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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I hated this book. Franzen is so highly praised, but his books are indulgent, he can't write female characters, and after this piece of dreck, I'm taking an oath to never read him again.
This book started out as one that I could not put down - I LOVED the first 45-50% of the book. But it went downhill from there and I forced myself to finish. I'd say the first part was worthy of five stars - I loved reading about how Patty and Walter found each other and about their experiences in college and as children and as newlyweds - but the last third of the book was just so smug and pretentious and I found myself not caring about the bratty characters at all. At around 85%, I found myself rooting for Connie Monaghan over any of the Berglunds, and I loathed her character for most of the book.
It would make an excellent book club selection, though - I have a lot to say about it, but mostly I wonder what else would have happened to these people if Franzen had set aside some of the hipster hate, the environmental activism vs. defense contractor rantings, and the long-winded big-worded (and smug and pretentious!) descriptions of every little detail. Still, overall, I liked it.
It would make an excellent book club selection, though - I have a lot to say about it, but mostly I wonder what else would have happened to these people if Franzen had set aside some of the hipster hate, the environmental activism vs. defense contractor rantings, and the long-winded big-worded (and smug and pretentious!) descriptions of every little detail. Still, overall, I liked it.
Unfortunately, I missed the chance of hearing Jonathan Franzen here in Copenhagen, but I'm happy I decided to revisit Freedom. I have it on my shelves and read it years ago, but decided I'd give it a listen. The narrator, David Ledoux, is really good.
I can't believe how good this book is and how fresh it still feels. Those family arguments – they made me cringe and lol almost simultaneously.
When I read it the first time, I didn't know Proust, but clearly, Franzen has picked up Proust's way of dissecting the way we can convince ourselves that something is a good idea when CLEARLY IT ISN'T.
I can't believe how good this book is and how fresh it still feels. Those family arguments – they made me cringe and lol almost simultaneously.
When I read it the first time, I didn't know Proust, but clearly, Franzen has picked up Proust's way of dissecting the way we can convince ourselves that something is a good idea when CLEARLY IT ISN'T.
I missed Franzen's appearance in Copenhagen recently, but what I could do was re-read Freedom. Actually, I listened to it this time, which I an highly recommend. The narrator, David Ledoux, is very good.
This book is as fresh as when it was written and I think I liked it even more this time. The family squabbles through the decades are so precisely described and so super-cringe, they could be real.
When I read it the first time I hadn't read Marcel Proust, but this time 'round I kept thinking that Franzen must have read him and enjoyed the way Proust shows us how we think. The way they both describe so vividly and recognisably how we make very important decisions in our lives, based on very skewed thinking. It's truly marvellous!
This book is as fresh as when it was written and I think I liked it even more this time. The family squabbles through the decades are so precisely described and so super-cringe, they could be real.
When I read it the first time I hadn't read Marcel Proust, but this time 'round I kept thinking that Franzen must have read him and enjoyed the way Proust shows us how we think. The way they both describe so vividly and recognisably how we make very important decisions in our lives, based on very skewed thinking. It's truly marvellous!
Mijn minst favoriete Franzen tot nu toe na 'De correcties' en 'Kruispunt'. Vijf dikke sterren.
Want ja: ik ben opnieuw lyrisch over de intelligente en mooie weergave van een vriendschap (hoe Walter beschrijft dat Richard als een broer is, nu eens een jongere, dan een oudere), over de dynamieken tussen personages (Patty's neiging om alles af te keuren waar Walter voor is, hoe alles en iedereen gevormd wordt door familie), over hoe belachelijk rond alle verhaallijnen zijn, zelfs over telefoonseks (hoe Franzen dat aan de macht van taal linkt!).
Dus ja, hoe kan ik anders dan: vijf dikke sterren?
Want ja: ik ben opnieuw lyrisch over de intelligente en mooie weergave van een vriendschap (hoe Walter beschrijft dat Richard als een broer is, nu eens een jongere, dan een oudere), over de dynamieken tussen personages (Patty's neiging om alles af te keuren waar Walter voor is, hoe alles en iedereen gevormd wordt door familie), over hoe belachelijk rond alle verhaallijnen zijn, zelfs over telefoonseks (hoe Franzen dat aan de macht van taal linkt!).
Dus ja, hoe kan ik anders dan: vijf dikke sterren?
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I hated The Corrections so was hesitant to read this but read an article which made me curious. I'm glad I did - I liked it so much better. Am still thinking about it. Does Franzen put a fecal scene in everything?
Good story, good plot, good suspense, and excellently segmented to boot-- I certainly enjoyed "Freedom". However Freedom lacks a certain poetry I have grown to need in a book. There was a great deal about music, childhood, bird, and mountains-- but the author never gets lost in their beauty. A couple delicately placed reveries would have saved it-- but at the end it could be replaced by a good TV show.