Reviews

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser

thetbrstack's review against another edition

2.0

Finished this one a while back. Another questionable classic.

I really think it would have been better if Dreiser had an editor who would cut out about half of the book. It's truly overlong; many details are questionable, and scenes are redundant.

beckybmckinney's review against another edition

I don't have the capacity to read something so depressing.

lalawoman416's review against another edition

4.0

Incredibly modern considering it was written a hundred years ago. Tale as old as time about dissatisfaction, envy, love, reflection. Or lack thereof as the case may be. Time and time again Clyde Griffin is given ample opportunities to change the course of his life, to make better decisions, to be content. But he can't seem to make it happen.

ellaeunicem's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

bookish_5280'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? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

gillyanne's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.75

anushb's review against another edition

3.0

DNF at 30%. I think I get the point: blind ambition sucks.

aysuaghazada's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

lala_myr's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

ptashka's review against another edition

5.0

This story is based on a true tragedy that happened in upstate New York in the early 1900’s. Long story short: A young man is trying to find his way into the upper class society but he can’t fight the temptations that come along so he finds himself in a biiiiiig trouble.

That’s one of the best books I’ve read even tho it quite disturbed me. The author made Clyde shockingly real and I could feel his torments, I sympathized and I believed his words. I liked the combination of romance, drama and detective balanced so well I didn’t even mind the court scenes taking up a huge chunk of the book.

(KINDA SPOILER) Even tho everyone knows who’s a bad guy of the story, Dreiser left a lot to the reader to decide and find our own answers. What happened on the lake after all? Was he really guilty? Did he deserve what happened to him? I made my verdict.