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A review by xthando
Ulysses by James Joyce
2.0
Look, I went into "Ulysses" knowing it was supposed to be some kind of literary Everest. I was ready for a challenge, and I definitely got one. I can appreciate what Joyce was trying to do with the stream-of-consciousness style, and I understand why it's considered groundbreaking. But honestly? I just didn't connect with it at all.
The biggest problem for me was the characters. I didn't dislike Leopold Bloom or Stephen Dedalus, but I also didn't care about them. Their lives, their thoughts, their struggles… it all felt so distant and unrelatable. Maybe it's the setting (Dublin in 1904), maybe it's the constant internal monologues, but I just couldn't find a way to invest in their stories.
And speaking of those internal monologues… I get it. I really do. My own brain often feels like a never-ending stream of random thoughts and observations. But reading 700+ pages of that? It became exhausting. I understand the appeal of capturing the unfiltered human mind on the page, but for me, it just felt tedious and self-indulgent.
I think "Ulysses" is a book that you either love or hate. I respect its place in literary history, and I can see why some people are so passionate about it. But for me, it was a slog. I finished it, but I can't say I enjoyed it. It's possible it's more enjoyable the second time around, but I can't see myself ever picking it up again. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to "get it," or maybe it's just not my kind of book. Either way, this one wasn't for me.
The biggest problem for me was the characters. I didn't dislike Leopold Bloom or Stephen Dedalus, but I also didn't care about them. Their lives, their thoughts, their struggles… it all felt so distant and unrelatable. Maybe it's the setting (Dublin in 1904), maybe it's the constant internal monologues, but I just couldn't find a way to invest in their stories.
And speaking of those internal monologues… I get it. I really do. My own brain often feels like a never-ending stream of random thoughts and observations. But reading 700+ pages of that? It became exhausting. I understand the appeal of capturing the unfiltered human mind on the page, but for me, it just felt tedious and self-indulgent.
I think "Ulysses" is a book that you either love or hate. I respect its place in literary history, and I can see why some people are so passionate about it. But for me, it was a slog. I finished it, but I can't say I enjoyed it. It's possible it's more enjoyable the second time around, but I can't see myself ever picking it up again. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to "get it," or maybe it's just not my kind of book. Either way, this one wasn't for me.