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e_jc's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual violence
sponberry's review against another edition
inspiring
medium-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
There were parts of this book I enjoyed, in a madcap Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas kind of way, but to be honest this book is less put together than anything Hunter S Thompson would write. There are many places where the book doesn’t flow at all, and you have to slog through, unaided by Kerouac’s unedited slang style of prose.
I understand the significance of the beat movement and this book’s bearing upon it, but as a straight, white man in late 1940s America, the author succeeds only in upturning the status quo for himself and others like him, whilst firmly reinforcing it for literally every other marginalised group he encounters, including gay folks, women, black and indigenous people. What is the value of a movement that seeks to open up new ways of living if it entrenches inequalities in search of something as frivolous as fun?
I think this book is seriously overrated, even as a story it’s in dire need of some additional editing. However, I’m interested to read other books by the beat generation (I’ve read and loved some Patti Smith) and this did give a window into that era.
I understand the significance of the beat movement and this book’s bearing upon it, but as a straight, white man in late 1940s America, the author succeeds only in upturning the status quo for himself and others like him, whilst firmly reinforcing it for literally every other marginalised group he encounters, including gay folks, women, black and indigenous people. What is the value of a movement that seeks to open up new ways of living if it entrenches inequalities in search of something as frivolous as fun?
I think this book is seriously overrated, even as a story it’s in dire need of some additional editing. However, I’m interested to read other books by the beat generation (I’ve read and loved some Patti Smith) and this did give a window into that era.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
zo__ish's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
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? It's complicated
2.0
It took me four months to read this book, which is very unusual for me. I wanted to like it so bad, I had good friends tell me I would like it (I love travel, I love meeting people, and I love prose and detail) but boy did I suffer reading this. I felt crazy! But there is some comfort in knowing even Capote had no kind words for Kerouac’s most well known novel (“That’s not writing; That’s just typing”).
Normally I am a huge fan of character driven novels, I don’t need much plot. However, Sal (aka Kerouac) and Dean were flat and insufferable. There was little to no character arc. However, Kerouac does write dialogue very well, he depicts tension between characters and the way they move beautifully, but it was a chore to try and get into.
There are some sentences, paragraphs, and chapters that I underlined and loved; page 15 waking up with the sun and the anguish of not knowing who you are or what you want, the chapter going through Denver to Central Cities, or the whole entirety of Terry and the San Joaquin valley. I wish these bits were enough to make up for the rest.
Kerouac’s writing lacks the depth I want in a story(it also feels passionless, or apathetic, somehow Kerouac feels incredibly distanced from a story that mingles with autobiography), there are some beautiful depictions of cities and towns in America.
The last chapter of One The Road was one of the best parts, if not the best. Maybe because I was so excited to be done with it.
Normally I am a huge fan of character driven novels, I don’t need much plot. However, Sal (aka Kerouac) and Dean were flat and insufferable. There was little to no character arc. However, Kerouac does write dialogue very well, he depicts tension between characters and the way they move beautifully, but it was a chore to try and get into.
There are some sentences, paragraphs, and chapters that I underlined and loved; page 15 waking up with the sun and the anguish of not knowing who you are or what you want, the chapter going through Denver to Central Cities, or the whole entirety of Terry and the San Joaquin valley. I wish these bits were enough to make up for the rest.
Kerouac’s writing lacks the depth I want in a story(it also feels passionless, or apathetic, somehow Kerouac feels incredibly distanced from a story that mingles with autobiography), there are some beautiful depictions of cities and towns in America.
The last chapter of One The Road was one of the best parts, if not the best. Maybe because I was so excited to be done with it.
LA is a jungle. [….]
The beatest characters in the country swarmed on the sidewalks-all of it under those soft Southern California stars that are lost in the brown halo of the huge desert encampment LA really is. You could smell the tea, weed, I mean marijuana, floating in the air, together with the chili beans and beer. (77)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, and Alcohol
animar1a's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
I picked up this book because I knew Kerouac was one of Bob Dylan’s influences, and beat writers and poets have been catching my attention recently. I wouldn’t say On the Road was a disappointment, but it also didn’t live up to my expectations. I didn’t enjoy the ‘stream of consciousness’ writing style or the abhorrent racism, misogyny and pedophelia; but the plot (or lack thereof) was actually really compelling. I don’t think the passage of time was coherent whatsoever, with some parts of the book being drawn out and pointless to the character arc, and others being beautifully written but much too short, (specifically their time spent in Mexico and the ending of the novel). On the Road is definitely inspiring but deeply flawed. anyways I’m not feeling desperate to read any more of Kerouac’s novels, but I probably will in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Domestic abuse
Minor: Drug use
erinwolf1997's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Car accident
danielled628's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Homophobia
janeloney's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Drug use
pucksandpaperbacks's review against another edition
medium-paced
Reading Like Jess from Gilmore Girls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKe6J2-E8_s
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
airheadgallery's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I was really excited going into the book because while I didn’t know who jack kerouac really was, i did know that he was a beat author and that this book was his most popular. I was also excited because I too would be going across the country as i was taking the california zephyr from sf to chicago. Maybe I would have liked this book more if I didn’t have such high expectations from the book with it being a classic and all.
The book is broken into 5 parts with about 14 chapters in part 1, 11 chapters each in parts 2&3, 6 chapters in part 4, and no chapters in part 5.
part one was pretty good. I didn’t really care too much when I was reading it but I think there are some good lines as well as some parts I found my self chuckling. Sal decides to go across the country, most of the way by himself, and really describes the troubles he went through. It’s his first time going to the west and i think traveling a long distance by himself.
part two was a blur and a pain to get through. Worst part is that’s the part I read on the train and the part that made me want to DNF it.
part three was probably my favourite part because of the descriptions of the states that I went through and was able to visualise. Also the fact that everyone around dean was finally getting sick of him. “That’s what Dean was, the HOLY GOOF.”
"You always been a crackbrained sonofabitch anyhow."
Also, some good commentary on Dean’s lifestyle from Sal’s aunt, “You can’t go all over the country having babies like that. Those poor little things’ll grow up helpless. You’ve got to offer them a chance to live.”
part four starts off strong but eventually lets you down. You get a really good paragraph at the end of chapter two, third(?) to last paragraph. the rest of the book I was just powering through it because I was so close to being done.
The book is broken into 5 parts with about 14 chapters in part 1, 11 chapters each in parts 2&3, 6 chapters in part 4, and no chapters in part 5.
part one was pretty good. I didn’t really care too much when I was reading it but I think there are some good lines as well as some parts I found my self chuckling. Sal decides to go across the country, most of the way by himself, and really describes the troubles he went through. It’s his first time going to the west and i think traveling a long distance by himself.
part two was a blur and a pain to get through. Worst part is that’s the part I read on the train and the part that made me want to DNF it.
part three was probably my favourite part because of the descriptions of the states that I went through and was able to visualise. Also the fact that everyone around dean was finally getting sick of him. “That’s what Dean was, the HOLY GOOF.”
"You always been a crackbrained sonofabitch anyhow."
Also, some good commentary on Dean’s lifestyle from Sal’s aunt, “You can’t go all over the country having babies like that. Those poor little things’ll grow up helpless. You’ve got to offer them a chance to live.”
part four starts off strong but eventually lets you down. You get a really good paragraph at the end of chapter two, third(?) to last paragraph. the rest of the book I was just powering through it because I was so close to being done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia
serving_goffman's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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? Yes
4.0
this is a difficult one to review.. it is safe to say that the slang is passé and the racial and especially misogynistic sentimentalities are absolutely appalling. But on the other hand the search for something meaningful to hold on to - the famous IT and TIME - the tales of passionate friendship and spiritual revelation are timeless. It also contains some of the most beautiful prose ever written and reads like an insane rollercoaster ride. this is beat americana distilled into one of the maddest books i’ve ever read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, and Alcohol