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btlitell's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My experience with Forrest Gump up until some time near the end of my masters was only with the movie. I didn't even know there was a book until then, and while I won't say I prefer the movie, it's hard not to compare the two based on differences between the formats.
I think the book gave a more genuine look at the world from Forrest's perspective, but I think he was a lot easier to sympathize with in the movie than the book. His experience with the world being always tainted by others' perception of his intellectual/mental capabilities first is still just as touching and perhaps a bit more noticeable in the book.
After reading the book, there are things I wish they had incorporated into the film that would have been neat to see.I think if the movie could have included his playing chess, going to space, his relationship with Sue the Orangutan, living in Borneo for four years it could have captured a bit more of who Forrest is. I do really like how Forrest saw Lieutenant Dan not just as a Lieutenant but as a person, referring to him only as "Dan" instead of by his rank. That I think showed a lot more of his character and how he sees people as people and not simply as their rank or job title.
This was a great read and is worth picking up.
I think the book gave a more genuine look at the world from Forrest's perspective, but I think he was a lot easier to sympathize with in the movie than the book. His experience with the world being always tainted by others' perception of his intellectual/mental capabilities first is still just as touching and perhaps a bit more noticeable in the book.
After reading the book, there are things I wish they had incorporated into the film that would have been neat to see.
This was a great read and is worth picking up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism and Mental illness
Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Medical content, and War
cscharfway's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book had a much different vibe than the movie many of us know. It was much more lighthearted and funny to see the world through Forrest’s eyes, and even during his darker experiences, there was a sense of hope and optimism that this was just another adventure he would make it through.
Some of the events experienced by the main character were more fantastical than realistic (Sue the orangutang was a bit much). I think though that silly, ridiculous tone of the book is symbolic of the age and development of Forrest’s unique mind, showing the parallels between plot and character shaped by the author; this deeper meaning bumped up the book from a 3.5 to a 4 for me. Otherwise, the book was amusing, but doesn’t create quite the same emotional impact as Tom Hank’s version.
Some of the events experienced by the main character were more fantastical than realistic (Sue the orangutang was a bit much). I think though that silly, ridiculous tone of the book is symbolic of the age and development of Forrest’s unique mind, showing the parallels between plot and character shaped by the author; this deeper meaning bumped up the book from a 3.5 to a 4 for me. Otherwise, the book was amusing, but doesn’t create quite the same emotional impact as Tom Hank’s version.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, and War
nikogatts's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I read this as a sort of pregame before the start of the next season of the podcast 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back. I've never seen the 1994 movie adaptation of this book, so my impressions are based solely on the text.
This book is less of a series of events and more of a cycle of two recurring instances:
1. Forrest Gump doesn't understand a situation and acts instinctively, doing the wrong thing in a way that results in immense personal success and makes him a national/international hero. Despite the many times this happens, no one ever recognizes Forrest as a war hero/famous astronaut/pro wrestler/guy who publicly mooned the president.
2. Forrest Gump doesn't understand a situation and acts instinctively, doing the wrong thing in a way that hurts the people around him and results in his girlfriend, Jenny Curran, dumping him. Despite the many times this happens, Forrest never learns from his missteps, and Winston Groom tosses out the phrase "I guess I'm just an idiot" as a shortcut to avoid writing character development.
There are attempts at "deep" moments sprinkled in here and there, particularly during the chapters dealing with Forrest's deployment in Vietnam, but the emotional impact is minimal because these moments last for, at most, a page and a half before the story moves along to Forrest's next implausible adventure. Ditto any attempts at satire -- there are a couple of political jabs at the popular targets of the time (Nixon, war protestors, Hollywood stars, etc.), but they're quickly shuffled offstage so Forrest can get back to publicly stating that he needs to pee.
To say the book has not aged well is to put it lightly. Every female character is written as either a weeping mess or a nagging shrew. Forrest's adventures take him across the United States and to several different countries, so readers are treated to a wide spectrum of racist slurs and stereotypes. And in addition to treating Forrest's disability as a get-out-of-jail-free card for personal conflict, Groom also uses it as a superpower, a punchline, and an excuse for sexual assault.
I'm not expecting any better from the sequel, Gump & Co., but at least I'll be reading that with a podcast, so I won't be cringing alone.
This book is less of a series of events and more of a cycle of two recurring instances:
1. Forrest Gump doesn't understand a situation and acts instinctively, doing the wrong thing in a way that results in immense personal success and makes him a national/international hero. Despite the many times this happens, no one ever recognizes Forrest as a war hero/famous astronaut/pro wrestler/guy who publicly mooned the president.
2. Forrest Gump doesn't understand a situation and acts instinctively, doing the wrong thing in a way that hurts the people around him and results in his girlfriend, Jenny Curran, dumping him. Despite the many times this happens, Forrest never learns from his missteps, and Winston Groom tosses out the phrase "I guess I'm just an idiot" as a shortcut to avoid writing character development.
There are attempts at "deep" moments sprinkled in here and there, particularly during the chapters dealing with Forrest's deployment in Vietnam, but the emotional impact is minimal because these moments last for, at most, a page and a half before the story moves along to Forrest's next implausible adventure. Ditto any attempts at satire -- there are a couple of political jabs at the popular targets of the time (Nixon, war protestors, Hollywood stars, etc.), but they're quickly shuffled offstage so Forrest can get back to publicly stating that he needs to pee.
To say the book has not aged well is to put it lightly. Every female character is written as either a weeping mess or a nagging shrew. Forrest's adventures take him across the United States and to several different countries, so readers are treated to a wide spectrum of racist slurs and stereotypes. And in addition to treating Forrest's disability as a get-out-of-jail-free card for personal conflict, Groom also uses it as a superpower, a punchline, and an excuse for sexual assault.
I'm not expecting any better from the sequel, Gump & Co., but at least I'll be reading that with a podcast, so I won't be cringing alone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, and Police brutality
rainydayswithbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.0
Insgesamt ist das Buch wirklich unterhaltsam und vielfältig.
Man verfolgt das Leben von dem "Idioten" Forrest Gump, der jedoch gar nicht so dumm ist wie andere ihn zunächst einschätzen- zum Teil ist er sogar außerordentlich begabt und talentiert. Seine Abenteuer und Hindernisse sind interessant und Forrest ist als Charakter liebenswert (allerdings hab ich etwas gebraucht, bis ich mich auf ihn einlassen konnte). Da die Geschichte aus seiner Perspektive erzählt wird, erhält man einen noch besseren Einblick in sein Leben und seine Gedanken, die in der Regel völlig unbeschwert, gut gläubig und etwas naiv sind - wie die eines 6 jährigen Kindes eben, mit dessen IQ Forrest angeblich übereinstimmt. Dies erkennt man auch am Schreibstil, der an Forrest's Sprache angepasst ist und zu Beginn etwas irritiert, aber man gewöhnt sich allmählich daran. WICHTIG: Anzumerken ist an dieser Stelle, dass das Buch an manchen Stellen problematisch ist (rassistische/diskriminierende Formulierungen, Stereotype usw) ABER für eine differenzierte Beurteilung muss man das Erscheinungsjahr des Werks sowie die Zeit, in der die Handlung spielt, mit einbeziehen. Für die damaligen Verhältniss ist diese Ausdrucksweise nicht ungewöhnlich oder absichtlich diskriminierend gewesen, sondern alltäglich/'normal'. Aus unserer heutigen, aufgeklärten Sicht ist die Sprache zwar kritisch zu sehen, aber man muss es wie gesagt immer in Bezug zur Zeit setzten.
Wenn man bei so etwas empfindlich ist, sollte man das vorher vielleicht wissen und sich darauf einstellen.
Obwohl ich es nicht direkt als witziges Buch beschreiben würde, hat es doch durchaus humorvolle Passagen. Nicht ohne Grund gilt das Werk als ein Klassiker der Literatur.
Man verfolgt das Leben von dem "Idioten" Forrest Gump, der jedoch gar nicht so dumm ist wie andere ihn zunächst einschätzen- zum Teil ist er sogar außerordentlich begabt und talentiert. Seine Abenteuer und Hindernisse sind interessant und Forrest ist als Charakter liebenswert (allerdings hab ich etwas gebraucht, bis ich mich auf ihn einlassen konnte). Da die Geschichte aus seiner Perspektive erzählt wird, erhält man einen noch besseren Einblick in sein Leben und seine Gedanken, die in der Regel völlig unbeschwert, gut gläubig und etwas naiv sind - wie die eines 6 jährigen Kindes eben, mit dessen IQ Forrest angeblich übereinstimmt. Dies erkennt man auch am Schreibstil, der an Forrest's Sprache angepasst ist und zu Beginn etwas irritiert, aber man gewöhnt sich allmählich daran. WICHTIG: Anzumerken ist an dieser Stelle, dass das Buch an manchen Stellen problematisch ist (rassistische/diskriminierende Formulierungen, Stereotype usw) ABER für eine differenzierte Beurteilung muss man das Erscheinungsjahr des Werks sowie die Zeit, in der die Handlung spielt, mit einbeziehen. Für die damaligen Verhältniss ist diese Ausdrucksweise nicht ungewöhnlich oder absichtlich diskriminierend gewesen, sondern alltäglich/'normal'. Aus unserer heutigen, aufgeklärten Sicht ist die Sprache zwar kritisch zu sehen, aber man muss es wie gesagt immer in Bezug zur Zeit setzten.
Wenn man bei so etwas empfindlich ist, sollte man das vorher vielleicht wissen und sich darauf einstellen.
Obwohl ich es nicht direkt als witziges Buch beschreiben würde, hat es doch durchaus humorvolle Passagen. Nicht ohne Grund gilt das Werk als ein Klassiker der Literatur.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Cannibalism, and War
lainy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Racial slurs, and War
vici24kl's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
1.5
This book was really problematic. VERY different from the movie...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Animal cruelty
sillyduckie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
I’ve been meaning to read Forrest Gump for years, ever since I heard that the movie was an adaptation and the book had lots more adventures. It took me only a few pages to regret choosing to read it. It’s a mess. The fact that it was published in 1984 in the USA and 1994 in the U.K. says a lot about the publishing industry.
I’m gonna bulletpoint my thoughts below.
Content note: sexual assault, racism, war, sexism, cursing.
I’m gonna bulletpoint my thoughts below.
Content note: sexual assault, racism, war, sexism, cursing.
- Every single time Gump runs into a non-white person he calls them a slur. And most of the time he recalls them in memory he still calls them a slur.
- There is a lot of sexual assault in this book. Whilst you can debate whether Gump consents to his sex with Jenny, his first experience of sex definitely wasn’t consensual.
- Several women have their clothes accidentally torn off to the point of either exposing their breasts or their entire naked body.
- Gump regularly gets taken advantage of but claims to be smarter than everyone else and it’s honestly tough to read. He’s clearly an asshole, always talking down to and about people but then you read about him doing manual labour and only being paid a dollar, being drafted into the military and having to fight in the Vietnam War and seeing his peers die in front of him, being sent to an asylum, being called an idiot and other things.
- Whoever wrote the script for the movie needs a special prize because they sanitised Gump so well the movie makes him look like Little Orphan Annie instead of the foul mouthed, racist, sexist Gump in the book.
- There are so many things that happen in this book that are ridiculous to the point I don’t think anybody would believe me if I told them. Like the fact Gump gets sent into space with an orangutang and a woman (the only qualified astronaut, yet somehow the dumbest on board or so they want you to believe) and after an incident with urine their rocket crash lands in Papua New Guinea where they are found by a tribe of cannibals. For these chapters the intelligence order is clearly: Gump, the orangutang, the cannibals, the woman. The woman is abducted and assaulted although the scene is played as romance, and she moves into the assailant’s hut and ultimately stays with him rather than go back to America. Oh did I mention the chief speaks English and allegedly went to an Ivy League College but says stuff like “jolly good old boy”?
- Gump is a millionaire by the end of the book.
- His mother doesn’t die but her house does burn down and she ends up in a poor house until she runs off with a Protestant. This is clearly the worst thing she could have done. Later on he leaves her for a sixteen year old and she says that Protestants have no morals. Because I guess a little sectarianism is what this book needed?
- Gump gets addicted to weed briefly to the point of being absolutely useless.
- Jenny deserves to be written better to be honest. She’s made out to be some sort of loose moral woman when she clearly isn’t.
- There’s a lot I could say about the police in this book. But not right now. I’m still processing the whole thing.
Don’t read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
If you think you’re prepared for anything this book could throw at you because you watched the movie, you’re wrong.