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poffin's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book had me... Really moved.
At first I didn't like it; the characters were way too middle-class for me.
But then, I got into the groove, I think when Joey started to kind of bond with the neighbors. From then on, I couldn't put it down.
It's "just" life and its accidents, but it's *so* on the nose, you need to know what comes up next. The characters (being the absolute focus of the book) are beautifully written, complex, deep. It's 800 pages, yeah, but it does definitely not feel like it.
I wouldn't recommend it if you like reading about stories more than people.
The books deals with a lot of complex topics (ethics, infidelity, ecology, parenting...) more delicately than you'd think.
At first I didn't like it; the characters were way too middle-class for me.
But then, I got into the groove, I think when Joey started to kind of bond with the neighbors. From then on, I couldn't put it down.
It's "just" life and its accidents, but it's *so* on the nose, you need to know what comes up next. The characters (being the absolute focus of the book) are beautifully written, complex, deep. It's 800 pages, yeah, but it does definitely not feel like it.
I wouldn't recommend it if you like reading about stories more than people.
The books deals with a lot of complex topics (ethics, infidelity, ecology, parenting...) more delicately than you'd think.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Rape, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction
annapolly14's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-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
never have i thought a writer could be so pretentious yet the book be so completely engaging. it is so obvious from the writing that franzen and i do not have the same life experiences and philosophies, yet i've thought about this book nearly every day since i've read it. every single character in this book is utterly detestable but i found myself caring about what happens to them. obviously docked points for falling into the common male-author-writing-women phenomenon, but overall fantastic
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Drug use, Death of parent, and Alcohol
lindsaylhunter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Franzen's writing style is enviable. To take a somewhat clichéd story of love, marriage and betrayal and weave it into this beautiful novel is masterful. I can only knock points off because there are certain points where the descriptions of surroundings or past events or inconsequential, ultimately meaningless things are massively drawn out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
cherry_02's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Grief, and Car accident