Scan barcode
heybender's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
wuthrinheights's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This story had a bit of a slow buildup but after a while I got the hang of it. I didn't care much for the characters, except maybe Betty. As a man disguised as a helpful woman, Miss Lonelyhearts was actually a dark person who struggled with his faith and morality. He had many internal conflicts between him and the letter writers who had difficult dilemmas (and often bad grammar), him and his co-workers, him with the people he met in the bar, and him with the women he was acquainted with. This story touched painful topics (that may be triggering to some), but it was also worded poetically which left me quite speechless from time to time. Each chapter was for a different day, a different dilemma. Some scenes reminded me of Dostoyevsky's The Double when he was out in the streets, and in general, I think this book could've been the adult version of The Catcher In The Rye--a protagonist with internal conflicts getting into all kinds of trouble by being misunderstood, who just wanted things to make sense inside his head; but with a splash of Christianity.
tompicklesedi's review against another edition
5.0
I could take or leave Miss Lonelyhearts, A Cool Million is an unnerving delight.
flaneussy's review against another edition
I’m not totally sure that I understood it (I might update this review later if I get the chance), but Christ it was exhilarating.
As far as mediations on the American Dream go, I’ll take this over Gatsby any day. Of course, I’ll need to reread it sometime.
As far as mediations on the American Dream go, I’ll take this over Gatsby any day. Of course, I’ll need to reread it sometime.
pharmadelica's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
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
2.5
paulsnelling's review against another edition
3.0
Funny in places and so prescient, this short novel is ultimately gloomy. Miss Lonelyheart cannot find it in himself to be as good as he despises others for not being.
irreverentreader's review against another edition
1.0
I wasn't expecting another book to give Faulkner a run for its money as being the worst I've read this year, but damn, Nathanael West, you gave it a real shot.
This is another book that greatly suffers from misleading marketing writing on its back cover. A male newspaper writer that writes an advice column for the suffering during the depression and fights against a tormenting boss--sounds great. What it actually was: a book that is apparently labeled as "dark satire" that was neither funny or witty, a conglomeration of disjointed tales that did not interrelate to one another, and a story that revolved around such incredibly revolting toxic masculine rage and hatred--from both the characters and seemingly the author--that I felt nauseous reading it.
What is it with these male authors of this time period (I'm looking at you DH Lawerence, and you Ford Maddox Ford) who can only write in volatile emotions, who clearly have disturbed ideas of what women are (objects, often sexual) and who men should be (angry, abusive, nihilistic)? It's gross. In this tiny book, rape and other violence makes an appearance more times than I would care to count. West takes the idea so lightly and tosses it around with such ease that the line of satire and what the authors beliefs are becomes blurred. And when West's writing isn't that great to begin with (honestly rudimentary at best), it's clear he's not talented enough to tread that thin line of witty, snarky human observation and ends up just being crude. If you want to read a master of satire, read Sinclair Lewis.
Another one-star reviewer of this book wrote that they didn't think Nathanael West liked being a writer. Nor did they think that he really liked women, men, or anything about life. I couldn't agree more. Hard pass on him in the future.
This is another book that greatly suffers from misleading marketing writing on its back cover. A male newspaper writer that writes an advice column for the suffering during the depression and fights against a tormenting boss--sounds great. What it actually was: a book that is apparently labeled as "dark satire" that was neither funny or witty, a conglomeration of disjointed tales that did not interrelate to one another, and a story that revolved around such incredibly revolting toxic masculine rage and hatred--from both the characters and seemingly the author--that I felt nauseous reading it.
What is it with these male authors of this time period (I'm looking at you DH Lawerence, and you Ford Maddox Ford) who can only write in volatile emotions, who clearly have disturbed ideas of what women are (objects, often sexual) and who men should be (angry, abusive, nihilistic)? It's gross. In this tiny book, rape and other violence makes an appearance more times than I would care to count. West takes the idea so lightly and tosses it around with such ease that the line of satire and what the authors beliefs are becomes blurred. And when West's writing isn't that great to begin with (honestly rudimentary at best), it's clear he's not talented enough to tread that thin line of witty, snarky human observation and ends up just being crude. If you want to read a master of satire, read Sinclair Lewis.
Another one-star reviewer of this book wrote that they didn't think Nathanael West liked being a writer. Nor did they think that he really liked women, men, or anything about life. I couldn't agree more. Hard pass on him in the future.
ossington's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mangliu0130's review against another edition
4.0
重读，这次读才能resonate，这不是简中人的生存现状，梦碎+崇高性的消失。这次才留意到了施拉克这个大反派，一个愤世厌俗的虚无主义者，比主角有趣多了391.7倍。