Reviews

August: Osage County by Tracy Letts

Only show reviews with written explanations

jenniferdenslow's review against another edition

4.0

It's difficult to choose a book for my book club. I want the book to be something I think will be worth our time, but not something I've already read. I want the others to like the book, but then there's something to be said for the great conversations that emerge when we don't like it. This time around I am confident that Letts' Tony and Pulitzer prize winning play is a good choice.

The play is set in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and since the playwright is an Oklahoma native, the details are right: the TCC nursing student, the casual references to local place names, the local color. The characters are both of Oklahoma and placeless; that is, you can imagine them being the people next door (although you won't be able to see in the windows they've covered with shades and duct tape) but they are also familiar archetypes. I've seen Letts compared to Arthur Miller, but the gothic themes of the play were reminiscent of Tennessee Williams to me.

genevieverousseau's review against another edition

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4.0

such a great character exploration through parental trauma and that cycle of bleak but well-experienced generational trauma. really reminded me of my own childhood. great stuff

smashingreads's review against another edition

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2.0

BLUF: Play about a self-destructing family.

Not convinced? Here is the break down of characters (note: daughters not in age order)

Father ‰ЫТ drunk
Mother ‰ЫТ drug abuser
Daughter 1 ‰ЫТ not good enough
Daughter 2 ‰ЫТ control freak
Daughter 3 ‰ЫТ depressed & naive
Granddaughter ‰ЫТ drug user
Grandson ‰ЫТ waste of life

The whole dysfunctional family concept is not entertaining to me. At all. I get enough crazy between my family and the hubby‰ЫЄs, I don‰ЫЄt need to read about too.

This play did not let up the arguments, cheap jabs at each other, or any of the other punches a family can throw. If that‰ЫЄs not enough, you get incestual hints and pedophiles too.

Act I: Relationship background & Beverly ventures off
Act II: Bev is found and

Spoiler

put to rest

Act III: General family drama

In the end, I understand that this play is a social commentary, but it‰ЫЄs not my kind of read (or watch..).

jzthecatlady's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This play was incredibly compelling and well written. I do feel that incest can be a bit of a cop out as a plot device, and I wish Jean and Johnna had been more developed as characters also Beverly only being in one scene was logistically a little silly. But overall I enjoyed it and I know it would be even better live.

nothingtosay's review against another edition

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3.0

Read this on a quick Sunday afternoon. I might be one of the few who finds the dysfunctional relationship of everyone in the story more along the line of 'dark' than 'funny'. Maybe we are suppose to laugh at the similarities of them and our own relatives and family members, I however find the play more discontented rather than humourous.