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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of the best books ever written, nobody chronicled the 20th century better than Ellison.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
challenging
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disorderly thoughts:
- I guess what makes this book a classic is that it is so multilayered. I feel like I could read it a dozen times, if I desired to do so (although frankly, I don't), and get a dozen completely different angles of the story.
- As I expected from a book of this stature, the writing was very good. It was too good. It took me literal months to finish the book because the narrator's pain got under my skin too much. I never felt like reading it and sinking back into his troubles as though they were mine. (That may be white privilege for you at work.)
- Why was this book so long? There's no one specific chunk I would necessarily cut out, but the sum of its parts was just too long.
- This book is uncannily relevant to today's conversations about Black people and racism in the U.S. At the risk of harping on a cliché, it bears reminding that very, very little has changed.
- I guess what makes this book a classic is that it is so multilayered. I feel like I could read it a dozen times, if I desired to do so (although frankly, I don't), and get a dozen completely different angles of the story.
- As I expected from a book of this stature, the writing was very good. It was too good. It took me literal months to finish the book because the narrator's pain got under my skin too much. I never felt like reading it and sinking back into his troubles as though they were mine. (That may be white privilege for you at work.)
- Why was this book so long? There's no one specific chunk I would necessarily cut out, but the sum of its parts was just too long.
- This book is uncannily relevant to today's conversations about Black people and racism in the U.S. At the risk of harping on a cliché, it bears reminding that very, very little has changed.
Interesting and weird. Confusing like 85% of the time. Probably wouldn’t recommend, but maybe to those that I know would enjoy this kind of book?
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
[AudioBook note: In this edition, Joe Morton was an excellent voice actor/narrator, but the audio didn’t balance for his tone. You’d go from a near-inaudible whisper to ear-splitting shouts in an instant.]
As a reading experience, this was a strange book, yet strangely interesting. Its strengths are in the thematic contexts, rather than enjoyability.
“Invisible Man” was quite apparently a book ahead of its time — or rather, one that paved the way for others that hearken to it. For being nearly 75 years old, much of what’s in there was relatable (frequently frustratingly) in our modern era. Ties in with Black Lives Matter.
As a reading experience, this was a strange book, yet strangely interesting. Its strengths are in the thematic contexts, rather than enjoyability.
“Invisible Man” was quite apparently a book ahead of its time — or rather, one that paved the way for others that hearken to it. For being nearly 75 years old, much of what’s in there was relatable (frequently frustratingly) in our modern era. Ties in with Black Lives Matter.