hallbjorn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
adriannarivard's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
cakeandbooks1970's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
cburkeravizza's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
degroot_maartje's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
evadis's review against another edition
4.0
Interessante thematiek en onderwerpen, lekkere personages, en poe, wat een schrijfstijl.
Geen vijf sterren omdat ik rond het midden mijn interesse in dit boek verloor. Het voelde te lang, te analytisch, en de personages boeiden me niet meer zo. Maar ik hervond mijn leesplezier en heb genoten van het laatste deel (op de laatste twee hoofdstukken na; die hadden eruit gemogen, en ik blijf erbij dat het boek in z'n geheel wat lang is).
Ben trouwens direct begonnen in [b:De correcties|6434651|De correcties|Jonathan Franzen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1241013142l/6434651._SX50_.jpg|941200] – dat zegt wel iets.
Geen vijf sterren omdat ik rond het midden mijn interesse in dit boek verloor. Het voelde te lang, te analytisch, en de personages boeiden me niet meer zo. Maar ik hervond mijn leesplezier en heb genoten van het laatste deel (op de laatste twee hoofdstukken na; die hadden eruit gemogen, en ik blijf erbij dat het boek in z'n geheel wat lang is).
Ben trouwens direct begonnen in [b:De correcties|6434651|De correcties|Jonathan Franzen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1241013142l/6434651._SX50_.jpg|941200] – dat zegt wel iets.
lisasch's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
findyourgoldenhour's review against another edition
4.0
I was more than annoyed when he dismissed Oprah’s Book Club as a “coffee klatch” of readers, dismissing women as serious readers of fiction. After the way he wrote the main female character in his book “Freedom”, I swore I’d never read another one of his books.
And yet, here I am, posting a four-star review for his latest novel. Listen, I’m not happy about it.
As much as it pains me to say it, it’s a really good book.
Perhaps you’re wondering why I even read it? The premise was irresistible. A pastor and his family in the early ‘70s? A youth group at the center of it? A dysfunctional family story?? My dad was a pastor. I wasn’t a teenager in the ‘70s, but I was a kid, and I remember clearly the teenagers in our church.
I couldn’t resist.
I listened to the audio version, which was excellent. I couldn’t wait to find pockets of time to get back to these characters, to see what would happen next. They’re messy and wildly imperfect. I don’t think I liked any of them. But they were all so very familiar.
If you love a sprawling epic dysfunctional family story like I do, you’ll like this one. Even if you have to get over yourself to read it.
(I just noticed it’s part one of a trilogy. Lord, I’m going to have to read the next one, too, aren’t I?)
And yet, here I am, posting a four-star review for his latest novel. Listen, I’m not happy about it.
As much as it pains me to say it, it’s a really good book.
Perhaps you’re wondering why I even read it? The premise was irresistible. A pastor and his family in the early ‘70s? A youth group at the center of it? A dysfunctional family story?? My dad was a pastor. I wasn’t a teenager in the ‘70s, but I was a kid, and I remember clearly the teenagers in our church.
I couldn’t resist.
I listened to the audio version, which was excellent. I couldn’t wait to find pockets of time to get back to these characters, to see what would happen next. They’re messy and wildly imperfect. I don’t think I liked any of them. But they were all so very familiar.
If you love a sprawling epic dysfunctional family story like I do, you’ll like this one. Even if you have to get over yourself to read it.
(I just noticed it’s part one of a trilogy. Lord, I’m going to have to read the next one, too, aren’t I?)
bghealy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
rltinha's review against another edition
4.0
Talvez o mais fascinante nos títulos do Jonathan Franzen pós «Correcções» seja a conjugação de um profundo entretenimento com uma escrita tão violentamente tarefeira na sua aparência. No caso vertente, resulta num romance que, não obstante as suas várias falhas, é notável e permite optimismo relativamente aos vindouros dois volumes da trilogia.
Regressado a casa (drama familiar no Midwest dos EUA), Franzen joga com favoritismo e o marcador da qualidade ecoa essa vantagem natural. Os pontos mais fracos coincidem precisamente com os cada vez mais vincados tiques do escritor que fogem a essa «zona de conforto».
Sob a temática do que é ser bom e do que significa agir por forma a ser bom, conhecemos cinco dos Hildebrandt e nenhum deles é menos que horrível à sua maneira mas digno de parcial perdão (atente quem lê que quem aqui escreve, na hora de avaliar personagens, é mais velhaca do que o Deus do Velho Testamento). O dom de entreter na escrita de Franzen é precisamente este: analepses de quase cem páginas não incomodam, introspecção de enxerto a ferro quente é enriquecedora, diferentes perspectivas narradoras a acompanharem os trechos da acção de cada um, um jogo de espelhos permanente e omnipresente entre as provações e opções das várias personagens, e por aí adiante. O que outros assinalam enfaticamente ou tentam eliminar à força, para Franzen são vectores naturais na sua narrativa. E só alguém muito melhor resolvido do que aquilo que o pintam é capaz de abdicar do virtuosismo imediato para poder contar bem uma história.
Regressado a casa (drama familiar no Midwest dos EUA), Franzen joga com favoritismo e o marcador da qualidade ecoa essa vantagem natural. Os pontos mais fracos coincidem precisamente com os cada vez mais vincados tiques do escritor que fogem a essa «zona de conforto».
Sob a temática do que é ser bom e do que significa agir por forma a ser bom, conhecemos cinco dos Hildebrandt e nenhum deles é menos que horrível à sua maneira mas digno de parcial perdão (atente quem lê que quem aqui escreve, na hora de avaliar personagens, é mais velhaca do que o Deus do Velho Testamento). O dom de entreter na escrita de Franzen é precisamente este: analepses de quase cem páginas não incomodam, introspecção de enxerto a ferro quente é enriquecedora, diferentes perspectivas narradoras a acompanharem os trechos da acção de cada um, um jogo de espelhos permanente e omnipresente entre as provações e opções das várias personagens, e por aí adiante. O que outros assinalam enfaticamente ou tentam eliminar à força, para Franzen são vectores naturais na sua narrativa. E só alguém muito melhor resolvido do que aquilo que o pintam é capaz de abdicar do virtuosismo imediato para poder contar bem uma história.