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deniseboot's review against another edition
medium-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? Yes
1.75
reignitedreader's review against another edition
4.0
A short and interesting book! The style was choppy, blunt, and easy to follow.
rocketiza's review against another edition
2.0
The writing in Irish dialect for the dialogue both impressed me, and also made me hate this.
plnear's review against another edition
3.0
I had to read this book at university and I was honestly positively surprised. It is not my type of literature and yet I did enjoy it. I wouldn't read it again but it was a positive experience overall.
beverlyingle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
crowellgirl2's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
busenita's review against another edition
4.0
I’m surprised that this book doesn’t have better reviews.
Crane wrote the dialogues just like they would speak as he was following realist tradition. Repetitive sentences were not bad in my opinion, they were even necessary. Educated middle class people use filler sentences like “you know what I mean” all the time. And these characters are drunk, poor and uneducated people.
The book successfully makes you feel uncomfortable and anxious. Crane is good at the portrayal of mentalities. He can write anger of a poor man and the way he sees life. He understands feelings and wishes of a young girl. Author also makes readers question social injustice towards women. Jimmie has illegitimate children which he doesn’t see it as a problem but he decides to murder Maggie’s boyfriend. He asks himself if the women he knew had brothers of their own.
The story is quite open-ended. Did Maggie have relations with Pete or was it just gossip? Was unidentified prostitute at the end her? Did she commit suicide by jumping into the river or was she murdered by the fat man? I desperately wanted to know more but I had to fill the blanks with my own imagination.
Bravo Stephen Crane. You deserve better.
Crane wrote the dialogues just like they would speak as he was following realist tradition. Repetitive sentences were not bad in my opinion, they were even necessary. Educated middle class people use filler sentences like “you know what I mean” all the time. And these characters are drunk, poor and uneducated people.
The book successfully makes you feel uncomfortable and anxious. Crane is good at the portrayal of mentalities. He can write anger of a poor man and the way he sees life. He understands feelings and wishes of a young girl. Author also makes readers question social injustice towards women. Jimmie has illegitimate children which he doesn’t see it as a problem but he decides to murder Maggie’s boyfriend. He asks himself if the women he knew had brothers of their own.
The story is quite open-ended. Did Maggie have relations with Pete or was it just gossip? Was unidentified prostitute at the end her? Did she commit suicide by jumping into the river or was she murdered by the fat man? I desperately wanted to know more but I had to fill the blanks with my own imagination.
Bravo Stephen Crane. You deserve better.
katelynrod's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75