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kananineko's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Violence
toffishay's review against another edition
- 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
2.75
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Xenophobia, and War
storyorc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I understand from researching the title and Hemmingway's comments on the book that it's intended to show that the Lost Generation is not so lost but I struggle to see it. Our main character endures but seemingly only to be taken advantage of again and again by worse people of better breeding. Perhaps that willingness to hope and work hard (when not spending so much on holiday it makes you cringe) is a virtue in itself. However, even if you consider it hopeless, as I'm tempted to, it's a fantastic portrayal of that downtrodden acceptance of an imperfect life. Very much about settling and accepting a bad lot; perhaps that's why it wasn't set in America.
If nothing else, it's academically fascinating to watch Hemmingway pile on the weight of unsaid things atop his sparse and simple prose. Occasionally, a character does admit what they actually think about their grotesque little love polygon but the story is at its most tense when they're sat around talking about anything else. I didn't appreciate how there was an elephant behind the elephant in the room until this passage came after a simple dinner with friends:
It was like certain dinners I remember from the war. There was much wine, an ignored tension, and a feeling of things coming that you could not prevent happening.
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexism and Injury/Injury detail
Antisemitism, including from the narrator, goes unchecked by the narrative beyond the general impression that all the characters are arseholes. Black characters are allowed very little personhood. K- and n-slurs used. A 34yr old woman seduces a 19yr old boy. General period-typical sexism abounds. The main character is wounded in a way that prevents them from having sex and it is implied the woman who loves him will not be with him because of it, though she doesn't seem to stay with uninjured men any better.abe26's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
bookish_bry's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
It was a good representation of the lost generation and that sense of hopelessness and loss of real identity. It's definitely an important read, and I'm sure there are people who would appreciate the style more than I do at times.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
A big part of this book is about watching bullfighting with all of the violence towards animals and all of the danger to humans that implies.roclarenett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Death, Blood, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Classism