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A review by zaiphon
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody".
I never got the chance to read this book back in school. As an adult, I thought I would give it a chance now and see what I think of if. I absolutely loved it and want to kick myself for not checking it out sooner. I am already considering a re-read as I want to absorb more of the details I may have missed or didn't look into much the first time around.
Our narrator, Holden Caulfield, is what can be considered an unreliable narrator. It is that which drives the story forward as this includes his personal biases and even paints the picture of his emotional state. A lot may be annoyed by Holden's negative view on pretty much everything, and especially his use of the word "phony". While this is off-putting to a lot who has read this novel, this depicts to the reader Holden's distorted view of the world that is based around his feelings of grief, self-alienation, and approaching adulthood. The further the story continues, the further frantic and broken down Holden becomes. What I really enjoyed is that, we as the reader, are forced to piece together the truths from Holden's observations and brief glimpses into his past. This to me added depth, allowing the reader to both see the world through Holden's eyes and ourselves as we are interpreting his words. I found myself rooting for Holden at the end, especially through some key emotional moments (the catcher in the rye poem, the carousel, the musuem). In reality, even us adults can feel like Holden. There are moments you can't let go of and wish you could go back, be young, and start over. But, there can be beauty in the future too. You just have to find yourself, and you will have a place in it.
I never got the chance to read this book back in school. As an adult, I thought I would give it a chance now and see what I think of if. I absolutely loved it and want to kick myself for not checking it out sooner. I am already considering a re-read as I want to absorb more of the details I may have missed or didn't look into much the first time around.
Our narrator, Holden Caulfield, is what can be considered an unreliable narrator. It is that which drives the story forward as this includes his personal biases and even paints the picture of his emotional state. A lot may be annoyed by Holden's negative view on pretty much everything, and especially his use of the word "phony". While this is off-putting to a lot who has read this novel, this depicts to the reader Holden's distorted view of the world that is based around his feelings of grief, self-alienation, and approaching adulthood. The further the story continues, the further frantic and broken down Holden becomes. What I really enjoyed is that, we as the reader, are forced to piece together the truths from Holden's observations and brief glimpses into his past. This to me added depth, allowing the reader to both see the world through Holden's eyes and ourselves as we are interpreting his words. I found myself rooting for Holden at the end, especially through some key emotional moments (the catcher in the rye poem, the carousel, the musuem). In reality, even us adults can feel like Holden. There are moments you can't let go of and wish you could go back, be young, and start over. But, there can be beauty in the future too. You just have to find yourself, and you will have a place in it.