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ericispublius's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Grief, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
lief_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, and War
Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, and Xenophobia
Minor: Abortion and Classism
rgallo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Suicide, and War
sixtimes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: War
Minor: Incest, Suicide, and Murder
lugalante's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and War
blueberrydahlia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Infertility, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Cannibalism, Abortion, Pregnancy, and War
sophtank's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
“For of all sad words i’d tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been!’l
My late mother was a Vonnegut fanatic and this was my first time reading one of his books. His constant cynicism of the human experience reminds me so much of the way she approached the world, yet still treated everyone with kindness. As a man, Vonnegut has an intricate way of describing his female characters and so strangely manages to capture the experience of being a strong woman in a world dominated by men. Meet Hepburn’s experiences stuck out to me especially, as a woman in science who has struggled with ‘running with the boys’ in the past.
I truly wish I understood what happened in this book, I really do. I could not summarize the plot if my life depended on it. But Vonnegut’s writing style was so captivating and addicting that I don’t even care. One day I’ll reread this and truly dedicate myself to the plot and the literary devices he uses. But for now, I’ll ruminate on the small pit that it left in the bottom of my stomach when I finished.
Minor: Death and Suicide
grrr8_catsby's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
On paper, they read very much the same; the narrator (Leon Trout, compared to Kurt Vonnegut himself) immediately reveals the climax of the story. Where Breakfast Of Champions had random sketches and images inserted into the narrative, Galápagos utilizes literary quotations. The astute Galápagos reader will also come across multiple references and allusions to Breakfast Of Champions; narrator Leon Trout is the son of reoccurring character Kilgore Trout, we are allotted a quick snapshot into the home life of Dwayne Hoover in Midland City, Ohio, and meet yet another Kazak, which yet again proves to be same name, different dog.
This, truly, is where the similarities end, however. Thematically, the books are very different, and it is difficult to envision a shared universe where both stories can coexist simultaneously. At face value, Galápagos is a quasi-apocalyptic story about the miraculous survival of a select few that will go on to comprise the human race, and the evolutionary adaptation that the next million years will carry. However, Galápagos is much more than that; on a deeper level, it is a direct examination of humanity and regret, the human brain, and nature vs. nurture.
Vonnegut tells you right from the start how the book is going to end; this is neither a plot-driven, nor character-driven story. All that matters is the content; and Vonnegut once again finds the perfect balance of satire and narrative. I would strongly recommend checking your content warnings before picking this book up.
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, and War
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Abortion, and Alcohol
qualp_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
beardelzebub's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
“Thanks to their decreased brainpower, people aren't diverted from the main business of life by the hobgoblins of opinion anymore.”
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Suicide