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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I finished it! I was immediately drawn into the characters from page 1, but somewhere around West Virginia, the book lost steam. Or maybe the characters are so intimately described and their troubles so thoroughly examined that I simply needed a break from them. However, Walter and Patty were interesting enough that I did finish their story. I suppose the ending is happy, but it is bittersweet. And why is the book called Freedom? Perhaps to point out how no one is truly free from social or family ties, even Joey or Richard.
To properly review this book I have to separate the story from the writing. The story is good—rich with fully realized, complex characters. Topics are explored that are meaningful or of interest to me, topics I feel are important and germane to our society today. For those reasons I recommend this book to some.
For my other reasons I recommend spending your time curled up with something else. I can honestly say I don't know if I would have finished this book had I been reading the hard cover edition. I had it on my kindle. And thank God. I've never read Franzen before, but had heard good things. So I came in with an open mind full of optimism for this book. Sadly, I found the writing to be laborious and over-involved. From his style Franzen seems to be a self-absorbed writer who doesn't trust his audience. This book could've been 200 pages shorter were it not for Franzen's love of seeing his words spill on a page. Every theme—every important point—in this book is explained, laid out plainly. Then explained again. Then one more time just to be sure you understand what he's trying to tell you. He leaves no work for the reader—doesn't involve the reader in any way. The story is told, but I didn't feel as if I'd been invited along for the journey. In that way this book was a great disappointment. No one wants to spend 900 pages feeling like they're being talked down to. At least I don't.
For my other reasons I recommend spending your time curled up with something else. I can honestly say I don't know if I would have finished this book had I been reading the hard cover edition. I had it on my kindle. And thank God. I've never read Franzen before, but had heard good things. So I came in with an open mind full of optimism for this book. Sadly, I found the writing to be laborious and over-involved. From his style Franzen seems to be a self-absorbed writer who doesn't trust his audience. This book could've been 200 pages shorter were it not for Franzen's love of seeing his words spill on a page. Every theme—every important point—in this book is explained, laid out plainly. Then explained again. Then one more time just to be sure you understand what he's trying to tell you. He leaves no work for the reader—doesn't involve the reader in any way. The story is told, but I didn't feel as if I'd been invited along for the journey. In that way this book was a great disappointment. No one wants to spend 900 pages feeling like they're being talked down to. At least I don't.
I'm trying to figure this one out. It was enjoyable enough to read, but I don't think it'll stick with me. (I read "The Corrections" years ago and I remember almost nothing about it.) I just don't know what it's supposed to be about. It feels like there should be A Message here, but I'm not finding it.
Like Spike Lee said about Green Book, "It wasn't my cup of tea." lol
Very well written. Although you knew at the outset that it was going to be a train wreck for all concerned I couldn't stop reading. There is a lot of insight into human weakness and flaws in this novel. It's hard not to see some of your own weakness here. Which makes it almost painful to read. But the human weakness is tempered by hope. And forgiveness.
The dynamic characters and relentless pace made this a very exciting read. As with any book that follows multiple characters/storlyines, there were some sections I liked better than others. Overall, I would recommend it.
I did not know what I was getting into with this one, ha. I had literally never heard of Franzen before picking this book up, and once I was a little ways in I was surprised to find a decade of think pieces online penned by and about this man, hahaha. I was twelve when this came out and woefully uninformed of Oprah's book club and literary world drama, but here we are.
okay, to the novel! Yes, I did think it was really well written, an incredibly long and detailed character study of flawed and critical people, and from the outset it held a neat clip with the flow of this information. yes, I can see critics' perspectives that were this a female author, the reviews may have labeled it self-masturbatory chick lit for the sort of gossip-y tone that such animated detail and judgement evokes. I'm not convinced it's the great American novel, but I did enjoy it!
okay, to the novel! Yes, I did think it was really well written, an incredibly long and detailed character study of flawed and critical people, and from the outset it held a neat clip with the flow of this information. yes, I can see critics' perspectives that were this a female author, the reviews may have labeled it self-masturbatory chick lit for the sort of gossip-y tone that such animated detail and judgement evokes. I'm not convinced it's the great American novel, but I did enjoy it!
no. i am sorry upper middle class white people, but sometimes your problems are not that interesting.
I know a lot of people didn't like this and there were parts of it I wasn't crazy about, but for the most part, I loved it. Apparently I like to read about awful, selfish, screwed up people.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes