Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Catcher in the Rye

This was such a weird book for me
I read it for school, so looking at it through that lens definitely helped me appreciate/understand this book more than if I had just read it for myself/for fun
Holden is unlikeable, that's for sure, and he's the main character so you are kinda stuck with him. It's very stream-of-conscious like, which means hearing alllll of his thoughts for a weekend
I enjoyed the aspect of Holden struggling with growing up, and his views on adulthood. Pretty conflicted as to how I view him. It was also interesting to see how mental health was treated in the past (spoiler: not great).
All and all, school made me like this from a thinking perspective, while my enjoyment level is pretty low
Hence, 2.5 stars = between it was ok/i liked it

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karingforbooks's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

What is the point if this book? I hate the writing style, I don’t see any plot, there’s no emotion being drawn anywhere in the story...I get the swearing in 1951 would have been shocking but that’s not good reason for a book to be a classic. Oh and it’s sexist, racist, and homophobic.

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walrus's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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tinytrashqueen's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

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bdingz's review against another edition

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challenging reflective tense slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is definitely a book that needs to be read more than once if you really want to grasp it. The only thing that stopped me from giving The Catcher in the Rye a 5-star rating is that it took me longer than I'd like to get invested in the novel, especially given that it's rather short. However, it really gripped me on the second reading. For that reason, we'll call it a 4.5.

Whether Holden Caulfield is an intelligent (although troubled)individual or simply a bratty runaway is argued by the lovers and haters of the classic. Although I'm more inclined to the former, I'd argue he's both. While I find Salinger's potrayal of Caulfield's thoughts compelling, let's not forget who our protagonist is - a teenage boy. I love Holden because he is simply a teenage boy, yet manages to be a fascinating individual. He's self-centered and sometimes a little cruel, but I find myself rooting for him anyway.

I've always been more drawn to the element of character than I am to plot, and if you feel the same way, perhaps you should give it a try. If you want something action-packed, STAY AWAY.

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puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

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funny reflective sad slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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