Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, Amor Towles

28 reviews

emilyanne_5's review against another edition

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

3.5

I think for its time,  the themes in this book were groundbreaking. Through the lens of today, I’ve read better books discussing the coping mechanisms of PTSD post war. In general I find it hard to care about characters that are so unlovable… but I think that’s the point? All you want is for Jake to pull himself out of this vicious cycle, but in the end he ends up where he started and it just breaks your heart a little.. 


Also, this was a reread and the first time I read it was in high school… oh my god I cannot believe that they let us read this in school🙈 no wonder I had such a hard time reading it because I literally didn’t know what all these terms were for drinking and sex lol😅. Plus this book does contain two different slurs. 




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moopish's review against another edition

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

4.5

I was strangely enthralled by this book. The main characters were not overly likable but the chaos was fascinating.

There were many beautifully written lines. The way that melancholy was captured was stunning. I wish there was more about the history between Brett and Jake, but that may have ruined some of the emotions the book was able to pull out of me.

I can fully understand why some people detest or find this book boring. There are plenty of parts that feel repetitive or may seem irrelevant.

The dropping of slurs was quite a shock, even for an older novel, just due to the sheer volume. 

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sbgage's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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htrisler's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


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aj_m's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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bookswgreen's review against another edition

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informative relaxing 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

1.0


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kananineko's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective tense 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? It's complicated

3.0


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waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Hemingway's thoughts, feelings, and ideas about the world are deeply flawed due to his racism, sexism, and antisemitism, but goddamn do I love the way he writes. I love his short, sharp prose though. Each word is thoughtfully chosen and deployed.

The main character is Jake—who is so clearly a self-insert that it’s almost laughable—and we see the world only through his eyes. He’s self-centered, broken by war, desperately sad, and serious. In between jazz age parties, you watch this man crumble beneath the weight of his suffering, and even though he kind of sucks, you can’t help but feel sorry for the guy.

Jake's travels in France and Spain read like a journal/travelogue. He’s simultaneously numb and in pain, but he also sees beauty in everything. He’s a walking, talking contradiction.

The prose is melancholy, wistful, and reflective. You end up feeling bad for almost all the characters, who have all wrecked their own lives or been wrecked by others or some combination. This is the first novel of Hemingway's that I’ve read, and despite some of my qualms with it, it makes me want to pick up more of his work. He's writes a compelling, fascinating read.

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ecourtis's review against another edition

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

3.75


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molly_hibs's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny sad 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? Yes

3.5

Was bored for most of the book, but enjoyed the second half. The comparison of the group to bulls is interesting, as are all the foil comparisons of characters. 

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