jonwood's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I was quite disappointed with this boo and found it more gimmick than good. Sure, the nonlinear story telling may have been new at the time, but just because something is the first dose not make it the best. Perhaps Doctor Who and Christopher Nolan have spoiled me with a diverse selection of nonlinear story telling (both well and not so well executed), but even removing comparisons of executions, I didn't find that much substance buried within Slaughterhouse-5. I've read and seen much better reflections on tragedy and post-traumatic stress (just tune into MASH or China Beach). My take away is that the main character is losing his mind and that the aliens and time travel really aren't there, just metaphors and illusions, but I feel that is giving the author too much credit. There's a lot of disgusting things litter in the book, weather it's about people urinating/vowel movements, one character taking glee in describing tutor methods, or just how the narrator describes women (one example is of the narrator describing a woman as dull, but having a body that makes men want to fill her up with babies) that left a bad taste in my mouth.
Frankly, I don't think there was much reflections going on. I suppose the theme is that there are moments in time we are powerless to change, and sometimes there's no fighting it, one person can't always make a difference, "so it goes." However, it would have been more interesting seeing that struggle play out and the character learn the lesson via failure (like Clark Kent in the 100th episode of Smallville unable to prevent tragedy completely, and altering events only made other things worst), but instead the narrator just tells us this and the protagonist, Billy, just accepts this form of "enlightenment" without ever trying to fight it. Also, I did not find this book all that funny, despite it supposedly being funny at the same time as being traumatic, the book just lack heart for me.
Between the lack of entertainment, and the gross nature of some of the narration, I highly doubt I'll want to try to read another Vonnegut novel, and am left wondering why he has the reputation of literally genius that he does.
Frankly, I don't think there was much reflections going on. I suppose the theme is that there are moments in time we are powerless to change, and sometimes there's no fighting it, one person can't always make a difference, "so it goes." However, it would have been more interesting seeing that struggle play out and the character learn the lesson via failure (like Clark Kent in the 100th episode of Smallville unable to prevent tragedy completely, and altering events only made other things worst), but instead the narrator just tells us this and the protagonist, Billy, just accepts this form of "enlightenment" without ever trying to fight it. Also, I did not find this book all that funny, despite it supposedly being funny at the same time as being traumatic, the book just lack heart for me.
Between the lack of entertainment, and the gross nature of some of the narration, I highly doubt I'll want to try to read another Vonnegut novel, and am left wondering why he has the reputation of literally genius that he does.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Misogyny
Moderate: Pregnancy, Medical content, Cursing, Sexism, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Medical trauma
triniparade's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Un libro que me hizo pensar.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
Moderate: Alcohol and Blood
Minor: Infidelity and Antisemitism
_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Banned Books Week 2023
The OG Everything Everywhere All at Once but of the horrors of war, death, and dehumanization, C-PTSD, depression, suicide ideation, aliens, and what even tf fuck is time? It also goes hard on how the US is a danger to itself and others, and well, I can see why war mongers, pro-2A people, capitalists and the like absolutely hate this book lol. I personally didn't see the funny in this (I was aware of the satire but instead of wanting to laugh I wanted to cry; this book is horrifyingly sad) and it wasn't an enjoyable read to me, but, I still appreciate what KVJR set out to do with it and haters gonna hate but he was spitting facts left and right idk what to tell yall.
The OG Everything Everywhere All at Once but of the horrors of war, death, and dehumanization, C-PTSD, depression, suicide ideation, aliens, and what even tf fuck is time? It also goes hard on how the US is a danger to itself and others, and well, I can see why war mongers, pro-2A people, capitalists and the like absolutely hate this book lol. I personally didn't see the funny in this (I was aware of the satire but instead of wanting to laugh I wanted to cry; this book is horrifyingly sad) and it wasn't an enjoyable read to me, but, I still appreciate what KVJR set out to do with it and haters gonna hate but he was spitting facts left and right idk what to tell yall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Animal cruelty, Violence, Death, Genocide, Animal death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Ableism and Fatphobia
Minor: Sexism, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Misogyny
shoohoob's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Super interesting book! I wasn’t into the first half but I’m glad I kept reading. The last half really brought me in and I felt the cynicism come to a head. It’s fascinating that a book written about a war almost 80 years ago is still relevant today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Gore, Sexual content, and War
joharrismay's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
Thank you lauren crocco for telling me to read this it’s so good top 10 books of all time. I loved the characters and Kurt Vonnegut’s writing style is amazing.
Will probably read another Kurt Vonnegut book
Will probably read another Kurt Vonnegut book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, War, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness
Moderate: Violence, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content
ssoha's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Death, Grief, Violence, Gore, Blood, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Murder, Rape, and War
library_kb's review against another edition
dark
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? No
2.0
I went into this not excited about it....and it was simultaneously easier to read than I expected and less easy to read. I read this because it was part of the Upper School's summer reading options, which I wanted to have read all of...I would be curious to see if/which students pick this option and what they take from it. The style of jumping around from time period to time period was not super easy to follow. The nice thing is that there was a lot of page breaks which made the book read pretty quickly (plus it isn't super long, which was its saving grace). I don't know why you need a story like this to tell you war is awful and pointless, but there you have it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Death
Minor: Sexual content
josieruby1's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Animal death, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
redbeanm0chi's review against another edition
3.75
At the start of the book the frank and brutal description of horrible things felt like being hit with a brick, but there’s almost like there’s no space for sadness or mourning here when everything is happening at once or all out of order. The constant repetition of “so it goes” no matter how sad or gruesome the death was, made the deaths seem insignificant almost. I was pretty numb by the end.
“You’ll pretend you were men instead of babies, and you’ll be played in the movies by Frank Sinatra and John Wayne or some of those other glamorous, war-loving, dirty old men. And war will look just wonderful, so we’ll have a lot more of them. And they’ll be fought by babies like the babies upstairs.”
The kind of first-person, omnipotent narrator who is kinda the author and kinda not was actually super interesting to read. I applaud Vonnegut for finding such a good way to write a book that reflects the chaotic mosaic of ptsd and trauma. I always feel like it’s interesting to see and process the most human experiences and feelings through the lens of sci-fi and fantasy.
“It had to be done,” Rumfoord told Billy, speaking of the destruction of Dresden.
“I know. I’m not complaining.”
“It must have been hell on the ground.”
“It was,” said Billy Pilgrim.
“Pity the men who had to do it.”
“I do.”
“You must have had mixed feelings, there on the ground.”
“It was all right,” said Billy. “Everything is all right, and everybody has to do exactly what he does. I learned that on Tralfamadore.”
The writing style is absolutely monotonous and flat throughout the entire book; a neutral observation. I can see how it could be boring to read for many, but I didn’t mind it. It felt purposeful and contributed to a mood that suited the fatalistic topics.
“Why me?”
“That’s a very Earthling question to ask, Mr. Pilgrim. Why you? Why us for that matter? Why anything? Because this moment simply is. Have you ever seen bugs trapped in amber?”
“Yes.” …
“Well here we are, Mr. Pilgrim, trapped in the amber of this moment. There is no why.”
“Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt”
Maybe if we were like the trapfamadorians it could all be beautiful and death would be meaningless, but we aren’t. And it isn’t.
“It is so short and jumbled and jangled, Sam, because there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre. Everybody is supposed to be dead, to never say anything or want anything ever again. Everything is supposed to be very quiet after a massacre, and it always is, except for the birds.
And what do the birds say? All there is to say about a massacre, things like “Poo-tee-weet?”
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Animal cruelty, and Violence
lucyselim's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I think I enjoyed it. I'm a little confused and turning over the main themes of the book in my head still. I don't usually enjoy philosophical and vague stories, so I did not think this would be for me, but I'm glad for the experience.
I spent most of the book assuming that it was the thoughts and ramblings of Billy's brain after his 'death'. The Tralfamadorian's philosophy that you don't really die made me think that perhaps after dying on earth you simply relive your life over and over in a time-travelling way. But then towards the end I felt the book hinting that this was really all in Billy's imagination. Either way, it doesn't really matter.
I do wish there had been more written about Billy's time on Tralfamadore and with Montana though.
Overall, this was definitely an interesting and thought provoking book that I think will always sit a little funny with me, but it was good for me to read outside of my comfort zone.
So it goes.
I spent most of the book assuming that it was the thoughts and ramblings of Billy's brain after his 'death'. The Tralfamadorian's philosophy that you don't really die made me think that perhaps after dying on earth you simply relive your life over and over in a time-travelling way. But then towards the end I felt the book hinting that this was really all in Billy's imagination. Either way, it doesn't really matter.
I do wish there had been more written about Billy's time on Tralfamadore and with Montana though.
Overall, this was definitely an interesting and thought provoking book that I think will always sit a little funny with me, but it was good for me to read outside of my comfort zone.
So it goes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Genocide, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and War