thomasgoddard's review against another edition
5.0
I've never read Franzen before, but he lives up to the many many recommendations I received urging me to give the author some of my time.
The novel was blisteringly well conceived, with a huge amount of human insight.
Starting out, I could see the style of writing and the content was nailed but was a little annoyed by the plot. We're given a bit of Chip's story early in the book and its a bit of a fall from grace tale with stray white man vibes. He's done something very wrong and he's getting punished. But in typical family style, he's bailed out of real consequence. That's just personal taste though, obviously it still reads well and I can see how it all joins up.
The two elder characters, Alfred and Enid, I couldn't get over their relationship. It sparked off so much recognition. They are unforgettably good characters. There's something deeply unhealthy about their bond but it never fully removes itself from the realm of love. A relationship of attrition.
Denise was a bit forgettable. I think it just isn't a character I'm going to respect in light of her actions and lack of self-awareness.
Gary and Caroline (the kids are forgettable) these two are a French kiss kind of pairing! Similar to Alfred and Enid but mirrored and warped in a unique way. Gary is the star of the show, a real character - almost real enough to slip out of the page and ask you the time before rushing off to pick up some bolts for an errand.
I think I loved it so much because the whole thing felt so believably domestic. All American in tone, but with that globalised universal relatability to nuclear family dynamics. A sort of beleaguered registration of love paired with envy, mistrust, deceit... Yet beneath it all a sort of diminished, toxic, paroxysmal twitch of love.
The novel was blisteringly well conceived, with a huge amount of human insight.
Starting out, I could see the style of writing and the content was nailed but was a little annoyed by the plot. We're given a bit of Chip's story early in the book and its a bit of a fall from grace tale with stray white man vibes. He's done something very wrong and he's getting punished. But in typical family style, he's bailed out of real consequence. That's just personal taste though, obviously it still reads well and I can see how it all joins up.
The two elder characters, Alfred and Enid, I couldn't get over their relationship. It sparked off so much recognition. They are unforgettably good characters. There's something deeply unhealthy about their bond but it never fully removes itself from the realm of love. A relationship of attrition.
Denise was a bit forgettable. I think it just isn't a character I'm going to respect in light of her actions and lack of self-awareness.
Gary and Caroline (the kids are forgettable) these two are a French kiss kind of pairing! Similar to Alfred and Enid but mirrored and warped in a unique way. Gary is the star of the show, a real character - almost real enough to slip out of the page and ask you the time before rushing off to pick up some bolts for an errand.
I think I loved it so much because the whole thing felt so believably domestic. All American in tone, but with that globalised universal relatability to nuclear family dynamics. A sort of beleaguered registration of love paired with envy, mistrust, deceit... Yet beneath it all a sort of diminished, toxic, paroxysmal twitch of love.
giorginav's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
w0rmonastring's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? Yes
5.0
amlagunas's review against another edition
2.0
I feel like he writes disgust very well but little else. Only kept reading to give it a full chance before my review but I suppose I was being too "nice".
mostrengo's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
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
4.5
connorgormley's review against another edition
5.0
Comparisons to David Foster Wallace are as unfounded as they are ubiquitous, but franzen’s corrections is nonetheless a stellar piece of work, even if for entirely different reasons than DFW’s doorstop-opus.
It’s a surprisingly conventional novel if you come into it, like I did, weaned on comparisons to DFW’s lexical pyrotechnics - much more focused on character, than plot structure, style or experimentation.
And though I don’t necessarily find that as exciting, there’s no question that it’s deeply moving. This is an irrepressibly human novel, concerned with all the petty, predictable, every day ways in which we are horrible people - to ourselves and each other.
The lamberts, The Correction’s central family, do unforgivable things to each other. But Franzen does what all the best novelists do and finds a way to forgive his characters their humanity, to involve their foibles with their strengths in a manner which, I believe, encourages us all to treat ourselves with a bit more compassion.
It’s a surprisingly conventional novel if you come into it, like I did, weaned on comparisons to DFW’s lexical pyrotechnics - much more focused on character, than plot structure, style or experimentation.
And though I don’t necessarily find that as exciting, there’s no question that it’s deeply moving. This is an irrepressibly human novel, concerned with all the petty, predictable, every day ways in which we are horrible people - to ourselves and each other.
The lamberts, The Correction’s central family, do unforgivable things to each other. But Franzen does what all the best novelists do and finds a way to forgive his characters their humanity, to involve their foibles with their strengths in a manner which, I believe, encourages us all to treat ourselves with a bit more compassion.
septimusmith's review against another edition
2.0
Overrated. Tiring. Exhausting. Too many unnecessary parts. Bye, Mr Franzen!
sbenzell's review against another edition
5.0
I thought the traditional novel - about people living ordinary middle class lives, approached with a keen psychological eye - was dead. Then I read this.
willowchloe's review against another edition
5.0
Quite possibly the greatest book i've ever read. I cannot honestly put a finger on exactly why i'm willing to make such a pronouncement but I will certainly be updating this review as soon as i work it out ;-p.
alexanderjp's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Sort of just perfect. And what absolutely insane psychological insight. Amazing to me that just through his own sheer knowledge & the perspective shifts throughout, JF makes it feel Homeric in origin, something containing so many eclectic and complex subjects that it must have been a collaborative effort. The whole thing has a designed-by-commitee feel due to the breadth of intellect required to make it, yet maintains a singular voice/prosaic style that, imo, is rivalled only by O. Vuong. This is what total mastery of the English language looks like.