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berratrixie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
the adventures forrest enbarks on are improbable and thus hard to really believe (something that is acknowledged in the book itself funnily enough), and the language may be vulgar and offensive at times, but it's what makes this book heartfelt and its characters charming in their own unique way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Racism, Violence, and War
Minor: Sexual content and Blood
cscharfway's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book had a much different vibe than the movie many of us know. It was much more lighthearted and funny to see the world through Forrest’s eyes, and even during his darker experiences, there was a sense of hope and optimism that this was just another adventure he would make it through.
Some of the events experienced by the main character were more fantastical than realistic (Sue the orangutang was a bit much). I think though that silly, ridiculous tone of the book is symbolic of the age and development of Forrest’s unique mind, showing the parallels between plot and character shaped by the author; this deeper meaning bumped up the book from a 3.5 to a 4 for me. Otherwise, the book was amusing, but doesn’t create quite the same emotional impact as Tom Hank’s version.
Some of the events experienced by the main character were more fantastical than realistic (Sue the orangutang was a bit much). I think though that silly, ridiculous tone of the book is symbolic of the age and development of Forrest’s unique mind, showing the parallels between plot and character shaped by the author; this deeper meaning bumped up the book from a 3.5 to a 4 for me. Otherwise, the book was amusing, but doesn’t create quite the same emotional impact as Tom Hank’s version.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, and War
lexin105's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The outrageous stories of Forrest Gump are both entertaining and mind-opening about issues in the world and how people are treated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and War
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Abandonment
Minor: Addiction and Blood
nikogatts's review
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I read this as a sort of pregame before the start of the next season of the podcast 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back. I've never seen the 1994 movie adaptation of this book, so my impressions are based solely on the text.
This book is less of a series of events and more of a cycle of two recurring instances:
1. Forrest Gump doesn't understand a situation and acts instinctively, doing the wrong thing in a way that results in immense personal success and makes him a national/international hero. Despite the many times this happens, no one ever recognizes Forrest as a war hero/famous astronaut/pro wrestler/guy who publicly mooned the president.
2. Forrest Gump doesn't understand a situation and acts instinctively, doing the wrong thing in a way that hurts the people around him and results in his girlfriend, Jenny Curran, dumping him. Despite the many times this happens, Forrest never learns from his missteps, and Winston Groom tosses out the phrase "I guess I'm just an idiot" as a shortcut to avoid writing character development.
There are attempts at "deep" moments sprinkled in here and there, particularly during the chapters dealing with Forrest's deployment in Vietnam, but the emotional impact is minimal because these moments last for, at most, a page and a half before the story moves along to Forrest's next implausible adventure. Ditto any attempts at satire -- there are a couple of political jabs at the popular targets of the time (Nixon, war protestors, Hollywood stars, etc.), but they're quickly shuffled offstage so Forrest can get back to publicly stating that he needs to pee.
To say the book has not aged well is to put it lightly. Every female character is written as either a weeping mess or a nagging shrew. Forrest's adventures take him across the United States and to several different countries, so readers are treated to a wide spectrum of racist slurs and stereotypes. And in addition to treating Forrest's disability as a get-out-of-jail-free card for personal conflict, Groom also uses it as a superpower, a punchline, and an excuse for sexual assault.
I'm not expecting any better from the sequel, Gump & Co., but at least I'll be reading that with a podcast, so I won't be cringing alone.
This book is less of a series of events and more of a cycle of two recurring instances:
1. Forrest Gump doesn't understand a situation and acts instinctively, doing the wrong thing in a way that results in immense personal success and makes him a national/international hero. Despite the many times this happens, no one ever recognizes Forrest as a war hero/famous astronaut/pro wrestler/guy who publicly mooned the president.
2. Forrest Gump doesn't understand a situation and acts instinctively, doing the wrong thing in a way that hurts the people around him and results in his girlfriend, Jenny Curran, dumping him. Despite the many times this happens, Forrest never learns from his missteps, and Winston Groom tosses out the phrase "I guess I'm just an idiot" as a shortcut to avoid writing character development.
There are attempts at "deep" moments sprinkled in here and there, particularly during the chapters dealing with Forrest's deployment in Vietnam, but the emotional impact is minimal because these moments last for, at most, a page and a half before the story moves along to Forrest's next implausible adventure. Ditto any attempts at satire -- there are a couple of political jabs at the popular targets of the time (Nixon, war protestors, Hollywood stars, etc.), but they're quickly shuffled offstage so Forrest can get back to publicly stating that he needs to pee.
To say the book has not aged well is to put it lightly. Every female character is written as either a weeping mess or a nagging shrew. Forrest's adventures take him across the United States and to several different countries, so readers are treated to a wide spectrum of racist slurs and stereotypes. And in addition to treating Forrest's disability as a get-out-of-jail-free card for personal conflict, Groom also uses it as a superpower, a punchline, and an excuse for sexual assault.
I'm not expecting any better from the sequel, Gump & Co., but at least I'll be reading that with a podcast, so I won't be cringing alone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, and Police brutality
inophiaa's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Cursing
Moderate: Drug use and Violence
Minor: Police brutality
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