wuzzy246's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ryan_pc's review against another edition
3.0
I think if I re-read this in 10 years time I will get more out of it. Beautifully written and each character's story so well fleshed out. I just feel like it could have had a far more powerful message if it, especially during the middle, didn't drag on quite so much. But like I said, I think I may understand it more with age. There is a lot to unpack in a novel like this. Really glad to have read it and will re-visit it down the line.
spiderfelt's review
5.0
The way Jonathan Franzen captures moments in his descriptions leaves me thinking about the story long after I've walked away. When the adult daughter goes to visit her mother, she feels itchy with irritation on the morning of the second day, after the glow of reunion has passed. She has an 'autonomous neurological reaction' to the small things in her childhood home. She wants to be cheerful, happy and friendly, but she is overwhelmed by her instinctive reaction to way things are. I can relate to these feelings so powerfully I can't stop working over this idea like a tongue bothers a sore tooth over and over again.
librophil's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
drewchebaggery's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I have to give credit for this novel being well-written but it felt like a chore finishing it. I didn’t really care for it because the characters were too dislikable. I can handle verbose prose if the plot and character development is there but I had no interest in how the story ended here.
abstract_amber77's review
5.0
Jonathan Franzen writes poetically about the human condition. He understands the psychological reasons behind people's actions. He understand family relationship dynamics. He writes about everyday life, and does it extremely well. My husband and I listened to this book together on a road trip, and while it was tedious at times and we needed to take breaks, we were intrigued and wanted to know what would happen next. The Corrections is all about how we as humans work to correct how our needs were not met, how we failed, and how it all impacts how we live today.
jeffthink's review
2.0
Can't argue with the fact that Mr. Franzen is a great writer, nor that this book does a great job exposing the types of drama that often underlie modern families, but I just found it kind of hard to care about the characters and what happened to them. So, all in all, I'm glad I read it and got some things out of it, but wasn't left floored like I hoped I'd be upon starting it based on the hype.
davidup_15's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Corrections is a masterpiece. It has maybe the widest scope out of any 21st-century novel I've ever read, with an attention to detail that, while sometimes tedious, is always breathtaking. Not only that, but Franzen shows his true, deep mastery of character, creating some of the most vivid characters I've ever read about, who go on such rich and compelling arcs. His tone and voice as a writer are simultaneously incredibly empathetic and darkly satirical, a combination that really suits the exact modern society he is attempting to replicate. And above all, the ending of this book is maybe the most shocking, moving ending of any book I have ever read.