A review by peter1rose
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

While I usually rate all books I think should be "required reading" 5 stars, books I hold above others and think of as life changing, I cannot bring myself to do that for The Jungle. Since it's an older novel, and the author's style can feel very impersonal, it can be difficult to get into. Once you're into it and become invested the book feels like a large tragedy with very few moments to pick up any hope. I understand that this is the point and there are few things within this book that I cannot also relate to. But in the latter half of the book one can start to see it's age. A bit more vulgar with POC, and demeaning of the worth of women. It's upsetting but again understandable given the original publication date of 1906. Then in the end

it becomes preachy in an uncomfortable way. I consider myself socialist. At least to regard that democrats are never willing to do enough for us and in the end are just business people like the republicans. But the last 3 chapters of the book read more like a church sermon where men cling to socialism like it is a religion. It becomes a drag of lectures and speeches. I also have the privilege of being more than a century into the future, knowing that socialism still holds no ground in the US. It feels like a book on atrocities that never changed. Great for education. Great for the people it impacted and how it changed the food industry. But sad in all other regards.