nenobeano's review against another edition
5.0
I can understand why people may not like this book, but I’m a bit of a literary nerd and there were some elements I geeked out about. The literal translation of Spanish in the dialogue, the deep understanding of Spanish culture and politics, and Hemingway’s somewhat autobiographical account given through the main character were amazing. Of all the Hemingway I’ve read, this is him at his finest.
rachellinnmartin's review
4.5
One of my all time favorite reads. There’s a pretty gruesome scene or two, though.
jasonwith_y's review against another edition
5.0
John McCain's letter to the New Yorker commemorating an American anarchist who died in the Spanish Civil War inspired me to read this book, and I'm wicked glad I did.
I loved how the whole story is just three days.
I loved the English dialogue that seemed like literal Spanish translation (e.g. "What passes with thee").
I loved the insults and the non-obscene obscenity (e.g. "I obscenity in the milk of thy mother").
I loved how we got Robert Jordan's internal dialogue as the book climaxes.
I loved the end, the last stand.
I loved how the whole story is just three days.
I loved the English dialogue that seemed like literal Spanish translation (e.g. "What passes with thee").
I loved the insults and the non-obscene obscenity (e.g. "I obscenity in the milk of thy mother").
I loved how we got Robert Jordan's internal dialogue as the book climaxes.
I loved the end, the last stand.
sunset22's review against another edition
4.0
The book tells a story of an american dynamiter during the Spanish civil war and of the days leading up to his task and, along other heroes, contemplating the necessity of killing, the brutality of war and the cynical contrast between the "guerillas" (partizans) and their believed "famous figures and leaders of the revolution" drinking and partying in fancy hotels. The language is constructed in a way to imitate a translation from Spanish to English.
Altough the book contains a lot of vivid images, scents and desriptions, there is one scene that stood out for me, where "the smell of death" (as carried by a man who is about to die) is described by the old woman-leader of the guerillas. The scene is disgusting and beautiful at the same time leaving a strong impression.
A common complaint on Hemingway's work is his approach to female characters. It didn't really feel that way giving that the whole 2 of them are pretty complex characters and the old woman being one of the most interesting ones in the whole book in addition to it being clear that a lot of things being shown trough narrator's personal lense and his eyes, however, the dialog of the younger girl (Maria) in times did feel like it was taken from a high school boy's fantasy. It's hard to believe that in creating the character it was impossible to portray the same emotion in a less dull and cartoon-ish way, so it leaves the impression of being just lazy.
All in all it was a good story worth being told.
Altough the book contains a lot of vivid images, scents and desriptions, there is one scene that stood out for me, where "the smell of death" (as carried by a man who is about to die) is described by the old woman-leader of the guerillas. The scene is disgusting and beautiful at the same time leaving a strong impression.
A common complaint on Hemingway's work is his approach to female characters. It didn't really feel that way giving that the whole 2 of them are pretty complex characters and the old woman being one of the most interesting ones in the whole book in addition to it being clear that a lot of things being shown trough narrator's personal lense and his eyes, however, the dialog of the younger girl (Maria) in times did feel like it was taken from a high school boy's fantasy. It's hard to believe that in creating the character it was impossible to portray the same emotion in a less dull and cartoon-ish way, so it leaves the impression of being just lazy.
All in all it was a good story worth being told.
kxu65's review against another edition
2.0
This book was long and boring that did not go anywhere,. The reason for me was that it was too slow, epsically the fact that the whole book is centered around one event that in most books would have taken at most 1/4 of the book to get done. The interaction of the characters was always the same, the past lifes of the character did not matter to me for the main hcaracter to make his decision.
But on the other hand, it had a great impact on one person, James Oliver Rigney Jr. He was so impacted on this book that when he started writing back in the late 70s, he took up the name of the main character to become his main pen name, which better known to fans as Robert Jordan. Plus I feel like he writes in the same style has Hemingway did in For Whom the Bell Tolls, as he likes to make plots longer, over books, sometimes I think his character interactions are pointless. Overall I think Hemingway, and especially this book had a lasting impact on his live, it is one of those life changing books for him. Without this book, there would be no Robert Jordan.
Robert Jordan is the only reason that I gave this book a three stars not a four, without this book there would be no Wheel of Times and the man that we know today.
But on the other hand, it had a great impact on one person, James Oliver Rigney Jr. He was so impacted on this book that when he started writing back in the late 70s, he took up the name of the main character to become his main pen name, which better known to fans as Robert Jordan. Plus I feel like he writes in the same style has Hemingway did in For Whom the Bell Tolls, as he likes to make plots longer, over books, sometimes I think his character interactions are pointless. Overall I think Hemingway, and especially this book had a lasting impact on his live, it is one of those life changing books for him. Without this book, there would be no Robert Jordan.
Robert Jordan is the only reason that I gave this book a three stars not a four, without this book there would be no Wheel of Times and the man that we know today.
_cluck_'s review
4.25
A perfect example of average individuals who all lived a normal life until they were dragged through the dirt by a war no one wants. This book is a slow-read, but discusses serious topics such as death and gives a inside view of different types of people under the same situation through thought-monologues.
darkfruitsstan's review against another edition
4.0
At first, I thought this book was quite boring, but I kept reading, and I'm glad I did. All I have to say is, the ending of this book is fantastic.
foesandlovers's review against another edition
Read this for school, so I'm not rating it as usual.
I appreciate the message of this book and the way in which Hemingway approaches the subject of war, but the writing, my god...
I couldn't do it, couldn't keep going and gave up at page 130.
Wish me luck, my exam is today, lol.
I appreciate the message of this book and the way in which Hemingway approaches the subject of war, but the writing, my god...
I couldn't do it, couldn't keep going and gave up at page 130.
Wish me luck, my exam is today, lol.
ypres's review against another edition
Madre mía. Le pongo dos estrellas, pero creo que mi nota al libro sería algo como 5'5. Tengo que hablar de varias cosas. La primera es que no dudo de la importancia que tuvo este libro en la lucha antifascista de los años 40, y, de hecho, es un documento de primera sobre la Guerra Civil Española y lo aprecio mucho por ello. En segundo lugar, pese a que me encantó El Viejo y el Mar, con este libro, "un éxito insuperable", me he dado cuenta de que la leyenda que rodea a Hemingway, la manera en la que vivió su vida, ha hecho que parezca mejor escritor de lo que en realidad es (y eso que es un buen escritor). Desde luego, este libro tiene capítulos, pasajes, verdaderamente brillantes, pero por alguna razón Hemingway se empeña en escribir justo después otros que lo único que hacen es desesperarte y desear fervientemente en que el capítulo acabe pronto (la trama amorosa te hace añorar los tiempos en los que los libros se censuraban). Y ese es el gran problema de la obra, su excesiva duración. Son 619 páginas que, quitando párrafos enteros que no aportan nada, podrían haberse quedado en 300 páginas y haber compuesto un libro aún mejor. Pero bueno.
La tercera cosa de la que quiero hablar es la misoginia. No creo que Hemingway fuera un misógino per se, sino que, como buena parte de la gente de su tiempo, creía firmemente en los conceptos de "masculinidad" y "feminidad". Y ahí recurro de nuevo a la manera en la que vivió su vida, puesto que ésta responde a todos los atributos de un machote narcisista. Por eso, consideraba a los atributos de la "feminidad" como inferiores, pero no considero que sea simplemente desde el plano puramente misógino, sino que lo veo como algo más complejo de una figura algo convulsa, y sobre todo, narcisista.
En fin, libro regulero con pasajes excelentes y con pasajes desesperantes.
(obviamente he escrito esto escuchando Metallica)
La tercera cosa de la que quiero hablar es la misoginia. No creo que Hemingway fuera un misógino per se, sino que, como buena parte de la gente de su tiempo, creía firmemente en los conceptos de "masculinidad" y "feminidad". Y ahí recurro de nuevo a la manera en la que vivió su vida, puesto que ésta responde a todos los atributos de un machote narcisista. Por eso, consideraba a los atributos de la "feminidad" como inferiores, pero no considero que sea simplemente desde el plano puramente misógino, sino que lo veo como algo más complejo de una figura algo convulsa, y sobre todo, narcisista.
En fin, libro regulero con pasajes excelentes y con pasajes desesperantes.
(obviamente he escrito esto escuchando Metallica)