Reviews

If you like The Catcher In The Rye, you'll probably enjoy Franny And Zooey. It's the same vibe, the same neurotic adolescent point of view, the same "goddamn" and "hell", although thankfully fewer phonies. A lot more religion, mystism, and so many cigarettes. The book is split into two chapters "Franny", the youngest Glass sibling having an existential crisis while on a date with her boyfriend; and "Zooey", the second youngest who has a conversation with his mother in the bathroom, and tries to help Franny snap out of it.

mrscharlottewilkins's review against another edition

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inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

stefnwp's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.75

The first part (Franny) is easily a 10/10. One of the best things I have ever read. I also really enjoyed the second part (Zooey), but at some point I found it was kind of difficult/exhausting to follow Zooeys monologues. Nonetheless, 100% would recommend everyone to read this.

“I’m not afraid to compete. It’s just the opposite. Don’t you see that? I’m afraid I will compete - that’s what scares me. That’s why I quit the Theatre Department. Just because I’m so horribly conditioned to accept everybody else’s values, and just because I like applause and people to rave about me, doesn’t make it right. I’m ashamed of it. I’m sick of it. I’m sick of not having the courage to be an absolute nobody. I’m sick of myself and everybody else that wants to make some kind of a splash.” - Franny

svetilnik_boris's review against another edition

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emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

nadijya's review against another edition

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funny reflective 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

3.5

helloemma's review against another edition

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3.0

My first 3.5 stars...it wasn't as *good* as 4 stars but it wasn't as average as 3 stars. This was an intriguing book that was brilliantly written (of course) with characters that really took hold of my imagination. I don't really know anything of the story behind Franny & Zooey, other than they're two short stories, but reading it as one book left me wanting more, especially more from Lane. Plus I wanted to see Franny begin to pick herself up again.

i_webb's review against another edition

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4.0

Took a while for me to get into the Zooey chapter but ultimately when I did I was hooked. The characters are so interesting and the dialogue is so rooted in realism it’s impossible to believe that these are anything but real people. Love the premise of a family of grown up child prodigies and how that plays into their experiences as young adults. Excited to read more Glass family short stories.

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