jray136's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
4.0
beatsbybeard's review against another edition
4.0
A short story cycle that describes the isolated and repressed citizens of a small Ohio town. No overarching plot as such, but the various stories paint a sad picture of the "grotesques" – people whose vague existential hungers and yearnings for outward acceptance go mostly unsated. Moments of surprise poignancy abound.
amongthecitrusgroves_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bundy23's review against another edition
4.0
This regularly pops up on a lot of "Best Books of the 20th Century" or "100 Books to read before you die" lists and I 100% see why BUT, and I can't believe I'm actually typing this, BUT it's just too fucking miserable. Everyone, absolutely everyone, is so sad and miserable. I don't think there was one single moment of joy expressed by anyone in the entire book so even for a sad old troll like me that was just too much misery. That said, it is brilliantly written and it's held up incredibly well for a 100-year-old book but you should maybe just read a story every couple of days and it might be easier to take.
themodvictorian's review against another edition
1.0
Miserable and plodding. Typical fodder for men who assume that “realism” means joylessness and that “simplicity” is synonymous with “dull.”
kristinepun's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
erinbro1's review against another edition
4.0
My biggest takeaway from Winesburg, Ohio was that I could not believe it was published in 1919. Over 100 years old, and it reads like it could have been written today. It is more of a collection of short stories than a novel, but several common threads and repeating characters make it feel like a novel at times. For much of the book, we are spending time with characters who are incredibly lonely and struggle to reach out for the connection they need or desire. At times it felt incredibly bleak, but there is an underlying tone of hopefulness that I loved. Sherwood Anderson's writing is trim and deceptively simple, and there are a ton of lines that stuck with me like, "As a merchant Ebenezer was not happily placed in life and he had not been happily placed as a farmer. Still he existed."
I like the realistically optimistic stance of the book - that much of life is difficult and lonely, but so much of it is wonderful at the same time. I can see the influence this book has had on modern literature, and for that reason I highly recommend this collection for avid readers.
I like the realistically optimistic stance of the book - that much of life is difficult and lonely, but so much of it is wonderful at the same time. I can see the influence this book has had on modern literature, and for that reason I highly recommend this collection for avid readers.