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lilliangrey's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Good Lord, I cannot stand Hemingway.
Many war-stories I have heard, but I have never been more bored with a book in my entire life. Perhaps I need to read this again sometime in the distant future, because I really am at a loss of words to entail how viserally mind-numbing this book was. Maybe I am just far too madly in love with poetic writing but Hemingway's style is just something I could never get behind. It was so pretentious, almost, as if he was trying to show off how innovative of a writer he is. Such a loss of interest, such a waste of time. Maybe, as this was one of his earlier books, his writing improves (God, I sure hope it does).
So sorry to any Hemingway lovers out there, but I struggle to see the appeal.
Many war-stories I have heard, but I have never been more bored with a book in my entire life. Perhaps I need to read this again sometime in the distant future, because I really am at a loss of words to entail how viserally mind-numbing this book was. Maybe I am just far too madly in love with poetic writing but Hemingway's style is just something I could never get behind. It was so pretentious, almost, as if he was trying to show off how innovative of a writer he is. Such a loss of interest, such a waste of time. Maybe, as this was one of his earlier books, his writing improves (God, I sure hope it does).
So sorry to any Hemingway lovers out there, but I struggle to see the appeal.
mmerlot's review against another edition
3.0
Ernest Hemingway writing style is definitely not for everyone.
With that being said- this is a very mournful story. It's about Henry, an ambulance driver in World War I. He is wounded and falls in love with Catherine, a nurse. They exchange odd and childlike banter. The banter is actually entertaining and keeps this story going, despite being weird. Catherine and Henry get married and then, of course, life/war intervenes.
This story is a very fluffy love story rather than a war story.
Hemingway wrote the ending thirty nine times...the ending, without giving away any spoilers, was the best part and the saddest.
If you like classical novels I'm sure you will like this book.
Quotes I love-
“Maybe...you'll fall in love with me all over again."
"Hell," I said, "I love you enough now. What do you want to do? Ruin me?"
"Yes. I want to ruin you."
The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places.”
And you'll always love me won't you?
Yes
And the rain won't make any difference?
No”
“When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve.”
“Why, darling, I don't live at all when I'm not with you.”
“Oh, darling, you will be good to me, won’t you? Because we’re going to have a strange life.”
“Wine is a grand thing," I said. "It makes you forget all the bad.”
“Cowards die a thousand deaths, but the brave only die once.”
“My life used to be full of everything. Now if you aren't with me I haven't a thing in the world.”
With that being said- this is a very mournful story. It's about Henry, an ambulance driver in World War I. He is wounded and falls in love with Catherine, a nurse. They exchange odd and childlike banter. The banter is actually entertaining and keeps this story going, despite being weird. Catherine and Henry get married and then, of course, life/war intervenes.
This story is a very fluffy love story rather than a war story.
Hemingway wrote the ending thirty nine times...the ending, without giving away any spoilers, was the best part and the saddest.
If you like classical novels I'm sure you will like this book.
Quotes I love-
“Maybe...you'll fall in love with me all over again."
"Hell," I said, "I love you enough now. What do you want to do? Ruin me?"
"Yes. I want to ruin you."
The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places.”
And you'll always love me won't you?
Yes
And the rain won't make any difference?
No”
“When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve.”
“Why, darling, I don't live at all when I'm not with you.”
“Oh, darling, you will be good to me, won’t you? Because we’re going to have a strange life.”
“Wine is a grand thing," I said. "It makes you forget all the bad.”
“Cowards die a thousand deaths, but the brave only die once.”
“My life used to be full of everything. Now if you aren't with me I haven't a thing in the world.”
liv_imler's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wow. I’m simply speechless. It was tender, surprisingly giggle out loud funny, and deeply sad. My heart raced at times and I sat despondently attempting to process at others. Fantastic
linda_lgs's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
xinnia's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
hemmingway bores me to death a lot but there's smth very devastating and hard hitting about his seemingly very simplistic writing style
hemmingway bores me to death a lot but there's smth very devastating and hard hitting about his seemingly very simplistic writing style
ninatytyeanna's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hannahdilks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jackmchenry's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
maralisephoto's review against another edition
3.0
In the reviews of this book that I have read, the word 'passion' is repeatedly used to describe the feelings of Lieutenant Henry for nurse Catherine. The problem with those descriptions is that Hemingway doesn't 'do' passion. Therefore, that description doesn't match the prose. But Hemingway does foreshadow the (much later) dawn of post-modernism with the built-in fragmentation of the writing and the delayed meaning (and passion) one feels for the story and the characters. These characteristics, for me, show Hemmingway's brilliance, but also cripple this very not-post-modern story.