stephanieprianka's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
maddie_may's review
5.0
I read this when I was a kid, it was one of my dad's favorite books when he was a young adult. Very heavy. Very good. A really short read, but worth it. I think it is a good read for anyone.
nzxhrx's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
keithhanson's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jjbookaday's review
5.0
I found this book at a little free library!
With this book being not only far down on a disturbing book Iceburg, but also being more relevant that ever, I had to give it a try. What I got was the definition of liminal horror. It’s a book about being trapped in a Russian Sleep Experiment-esque type deal and not being able to know anything about anything. Not only is this terrifying but it brought out strong emotions as the character recounts his life choices and where he went wrong with his life. After suffering a terrible injury Johnny is all but stuck in his head with his thoughts and that alone is scary to most. I give this book 5 out of 5 for evoking a new type of fear in me.
With this book being not only far down on a disturbing book Iceburg, but also being more relevant that ever, I had to give it a try. What I got was the definition of liminal horror. It’s a book about being trapped in a Russian Sleep Experiment-esque type deal and not being able to know anything about anything. Not only is this terrifying but it brought out strong emotions as the character recounts his life choices and where he went wrong with his life. After suffering a terrible injury Johnny is all but stuck in his head with his thoughts and that alone is scary to most. I give this book 5 out of 5 for evoking a new type of fear in me.
autumnamu's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
alexisparade's review
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Hellish. Absolutely miserable to read, but I could barely put it down.
leonore_book's review
2.0
War is always sad and to come back as only stomach and back of a human must be a very tragic thing. I understand people don't really ever comprehend the damage war does to our men and women. The book has some strong points that are worth discussing and thinking of.
periodicreader's review
5.0
I punched back in from my lunch break but I read the last 10 pages of this book under my desk because I didn't want to put it down.
This message is timeless. The words that Trumbo wrote about a forgotten soldier who must learn to communicate with his darkened world are deafening.
I want to type the last two pages in this space because I feel as though reading the words over and over again is helpful to my own mind....but that seems like redundant plagiarism...so I'll only quote this:
We are men of peace we are men who work and we want no quarrel. But if you destroy our peace if you take away our work if you try to range us one against the other we will know what to do. If you tell us to make the world safe for democracy we will take you seriously and by god and by Christ we will make it so. We will use the guns you force upon us we will use them to defend our very lives and the menace to our lives does not lie on the other side of a nomansland that was set apart without our consent it lies within our own boundaries her and now and we have seen it and we know it.
Put the guns into our hands and we will use them. Give us slogans and we will turn them into realities. Sing the battle hymns and we will take them up where you left off...Make no mistake of it we will live. We will be alive and we will walk and talk and eat and sing and laugh and feel and love and bear our children in tranquillity in security in decency in peace. You plan the wars you masters of men plan the wars and point the way and we will point the gun."
I'm breathless. I'm filled with tears...I'm scared for the world and I am so so glad that i decided to read this book at this moment in time.
This message is timeless. The words that Trumbo wrote about a forgotten soldier who must learn to communicate with his darkened world are deafening.
I want to type the last two pages in this space because I feel as though reading the words over and over again is helpful to my own mind....but that seems like redundant plagiarism...so I'll only quote this:
We are men of peace we are men who work and we want no quarrel. But if you destroy our peace if you take away our work if you try to range us one against the other we will know what to do. If you tell us to make the world safe for democracy we will take you seriously and by god and by Christ we will make it so. We will use the guns you force upon us we will use them to defend our very lives and the menace to our lives does not lie on the other side of a nomansland that was set apart without our consent it lies within our own boundaries her and now and we have seen it and we know it.
Put the guns into our hands and we will use them. Give us slogans and we will turn them into realities. Sing the battle hymns and we will take them up where you left off...Make no mistake of it we will live. We will be alive and we will walk and talk and eat and sing and laugh and feel and love and bear our children in tranquillity in security in decency in peace. You plan the wars you masters of men plan the wars and point the way and we will point the gun."
I'm breathless. I'm filled with tears...I'm scared for the world and I am so so glad that i decided to read this book at this moment in time.