spilt_moonlight's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sergek94's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-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
4.0
“. . . but the Universe is an awfully big place. There is room enough for an awful lot of people to be right about things and still not agree.”
We all love to believe that we have absolute free will over our lives and are in full control of our destiny, and that notion gives our lives meaning and empowers us to weather the unpredictable storms of life. But what if free will is nothing but an illusion, and what if the entire purpose of our lives is to be chess pieces in someone else's agenda? Kurt Vonnegut Jr. explores this notion through this absurdist work of fiction, when a disgraced formerly privileged man named Malachi Constant is sent on a mission to Mars alongside a beautiful woman he could only dream of being with. There is a catch, however, and that catch is quite big.
The worst thing that could possibly happen to anybody would be to not be used for anything by anybody. Thank you for using me, even though I didn't want to be used by anybody.
This work of comedic sci-fi humorously explores the concept of free will and our role in the grand scheme of things, when a series of very weird and seemingly inexplicable events take our main character all the way to Mars to participate in an invasion on earth orchestrated by an elusive mastermind. Throughout this work, our main character has no idea why he is doing what he does, and is just moving with the waves, doing what he is expected to be doing. This series of misadventures take him from Earth to Mars, from Mars to Mercury, from Mercury back to Earth, and from Earth to one of Saturn's moons.
"The bounties of space, of infinite outwardness, were three: empty heroics, low comedy, and pointless death."
When we finally reach the final destination, we get an explanation of the meaning behind most of the events that have taken place on Earth, ultimately leading to the invasion that is discussed in this novel, and that explanation, if anything, is a giant slap in the face. The humour in this book is dry and somewhat subtle, with absurd events taking place that would make a person's jaw drop and snicker not only at the events themselves but at the muted reaction of the characters in the story, who just accept what "life" seems to throw at them with a sense of defeated resignation. In an albeit exaggerated way, this seems to mirror our state of mind as human beings, always seeming to follow forces bigger than us, whether it is more powerful people, bigger political agendas, and who knows what other grand scheme we as a humanity are not aware of.
“. . . but the Universe is an awfully big place. There is room enough for an awful lot of people to be right about things and still not agree.”
If you're into dry humour and witty satire, I recommend reading this book. I was very entertained most of the time, and the ending which I found to be hilarious as well as touching made this a memorable reading experience.
4 stars!
“Mankind flung its advance agents ever outward, ever outward. Eventually it flung them out into space, into the colorless, tasteless, weightless sea of outwardness without end.
It flung them like stones.”
We all love to believe that we have absolute free will over our lives and are in full control of our destiny, and that notion gives our lives meaning and empowers us to weather the unpredictable storms of life. But what if free will is nothing but an illusion, and what if the entire purpose of our lives is to be chess pieces in someone else's agenda? Kurt Vonnegut Jr. explores this notion through this absurdist work of fiction, when a disgraced formerly privileged man named Malachi Constant is sent on a mission to Mars alongside a beautiful woman he could only dream of being with. There is a catch, however, and that catch is quite big.
The worst thing that could possibly happen to anybody would be to not be used for anything by anybody. Thank you for using me, even though I didn't want to be used by anybody.
This work of comedic sci-fi humorously explores the concept of free will and our role in the grand scheme of things, when a series of very weird and seemingly inexplicable events take our main character all the way to Mars to participate in an invasion on earth orchestrated by an elusive mastermind. Throughout this work, our main character has no idea why he is doing what he does, and is just moving with the waves, doing what he is expected to be doing. This series of misadventures take him from Earth to Mars, from Mars to Mercury, from Mercury back to Earth, and from Earth to one of Saturn's moons.
"The bounties of space, of infinite outwardness, were three: empty heroics, low comedy, and pointless death."
When we finally reach the final destination, we get an explanation of the meaning behind most of the events that have taken place on Earth, ultimately leading to the invasion that is discussed in this novel, and that explanation, if anything, is a giant slap in the face. The humour in this book is dry and somewhat subtle, with absurd events taking place that would make a person's jaw drop and snicker not only at the events themselves but at the muted reaction of the characters in the story, who just accept what "life" seems to throw at them with a sense of defeated resignation. In an albeit exaggerated way, this seems to mirror our state of mind as human beings, always seeming to follow forces bigger than us, whether it is more powerful people, bigger political agendas, and who knows what other grand scheme we as a humanity are not aware of.
“. . . but the Universe is an awfully big place. There is room enough for an awful lot of people to be right about things and still not agree.”
If you're into dry humour and witty satire, I recommend reading this book. I was very entertained most of the time, and the ending which I found to be hilarious as well as touching made this a memorable reading experience.
4 stars!
“Mankind flung its advance agents ever outward, ever outward. Eventually it flung them out into space, into the colorless, tasteless, weightless sea of outwardness without end.
It flung them like stones.”
colinmcafee's review against another edition
5.0
I loved it and need to read more Vonnegut! It was just so weird but fun, it’s written without pretensions and just felt like it was a real story story. I’m not sure how to explain it but I loved it.
alliepeduto's review against another edition
2.0
DNF…I’m marking it for myself since I fully intended to read this, until I went to book club and realized most of the club readers did not enjoy it. Words such as “despise, loathe, and hate” all were used as descriptors, so considering after the first chapter (but it was like a long-ish chapter, 40 pages or so) I was already not feeling it, I’m glad a trusted my gut and put it down. But I would like to read Slaughterhouse Five, so Vonnegut is down but not out!
marmsies's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 ⭐️
this book was recommended to me by my boyfriend a bajillion times, so i finally gave it a shot.
and i liked it, a lot.
vonnegut's stories are always strange but they are unique, and this book is no exception. the story in this book is hard to stay away from, it is interesting, incredibly odd, and as always- thought povoking.
as someone who hasn't really read much of vonnegut's work, i can't sit here and say it is his best, but it was a brilliant story and one i'd recommend.
if you have read harrison bergeron, there are hints to that within this book, and i just enjoyed that as well (especially as this book was published about 3 years before harrison bergeron).
if you want to dip your toes into lesser known works from big name authors, give this a try, it will not disappoint!
this book was recommended to me by my boyfriend a bajillion times, so i finally gave it a shot.
and i liked it, a lot.
vonnegut's stories are always strange but they are unique, and this book is no exception. the story in this book is hard to stay away from, it is interesting, incredibly odd, and as always- thought povoking.
as someone who hasn't really read much of vonnegut's work, i can't sit here and say it is his best, but it was a brilliant story and one i'd recommend.
if you have read harrison bergeron, there are hints to that within this book, and i just enjoyed that as well (especially as this book was published about 3 years before harrison bergeron).
if you want to dip your toes into lesser known works from big name authors, give this a try, it will not disappoint!
breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
medium-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
4.75
throatsprockets's review against another edition
5.0
I previously read this about 30 years ago. I remembered it as being very funny, but I didn’t remember it as so heartbreaking.
evangeline_callista's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
liznorton's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
gibigabi's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0