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sarahwatanabe 's review for:
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
by Ken Kesey
3.5 stars
This is an interesting one to rate because though I think in many aspects this book is fantastic, there are many aspects in which this book did not age well and I really struggle to rate this book much higher than I would have.
For the positives, the topics of mental health and mental health care in the 1960s is very well explored. I think it shows a lot of the powerlessness the men feel both in society at large and within the ward, and how they learn to wield that power and take back their autonomy in small ways. I also think this opens up a lot of conversation in the ways in which those caring for the mentally ill are able to utilize their power, especially in an age where overt violence is condemned. It is very symbolic while also reflecting the real world which I thought was well explored.
I also really loved the main character's storyline and how he was portrayed. The initial introduction to his character and the slow reveal of his backstory was really well done. I think it was a good display of a Native American character without it being the overt focus on the story and I wish there was a lot more of his story.
For the negatives, this book is very very misogynistic. It only portrays women as the villain - the all controlling nurse who has everyone, even the doctor, under her control and wields psychological warfare as her all powerful weapon. The other way women are portrayed are through sexual beings with nothing else, and women are either one or the other in this novel. By suppressing her sexuality, the head nurse is becoming the villain. It does make the rest of the book hard to read. Another slur towards yours truly is also pretty casually used in it a lot towards the end which was a jumpscare. So on a moral level I find it hard to give this book a 4 or a 5 but it was really good otherwise.
This is an interesting one to rate because though I think in many aspects this book is fantastic, there are many aspects in which this book did not age well and I really struggle to rate this book much higher than I would have.
For the positives, the topics of mental health and mental health care in the 1960s is very well explored. I think it shows a lot of the powerlessness the men feel both in society at large and within the ward, and how they learn to wield that power and take back their autonomy in small ways. I also think this opens up a lot of conversation in the ways in which those caring for the mentally ill are able to utilize their power, especially in an age where overt violence is condemned. It is very symbolic while also reflecting the real world which I thought was well explored.
I also really loved the main character's storyline and how he was portrayed. The initial introduction to his character and the slow reveal of his backstory was really well done. I think it was a good display of a Native American character without it being the overt focus on the story and I wish there was a lot more of his story.
For the negatives, this book is very very misogynistic. It only portrays women as the villain - the all controlling nurse who has everyone, even the doctor, under her control and wields psychological warfare as her all powerful weapon. The other way women are portrayed are through sexual beings with nothing else, and women are either one or the other in this novel. By suppressing her sexuality, the head nurse is becoming the villain. It does make the rest of the book hard to read. Another slur towards yours truly is also pretty casually used in it a lot towards the end which was a jumpscare. So on a moral level I find it hard to give this book a 4 or a 5 but it was really good otherwise.