_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Banned Books Week 2023
The OG Everything Everywhere All at Once but of the horrors of war, death, and dehumanization, C-PTSD, depression, suicide ideation, aliens, and what even tf fuck is time? It also goes hard on how the US is a danger to itself and others, and well, I can see why war mongers, pro-2A people, capitalists and the like absolutely hate this book lol. I personally didn't see the funny in this (I was aware of the satire but instead of wanting to laugh I wanted to cry; this book is horrifyingly sad) and it wasn't an enjoyable read to me, but, I still appreciate what KVJR set out to do with it and haters gonna hate but he was spitting facts left and right idk what to tell yall.
The OG Everything Everywhere All at Once but of the horrors of war, death, and dehumanization, C-PTSD, depression, suicide ideation, aliens, and what even tf fuck is time? It also goes hard on how the US is a danger to itself and others, and well, I can see why war mongers, pro-2A people, capitalists and the like absolutely hate this book lol. I personally didn't see the funny in this (I was aware of the satire but instead of wanting to laugh I wanted to cry; this book is horrifyingly sad) and it wasn't an enjoyable read to me, but, I still appreciate what KVJR set out to do with it and haters gonna hate but he was spitting facts left and right idk what to tell yall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Animal cruelty, Violence, Death, Genocide, Animal death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Ableism and Fatphobia
Minor: Sexism, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Misogyny
shoohoob's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Super interesting book! I wasn’t into the first half but I’m glad I kept reading. The last half really brought me in and I felt the cynicism come to a head. It’s fascinating that a book written about a war almost 80 years ago is still relevant today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Gore, Sexual content, and War
joharrismay's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
Thank you lauren crocco for telling me to read this it’s so good top 10 books of all time. I loved the characters and Kurt Vonnegut’s writing style is amazing.
Will probably read another Kurt Vonnegut book
Will probably read another Kurt Vonnegut book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, War, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness
Moderate: Violence, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content
ruby_mae_read's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal cruelty, and War
ssoha's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Death, Grief, Violence, Gore, Blood, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Murder, Rape, and War
library_kb's review against another edition
dark
medium-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? No
2.0
I went into this not excited about it....and it was simultaneously easier to read than I expected and less easy to read. I read this because it was part of the Upper School's summer reading options, which I wanted to have read all of...I would be curious to see if/which students pick this option and what they take from it. The style of jumping around from time period to time period was not super easy to follow. The nice thing is that there was a lot of page breaks which made the book read pretty quickly (plus it isn't super long, which was its saving grace). I don't know why you need a story like this to tell you war is awful and pointless, but there you have it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Death
Minor: Sexual content
josieruby1's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Animal death, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
maeve_simone's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Death
lucyselim's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I think I enjoyed it. I'm a little confused and turning over the main themes of the book in my head still. I don't usually enjoy philosophical and vague stories, so I did not think this would be for me, but I'm glad for the experience.
I spent most of the book assuming that it was the thoughts and ramblings of Billy's brain after his 'death'. The Tralfamadorian's philosophy that you don't really die made me think that perhaps after dying on earth you simply relive your life over and over in a time-travelling way. But then towards the end I felt the book hinting that this was really all in Billy's imagination. Either way, it doesn't really matter.
I do wish there had been more written about Billy's time on Tralfamadore and with Montana though.
Overall, this was definitely an interesting and thought provoking book that I think will always sit a little funny with me, but it was good for me to read outside of my comfort zone.
So it goes.
I spent most of the book assuming that it was the thoughts and ramblings of Billy's brain after his 'death'. The Tralfamadorian's philosophy that you don't really die made me think that perhaps after dying on earth you simply relive your life over and over in a time-travelling way. But then towards the end I felt the book hinting that this was really all in Billy's imagination. Either way, it doesn't really matter.
I do wish there had been more written about Billy's time on Tralfamadore and with Montana though.
Overall, this was definitely an interesting and thought provoking book that I think will always sit a little funny with me, but it was good for me to read outside of my comfort zone.
So it goes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Genocide, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and War
quitegood's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A very singular book for a very singular author. The way that truly horrible atrocities are described so frankly and matter-of-factly is simply chilling, or to use the book's vernacular, Tralfamadorian. Its a book to start a conversation on the nature of life, death, and this strange sequence of energy exchange we call the universe. And while Vonnegut's view fall into the realms of bleak, you can't exactly blame him. A must read for anyone who has thought about life and if it has a 'purpose'.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Fatphobia