Reviews with content warning for Antisemitism - The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

6 reviews

dustghosts's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

- There is a lot of period-standard racism, ableism, and antisemitism throughout the novel that can be difficult at times, and I think modern readers should prepare themselves for that. While capturing wider attitudes and tensions about these and other social issues, I think there’s a sense of empathy and human understanding that pervades McCullers’ writing despite— and, actively despite— wider society’s lack thereof (both within the book and without). I read Native Son just before this and was surprised how many ideas and sentiments echoed and mirrored throughout the two books, and I think the whole thing is a feat considering not only the time period but also McCullers’ age at the time of writing. Still, ymmv.

The structure: a series of vignettes, each from a different main character, and repeated in parts, is really interesting and admirable from a writing point of view. The loneliness that sets each of these characters apart also strings them together in a way that’s hopeful, strange, sorrowful, frustrating. The selfishness of that loneliness, and the way that it prevents each of the characters from recognizing it in each other, I found heartbreaking at times. Very accessible writing, even today, and again— the empathy and real feeling imbued into each character shines.

I had to take long breaks in-between reads, here, but I think that’s more to do with seasonal garbáge than anything. It weighs heavy to read a book where the characters’ troubles and gripes still reverberate today, and especially when you’re so close to each of these characters. A theme of futility vs optimism (“what is it all for?”) plagues character and reader alike. I think I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time, and I wish I had more folks to talk about it with!!!

Content Warnings

phantomgecko's review against another edition

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reflective slow-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

A book about people and how they feel. Things happen, but what happens is secondary to how the characters feel about it. I enjoy these sorts of books as long as the characters are likeable or at least interesting.

Kinda depressing though how this 80 year old novel is making some of the exact same social commentary you could make today. (You know, the racism and the capitalism.)

What does it say about me if John Singer is my favorite character? Am I projecting onto him just like the characters of the book? I don't think so? I just like misunderstood and depressed characters? I do not get his relationship with Antonapoulos, but it makes me feel bad for him (and thus want to protect him and like him.)

I assumed the book would culminate with Singer's death somehow. It being a suicide...a suicide because of the death of Antonapoulos...a suicide that none of the other characters will ever understand because none of them knew anything about Singer.... chef's kiss.

Content Warnings