Reviews with content warning for Racism - The Sun Also Rises

I thought maybe teen self and Hemingway didn't vibe, but perhaps adult self and Hemingway could have their moment. I was wrong. Very, very wrong.

I kept reminding myself about the time period, the world in which this was written. It didn't help. There are certain words I was not raised with, nor use. Words that grate on my soul and this books overuse of 2 of them hurt. Not to mention the alcohol consumption, the poor bulls ear, & the lack of character depth to name a few. The conversations/paragraphs filled with repetitive words left me feeling bored and unamused. ex. fiesta & daunted.

This will be an interesting book club chat!

Content Warnings

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.

Content Warnings

rohwynn's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective tense 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

2.0

This was a hard read. Luckily it was short.
It was definitely a product of its time. The casual approach to racist, antisemitism, and homophobia left me grimacing a good 3rd of the book.

I'm sure it's well written but I couldn't really concentrate on that.

Content Warnings

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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