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maishalaforge 's review for:
A Farewell to Arms
by Ernest Hemingway
dark
emotional
informative
sad
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:
Complicated
The parts about war were more interesting than the romance. I thought that Hemmingway did an excellent job at illustrating how gratuitous war is. The constant denial about what was happening juxtaposed by Henry describing the events made the first ⅔ of the novel extremely gripping.
Unfortunately, once we shift focus to the romance, the book falls apart. I can get behind a dysfunctional relationship, but it feels like Hemmingway really wanted me to cherish the couple and their time together. Henry was an asshole and Catherine was a doormat, so it was really exhausting to read them talk to each other. If this book was a novella focused solely on Henry I feel like I would have given it 5 stars.
Unfortunately, once we shift focus to the romance, the book falls apart. I can get behind a dysfunctional relationship, but it feels like Hemmingway really wanted me to cherish the couple and their time together. Henry was an asshole and Catherine was a doormat, so it was really exhausting to read them talk to each other. If this book was a novella focused solely on Henry I feel like I would have given it 5 stars.