], [b:A Prayer for Owen Meany|4473|A Prayer for Owen Meany|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1260470010l/4473._SY75_.jpg|1734019], [b:The Fourth Hand|4656|The Fourth Hand|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1375776688l/4656._SY75_.jpg|1137643], [b:The Water-Method Man|4657|The Water-Method Man|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386925069l/4657._SY75_.jpg|2342047], and [b:The 158-Pound Marriage|4660|The 158-Pound Marriage|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388184362l/4660._SY75_.jpg|1831615]. The two books that I have waiting on my shelf are [b:A Son of the Circus|7073|A Son of the Circus|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561342994l/7073._SX50_.jpg|1323492] and [b:Until I Find You|9355|Until I Find You|John Irving|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388193718l/9355._SY75_.jpg|2269323].
So yeah, I am a bit of an Irving fan. Which is why it is kind of surprising that it took me this long to read his most popular book (most popular based on his goodreads author page). AND I am so glad that I finally got to read it. This book was everything I love about Irving. In turns dark, humorous, clever, sentimental, weird...
Our protagonist T.S. Garp (no, the initials do not stand for anything) is conceived in a non-traditional way by his mother Jenny. Jenny is a nurse and has some feminist ideas but doesn't consider herself a feminist. Jenny receives notoriety after she publishes her memoir which is claimed as a seminal work by feminists. Garp has aspirations of his own to be a writer. Garp is a complex but ultimately sympathetic protagonist, in my opinion.
Since this is Irving, there is a bear somewhere in the story, of course. :)
markcastaneda's review against another edition
4.0
quintessentially John Irving. relevant in all stages of life.
bilbro's review against another edition
4.0
Just as Jillsy Sloper did with The World According to Bensenhaver - the same can be said about Garp. Most books you know nothings gonna happen, other books you know what’s going to happen and this book’s so sick you know something gonna happen, but you can’t image what. So you read to find out. Surely there’s no other reason to read a book, is there?
fionadonaldsonmcilrath's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.75
knenigans's review against another edition
4.0
I'm genuinely not sure if I actually liked this book or not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Death of parent, Car accident, and Deadnaming
Moderate: Rape
mrbear's review against another edition
4.0
I have somewhat mixed feelings about this book, though overall it was pretty good. First, I'd like to note that going into the book I knew nothing about it except that people had told me "it's a guy book". Honestly, after reading the book, I don't really see why. It discussed feminism in great detail, and though the protagonist was male and occasionally took issue with feminism, he was not really divisive in any way. In other words, only women looking to find fault in the book would dislike it, and they would do so for the wrong reasons.
Generally, the book was funny. If I had to describe it, I would say it was a very holistic tale of a writer's life and personal beliefs. It's told from a great perspective and is generally very readable. My only real issues with the text were the fact that Irving has a somewhat morbid fascination with maiming his characters and Irving's overwhelming use of "returning characters". The former is pretty self explanatory, and the latter was simply an issue that may have been unique to me. I find it frustrating when characters introduced in the beginning come back to kill other characters later for strange reasons. It makes the book less believable, and the world of the novel becomes too small.
Overall, it was worth the read, but I'm not sure why it's considered such a classic. Perhaps just because it was such a frank and well written depiction of a man's life?
Generally, the book was funny. If I had to describe it, I would say it was a very holistic tale of a writer's life and personal beliefs. It's told from a great perspective and is generally very readable. My only real issues with the text were the fact that Irving has a somewhat morbid fascination with maiming his characters and Irving's overwhelming use of "returning characters". The former is pretty self explanatory, and the latter was simply an issue that may have been unique to me. I find it frustrating when characters introduced in the beginning come back to kill other characters later for strange reasons. It makes the book less believable, and the world of the novel becomes too small.
Overall, it was worth the read, but I'm not sure why it's considered such a classic. Perhaps just because it was such a frank and well written depiction of a man's life?
marlene_wp's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0