Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - The Sun Also Rises

Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, Amor Towles

9 reviews

aeudaimonia's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

3.0

This is a great book, really well written, and unfortunately not at all to my taste. Decided to give Hemingway another chance with this one (hated The Old Man and the Sea when I read it in high school, but loved For Whom the Bell Tolls). It's not that The Sun Also Rises fell flat for me necessarily; the characters are for the most part 3-dimensional and subtle, and the story, though verging on "no plot, just vibes," serves the characters and themes perfectly well. But the plot is so dependent on the characters, and the characters are so unlikeable, that reading the book became my least favorite chore - though less than 200 pages it took me over three weeks to finish. I'll probably come back to the book in a few years or so, and reread The Old Man as well; maybe I'll see them though new eyes. But for now I am so, so relieved to be done.

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kendramichele's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

2.75

Hemingway is very good at what he's trying to do, capturing a generation dealing with the aftermath of a world war, characters isolating and intersecting, drifting towards some semblance of possibility and authenticity. His writing is incredibly distinctive. I just couldn't connect with the sparse, repetitive style. It isn't that I was expecting an action-packed read, or that I generally dislike novels that are more slow-paced; there's something deeply human to the aimlessness of these characters, yet it failed to deeply engage me.

Sometimes books resonate, sometimes they don't, and for me this one simply didn't.

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karendarias's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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noellova's review against another edition

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2.5

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jmbz38's review against another edition

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challenging reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.25

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monahed's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-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

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roclarenett's review against another edition

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adventurous funny reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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stevesbookstuff's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional sad slow-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? Yes

The debut novel by Ernest Hemingway is arguably the best book he ever wrote. It was an instant bestseller and is today considered probably “the” book of his generation. The main action in the book is the result of a love triangle around Brett (the epitome of the 1920s "New Woman") that plays out on a trip to Pamplona, Spain where a group of friends goes to take part in the Fiesta de San Fermin. They take part in the annual running of the bulls and are daily spectators at the bull fights. There is much drinking and partying.

t's Hemingway’s writing style that makes the book transcend its story of lost souls spending their prime in partying and dissipation. The spareness and understatedness he’s known for is at a peak in this book. It’s a real pleasure to read.

Considered scandalous in its day for swear words and "loose morals", today its scandalous for other reasons (see content warnings)

Find my full review on my blog: https://tinyurl.com/2x7jz7t7

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anoveldestination's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Dialogue tags must be part of the iceberg we can’t see.

The lack of dialogue tags in the book wouldn’t have bothered me so much if I found the characters unique and memorable. I’ve forgotten most of their names but it seems appropriate just to call them all old chaps like 50% of the dialogue in this book does.

Don’t get me started on the characterization of Brett Ashley, the leading lady. A lot of people think her character is progressive for the time, and on the surface, she does seem sexually empowered, but the misogyny is also under the iceberg. One of the themes Hemingway seems to express is that women’s sexual empowerment comes at the expense of men and their masculinity. Brett’s sexual liberation is constantly blamed for the hardships men experience in the novel, so not the most empowering message it seems on the surface. Also there’s a reference to domestic abuse in Brett’s past that just felt too glossed over and belittled.

At this point, you may be wondering why I gave this book 3 stars. Despite my issues with the dialogue (including the amount of dialogue), I liked Hemingway’s more descriptive passages. I also think there are a lot of themes here to unpack, and I like a book that keeps me thinking and learning more afterwards. I found some of the themes surrounding the Lost Generation well executed and even resonant with the effect of the pandemic on today’s generation. A book that reverberates with me is always a good book for me.

However, ultimately, I don’t think Hemingway’s sparse writing style is my cup of tea. Also, there’s just homophobia, racism, misogyny, and antisemitism littered throughout, and I don’t think we have to excuse these things just because something is a classic. There are plenty of other classics and contemporary books that are just as smart without resorting to hate and prejudice.

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