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pulcotinette's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Didn't like the writing style (it was too dry for me) but the story in itself is incredibly compelling. It calls to the reader in a personal way, and the ideas it develops are attractive in this writing. As another review says, you have to read between the lines and take a step back from what you're reading to really get the book.
I loved the movie (that i saw first) and didn't find the book as compelling (because of the writing style). I also had Edward Norton's voice in my head reading this, and I think he nailed the narrator. I think the movie greatly helped me understand the point of the book.
I loved the movie (that i saw first) and didn't find the book as compelling (because of the writing style). I also had Edward Norton's voice in my head reading this, and I think he nailed the narrator. I think the movie greatly helped me understand the point of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death and Sexual content
breadbummer's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I...truly do not know how to feel about this book. I know there are tons of people out there arguing about whether this glorifies toxic masculinity or is the best book/movie ever (by *cough* cishet able-bodied white men who somehow got the idea that society wasn't specifically built for and around them *cough*); very obviously, I don't agree with that second statement, though this story has the elements of taking itself seriously and, at the same time, parodying itself. "Fight Club" really reminds me of the song 'Two Trucks" in this way: what is more masculine than explosions, lack of individuality, senseless violence, hating women, and having literal balls? All of that crammed together into a single can, that's what. For sure, it's a ridiculous story (filled with some great chemistry lessons, I might add), but it's a bit too sobering to know how many white men don't realize this. That is, even if Palahniuk IS poking fun at these types of people, how effective can that message be if no one's reading between the lines?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Stalking, and Murder
Minor: Fatphobia, Vomit, and Grief
augustee's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Gun violence, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol
andrewhatesham's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
gniu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
sandybree7's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder
zakcebulski's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
What can one say about Fight Club that has not been said for either the book or the movie adaptation.
This book was outstanding. For the debut novel this, to me, is comparable in another medium of entertainment- Nas' Illmatic in hip-hop music. This book is crass, vulgar, funny and littered with vivid depictions of squalor and dereliction that rubbed off on me and stayed with me for days after finishing it.
This book takes place from the point of view of the insomniac worker-bee, the unnamed protagonist. He lives day in and day out working at a corporate job just to buy things that he doesn't need. To help combat his insomnia he attends support groups for people with terminal illnesses. Here he meets the fatalistic Marla Singer- a strong- willed woman that is described as crazy throughout the book. She is the heel to the narrator who finds that his insomnia cure doesn't work when there is a person there who knows that he is a phony.
That is until one day when his fuckin' condo gets blown up and all of the unnecessary things that he spent years of his life acquiring, slaving away for, are destroyed, leaving him with nothing. It is at this time that he meets the suave, confident, sure and terroristic Tyler Durden. These two men, on opposite sides of the spectrum of personalities, team up to start the titular fight club. This is where people go and they beat the fuck out of each other. This allows them to buy in to the more primal way of living and allows for these slaves to dead end employment take back some of their agency.
But, as a shock to all, this does not stay as simple as it is. Tyler has more and more nefarious plans as he creates Project Mayhem- a terrorist organization that is aimed at the 1% to take away their livelihood in forms of destroying their things.
The way that Palahniuk writes this book to go through the everyman slave to the wage lifestyle to go all the way to domestic terrorism is extremely well paced. I think that Palahniuk perfectly matches the Narrator's understanding of what is happening to the point where we are finding things out with him.
This is even more wonderfully crafted when it is revealed that the Narrator and Tyler Durden are one in the same. The Narrator is himself, while Tyler is the Narrator's insomniac insanity induced manifestation of the man he wants to be.
Now, this twist is certainly well known by this point in history- but, in reading the book, I have to commend Palahniuk for his expert writing wherein he is able to give subtle hints to the reveal of the twist while still veiling the whole thing in shadows. I believe that much like the movie, if you were to re-read this book while knowing the twist you'd smack your forehead with exasperation in wondering how you missed such obvious references.
I thought that the commentary regarding consumerism was very interesting. I did think that the view of consumerism is a bit... surface level, or perhaps simplistic? However, I read it more as a cautionary tale of "hey lol don't let material shit hold the rope". This is interesting and is something that I think has more and more prevalence today than even it did in the 90s. I loved the commentary regarding one's own agency which I think is perfectly summed up in the quote "Once you've lost everything, you're free to do anything." This ties in expertly to the way that the Narrator looks at his own life.
I loved this book. I thought that it was such a fascinating read. It is definitely one that I think I would be pleased bumping up to a 5 star upon subsequent reads. It has absolutely inspired me to seek out more books by Palahniuk.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Death, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting
shayh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
2.0
I'm not happy about the misportrayal of a mental illness. Discussing it here would bring up multiple spoilers. There are more reasons I dislike this book, such as the amount of topics featuring sexual content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Cancer, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Murder
Minor: Abortion
laurajordensharris's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
xenia_li's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Note to myself: it takes (for me) 3 hours and 25 minutes to read Fight Club
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Violence
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content
Minor: Cancer and Gun violence