beccakatie's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting perspective into working class culture in the post war years, as well as the angry young men movement, but I struggled to get on with the main character, Arthur Seaton. He is brash and abrasive, and seems to fight against everything. As an audience we are given a good insight into the beginnings of prosperity and material culture that came about during the 1950s, as well as the impact of conscription, and the awareness of the possibility of future conflict. Arthur, however, remains a problematic character that impacted my reading of the text. His sexist attitudes, and careless and selfish behaviour suggest that Arthur is not fully a modern new man, embracing change, but trying to hold on to pre-war notions of masculinity.
thesouterbookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
Read for a Disclocations module at university.
Surprisingly, I really liked this novel it had a lot of hard hitting themes such as adultery,abortion,class war and also love. Sillitoe uses a Nottinghamshire vernacular to really set apart this book from others at the time of writing, an aspect of the novel which I really enjoyed.
Surprisingly, I really liked this novel it had a lot of hard hitting themes such as adultery,abortion,class war and also love. Sillitoe uses a Nottinghamshire vernacular to really set apart this book from others at the time of writing, an aspect of the novel which I really enjoyed.
lauraestelle's review against another edition
2.0
Not really something I enjoyed reading. I disliked Arthur and the plot line wasn't too spectacular in my opinion
paperbookmarks's review
3.0
Read for Dislocations module.
I surprisingly liked this novel. It explored ideas of identity and growth found in a lot of young adult novels. The last paragraph is particularly potent.
I surprisingly liked this novel. It explored ideas of identity and growth found in a lot of young adult novels. The last paragraph is particularly potent.
realbooks4ever's review
3.0
Pretty good for a first novel. Unlikeable character lives by his own rules until suddenly he doesn't. The problem is that we don't get inside his head enough to understand his conversion.
hal_incandenza's review
3.0
would have given it the four stars for that passage in chapter 15 where he looks into the pool, but two stars for the unrelenting descriptions of women's breasts throughout. so i give it a three.
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