Scan barcode
A review by laurmyfe
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
I don't even know if I have enough time in the day to articulate how much I dislike this book. This goes beyond the rage I feel when I read bad contemporary books. This is between me and Jack Kerouac, as a person.
This man is quite simply one of the worst people I think I have ever come across. You might make the argument, if you've read this book, that Dean is the worst person on the planet, and I'm inclined to agree with you. BUT Sal chooses again and again to support him, even in the face of absolutely horrible choices.
Oh, Dean beats his wife? That's fine! Dean wants to cheat on every single person that he somehow convinces to be in a relationship with him? Wouldn't have it any other way. Dean is a pathological thief with no regard for others? Hell yes. Dean has severe psychological issues that prevent him from standing still in one place? Yes, please. Dean LEAVES HIM IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY WHILE HE HAS FUCKING DYSENTERY AND HAS SPENT ALL OF HIM MONEY ON ALCOHOL AND PROSTITUTES FOR DEAN?????? QUOTE "OK OLD DEAN. ILL SAY NOTHING."
I don't think that Sal or Dean deserved to live to see the end of this book.
I think the most infuriating part is that Jack Kerouac is a good writer. There were absolutely beautiful lines in this book. He has it in him, he just refuses to think about it from anyone else's point of view.
I want to say that I'm glad that I read it, but I really don't know that I can. Honestly, I'm just proud of myself for finishing it.
Edit: I also think it is incredibly arrogant to publish this as fiction when it is entirely clear to everyone that it is basically a memoir. Word for word, character for character, event for event this follows Jack Kerouac (Sal) and Neal Cassidy (Dean). Neal is lucky (LUCKY!!!!!!!) he's already dead.
This man is quite simply one of the worst people I think I have ever come across. You might make the argument, if you've read this book, that Dean is the worst person on the planet, and I'm inclined to agree with you. BUT Sal chooses again and again to support him, even in the face of absolutely horrible choices.
I don't think that Sal or Dean deserved to live to see the end of this book.
I think the most infuriating part is that Jack Kerouac is a good writer. There were absolutely beautiful lines in this book. He has it in him, he just refuses to think about it from anyone else's point of view.
I want to say that I'm glad that I read it, but I really don't know that I can. Honestly, I'm just proud of myself for finishing it.
Edit: I also think it is incredibly arrogant to publish this as fiction when it is entirely clear to everyone that it is basically a memoir. Word for word, character for character, event for event this follows Jack Kerouac (Sal) and Neal Cassidy (Dean). Neal is lucky (LUCKY!!!!!!!) he's already dead.