salyerstiffany's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
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
4.75
sinorcanut's review
Couldn’t go through with it. Tropic of Cancer was a slobber of incohesive text that I just couldn’t stick to.
hstapp's review
2.0
This novel is written well, but that is the only commendation I can give it. It is extremely male and if you want a view into the most concentrated form of the male mindset this is the book for you. It is also just another Paris life story. It is episodic with no steady story. The book rambles on up till' the end with no real ending. Just a short semi-philosophical insight, indistinguishable from his much longer semi-philosophical breaks.
reallivejim's review
challenging
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
Wanted to enjoy this more than I did. Generally speaking, I’m very ok with episodic/stream-of-consciousness/deeply interior stories lacking cohesive propulsive action, and I’d even take that further to say that I’m also generally happy with a narrator and characters who aren’t likeable. Altogether, however, this one just didn’t captivate or intrigue me as much as its reputation led me to hope. Undoubtedly Henry Miller inks some incredible turns of phrase, and I found the sections that introspect upon sense-of-place to be particularly compelling, but the character work and even the oscillations between romanticism and nihilism didn’t coalesce effectively, at least not for me. With all this said, I could envision reading more of his work, I just don’t know that I’ll pursue something as free-form when coming back.
rita_p_sousa's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bibliotequeish's review against another edition
2.0
I'm in no way saying that ANY book should be banned, but its not hard to see why this book was banned in the 1930's... I mean, right away, you'll know why.
The story itself is fine, not overly entertaining. I think the shock value of this book is probably lost on a reader in the 21st Century and I sometimes wonder when an author is so 'out there' if they hope the shock of their book will carry a lacking story.
Unfortunately I am not deep enough to see the "beauty" of this book.
The story itself is fine, not overly entertaining. I think the shock value of this book is probably lost on a reader in the 21st Century and I sometimes wonder when an author is so 'out there' if they hope the shock of their book will carry a lacking story.
Unfortunately I am not deep enough to see the "beauty" of this book.
alicehaddy's review
challenging
reflective
medium-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
4.0
Reads like the diary of every man I’ve dated.
Some of the passages are terribly beautiful, I think the harsh themes and jarring bits make the lovely passages seem even more eloquent.
Some of the passages are terribly beautiful, I think the harsh themes and jarring bits make the lovely passages seem even more eloquent.
sbb42's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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? It's complicated
2.0