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avidreadr's review against another edition
5.0
So fun! Laugh out loud funny and written with such a unique voice.
pharmadelica's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't get it. And then I got it. And then I got tired of it.
lmrising's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
katherinechase's review against another edition
1.0
Do not be swayed by the good reviews! Picking up this book was physically painful. Each chapter is exactly the same. The writing is horrendous. I lost count of how many times the protagonist talked about handjobs and tits. Repetitive, boring, cynical, and poor quality writing.
crxtch's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
sad
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
2.5
piedwarbler's review against another edition
3.0
Yeah he’s a great stylist, but the misogyny is a little too much even if it’s meant to be ironic.
thisisstephenbetts's review against another edition
4.0
Finally got round to reading this dark and glittering rough gem of misanthropy - prompted by a desire to read it before watching the BBC adaptation.
I was a bit surprised at how chaotic the novel was. I had expected the plot and the prose to be slicker, cleaner. But I think that's purely about expectation - I'm sure that Amis was precisely in control of this novel.
To me, it feels a little dated now - obviously the setting is nearly 20 years old, but that's not the main thing (to a large extent, if you threw in a few mobile phones it could easily serve as a parable for the early 2000s). No it was more the writing - the slang that Amis invented, the pre-figuring of major plot points, the post-modern, self-referential plot and the rambling first person - that feels very familiar by now. But I suspect it feels done because it has been so imitated in the intervening years.
I do wonder what I would have made of it as a teenager, when I passed up Amis in favour of McEwan and Winterson. I suspect I may have rejected its misanthropy, and found John Self too thoroughly dislikeable to enjoy it, even as a cautionary tale. While, now, I enjoyed the book hugely, I rather think my teenage self would have had a point.
I was a bit surprised at how chaotic the novel was. I had expected the plot and the prose to be slicker, cleaner. But I think that's purely about expectation - I'm sure that Amis was precisely in control of this novel.
To me, it feels a little dated now - obviously the setting is nearly 20 years old, but that's not the main thing (to a large extent, if you threw in a few mobile phones it could easily serve as a parable for the early 2000s). No it was more the writing - the slang that Amis invented, the pre-figuring of major plot points, the post-modern, self-referential plot and the rambling first person - that feels very familiar by now. But I suspect it feels done because it has been so imitated in the intervening years.
I do wonder what I would have made of it as a teenager, when I passed up Amis in favour of McEwan and Winterson. I suspect I may have rejected its misanthropy, and found John Self too thoroughly dislikeable to enjoy it, even as a cautionary tale. While, now, I enjoyed the book hugely, I rather think my teenage self would have had a point.
stuporfly's review against another edition
5.0
Maybe my favorite book by Amis. The protagonist is a reprobate who conjures up images of David Wells in his physical description.
anastasiahiraeth's review against another edition
1.0
++ stopped after 133 pages ++
I‘m sorry but I don‘t like it. Since page 86 I practically had to FORCE myself to keep reading on. This book is DEFINITELY not YA with all the sex, drugs and the dark, cynical, misogynic remarks, the utter lack of respect for women and the praise of how money rules everything and how greedy and moneydriven society has become.
Still, that book was a pain in the ass. I will not finish it.
I‘m sorry but I don‘t like it. Since page 86 I practically had to FORCE myself to keep reading on. This book is DEFINITELY not YA with all the sex, drugs and the dark, cynical, misogynic remarks, the utter lack of respect for women and the praise of how money rules everything and how greedy and moneydriven society has become.
Still, that book was a pain in the ass. I will not finish it.