Reviews

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

eilidhcan's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

eli04_81's review against another edition

challenging dark funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

fowadijaz's review against another edition

4.0

 Very similar to Freak the mighty in that it?s the story of the disenfranchised getting some hope from outside themselves, someone who inspires them to be greater than they already are. Wonder what it means if what the nurse was doing was perhaps more inocuous than randle thought it was, with most of the poeple there volunteering to remain there, or the poeple who didn't take their meds and then had seizures and breakdowns. It blurs the lines a little and reminds us that the wildness of Mcmurphy isn't always a desirable qulaity. In that sense there is more maturity than just throwing caution to the wind and hoping for the best, but... the ending kind of contradicts that. It's a powerful book nevertheless 

Synopsis: A larger than life Randle McMurphy enters an insane asylum and tries to breathe life into the denizens there, who live under the psychological rule of nurse Ratched. Told from the perspective of the Chief, a big Indian who doesn't speak, the book takes us through the rise and fall of mcmurphy, his wins and losses in the war against the Combine, culminating in a hedonistic party.

billy bibbit loses his virginity to a Candy, and in the morning is found in a compromising position by the head nurse. She uses psychological torture against him, and he kills himslef. Then she blames Mr Mcmurphy and gets him lobotomized. In the end the chief kills the husk of a man and runs away back home.

cogsofencouragement's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

The beginning of this novel had me wondering if I was going to want to finish it, but glad I kept on because I did find it worthwhile after all. 

garrettpr's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

3.5

ominousellipsis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

alexrinehart's review against another edition

3.0

This was a required reading in high school English. I remember liking this book and feeling interested. I don't remember specifics. I'll revisit this one.

lefttoread's review against another edition

3.0

I loved the book but it was a slow read for me! A lot of the things in the book did also occur in the movie which is fantastic and I appreciate the actors that were selected to play the characters, I defiantly I enjoyed the film more which is not something I say often but I just think it's a bit of a slow paced read that it's a lot faster to get through in one sitting watching the works of some amazing actors, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd and the rest!

The ending in both the book and film just did something to my heart that I can't explain. Truly amazing.

hangryzebra's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

alishacostanzo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

5.0

Fuck, that was sad.