Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - The Sun Also Rises

"The Sun Also Rises" defined the Lost Generation, and it certainly feels lost. It's very reminiscent of the very household name The Great Gatsby, published only a year earlier. We follow a group of affluent white folk who live in a world feeling jaded. They hope that each new day will be better, but their freedom brings them to poor conclusions. The characters are put in situations where they don't HAVE to do the right thing, and so each decision is just a little selfish. Usually not grossly so: they're all human, and we would act the same. But these little building disagreements, without distraction, gradually build into conflict. I like our protagonist well enough. I like Bill. I want to like Brett, I want to like Robert, and Mike, and Romero. In the end there's no reason to dislike them either. They're all lost and hurt people, formed by circumstance.
P.S.: There is a single page where the n-word is uttered casually something like 15 times. It doesn't seem malicious, but it's flagrant. Just be aware that if you read this book about problematic people, understand that the author also was a problematic person in a lost world. 8.5/10.

Content Warnings

lauramcc7's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional sad slow-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

3.5

Content Warnings

lilac_rose's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

Content Warnings

abe26's review against another edition

Go to review page

reflective slow-paced

3.75

Content Warnings

optionalobjectives's review against another edition

Go to review page

reflective medium-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

3.5

I wasn't surprised to find almost every character in this book a little pathetic and despicable. Hemingway can't resist a little autobiography and he and his crowd were, in general, drunken tourists. Yet, almost in spite of myself, I think that he succeeds in the execution of his main themes and in description. It makes sense for a book about failure to feature a range of characters who are failures of different types. Cohn, in particular, works broadly well as a foil to Jake, the main character. Neither can let go of the object of their desire (one Lady Brett Ashley, who is also terrible but possessed of mysterious allure to every man in the book), but where Cohn clings to an ultimately violent end, Jake remains more mellow and tragic. Between that and the way that Hemingway's prose pulled me through the swirls and eddies of the fiesta of San Fermín, this was a worthwhile read in the end.

Content Warnings

shadestate's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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

4.25

Content Warnings

abbyarm's review against another edition

Go to review page

reflective sad 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

2.5

Content Warnings

ciwanski's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

2.25

If you’re only going to read one Hemingway book to read, this is NOT the one to grab. One of the best things I can say about this book is that I finished it.

Blah blah blah “quintessential novel of the Lost Generation” go watch midnight in Paris instead, you’ll enjoy it more than reading this book.

This book felt like a hedonistic journal entry that puts Hemingway himself as the indifferent protagonist and talked far too much about fishing and bait and bull fights and cycling and drinking. I mean really! How many bottles of wine or glasses of ABSINTHE can one drink in an evening and not be falling over??? Oof not to mention all the racism and antisemitism.

I’ll probably try to give Hemingway another go, but it’s going to be awhile.

Content Warnings

More...