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hjb_128's review against another edition
challenging
relaxing
slow-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death
Minor: Racial slurs and Violence
qstew's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
if beckett's "three novels" is like having a stroke over 400pgs, this is like a mushroom trip that won't end while a drunk cuckold tells you about their day. respect for the innovation and the effort put on to compose it; did it pay off thought? my answer will differ depending on the day i've had.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Eating disorder, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
seventhswan's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-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
4.0
Extremely difficult to know how to rate or review this but let the record show that I finished it! Understanding it all a slightly different matter!
On the whole I did genuinely enjoy this story and its characters, even if the vast majority of the wordplay, allusions, and references were lost on me. It was just about possible to parse out a narrative (with the help of Wikipedia!) and knowing in advance some basic Irish history and the general structure of the book did help me have a vague idea of what was going on. I would say that anyone with a decent grasp of English *can* read Ulysses - there are only very small sections in other languages or nonsense-speak - but there were certainly times where I was mechanically reading one word after the other just to get through it, and not properly digesting the meaning of what I was reading.
I've tried to organise my thoughts by section, as this is possibly the longest book I've ever read?
Telemachus: entirely understandable, gave me a false sense of security. Not dissimilar to the opening of any other well-written literary fiction.
Nestor: also fairly understandable, some weird sentiments about Jewish people that were uncomfortable to read.
Proteus: the point at which things first started to get difficult. I don't remember much about what happened but I remember being confused a lot. Think I got Wikipedia out at this point.
Calypso: a bit of a vibe shift but I enjoyed this section, other than the lengthy description of going to the toilet. There are women characters! And a coherent narrative again!
Lotus Eaters, Hades: both intriguing and really got into the descriptions of Dublin as a place. Despite not being entirely flattering, it made me want to go and see it for myself. Also mostly straightforward written English and interesting character backstories.
Aeolus: probably one of my favourite sections - different enough to be interesting without feeling like total nonsense.
Lestrygonians: more descriptions of Dublin as a living city! I liked this part! Also lots of food.
Scylla and Charybdis: not going to lie, I really struggled to follow this. I don't know enough about Shakespeare or his wife to understand it.
Wandering Rocks: not especially interesting to me, but understandable enough.
Sirens, Cyclops: struggled again with both of these, they were just extremely dense and yet somehow devoid of much happening that you could latch onto.
Nausicaa: *weird* in subject matter but I strangely enjoyed the way it was written? Perhaps I was just relieved to actually have characters and events I recognised again
Oxen of the Sun, Circe: the worst parts of the whole book to wade through in my opinion, I was just reading words to get closer to the end. I'm sure some very clever things were going on but they flew directly over my head
Eumaeus: back to prose I could actually read properly! Again, I enjoyed this section, but more from relief at understanding it than anything else.
Ithaca: I liked the question-and-answer layout of this section, less keen on more toilet talk and mathematics.
Penelope: 1000 pages in, we finally get to hear from Molly herself! Although written as extremely (think 20 pages each) long run-on sentences I found this not too bad to read and process, and the ending was satisfying. I don't think I could have dealt with a total non-ending after three months of reading.
Am I glad I read this book? I think I am! The parts that I was able to enjoy really were engaging, interesting, even funny in places. Would I recommend it? Only if you want to say you've read it - read Dubliners instead if you want stories set in Joyce's Ireland, and Didn't Nobody Give A Shit What Happened To Carlotta if you want chaotic travels across a city and that iconic ending line. Will I read it again? Honestly, probably yes, I think I could work a lot harder on understanding it - but not for several years, I'm back to strictly no-thoughts-head-empty reading for now.
On the whole I did genuinely enjoy this story and its characters, even if the vast majority of the wordplay, allusions, and references were lost on me. It was just about possible to parse out a narrative (with the help of Wikipedia!) and knowing in advance some basic Irish history and the general structure of the book did help me have a vague idea of what was going on. I would say that anyone with a decent grasp of English *can* read Ulysses - there are only very small sections in other languages or nonsense-speak - but there were certainly times where I was mechanically reading one word after the other just to get through it, and not properly digesting the meaning of what I was reading.
I've tried to organise my thoughts by section, as this is possibly the longest book I've ever read?
Telemachus: entirely understandable, gave me a false sense of security. Not dissimilar to the opening of any other well-written literary fiction.
Nestor: also fairly understandable, some weird sentiments about Jewish people that were uncomfortable to read.
Proteus: the point at which things first started to get difficult. I don't remember much about what happened but I remember being confused a lot. Think I got Wikipedia out at this point.
Calypso: a bit of a vibe shift but I enjoyed this section, other than the lengthy description of going to the toilet. There are women characters! And a coherent narrative again!
Lotus Eaters, Hades: both intriguing and really got into the descriptions of Dublin as a place. Despite not being entirely flattering, it made me want to go and see it for myself. Also mostly straightforward written English and interesting character backstories.
Aeolus: probably one of my favourite sections - different enough to be interesting without feeling like total nonsense.
Lestrygonians: more descriptions of Dublin as a living city! I liked this part! Also lots of food.
Scylla and Charybdis: not going to lie, I really struggled to follow this. I don't know enough about Shakespeare or his wife to understand it.
Wandering Rocks: not especially interesting to me, but understandable enough.
Sirens, Cyclops: struggled again with both of these, they were just extremely dense and yet somehow devoid of much happening that you could latch onto.
Nausicaa: *weird* in subject matter but I strangely enjoyed the way it was written? Perhaps I was just relieved to actually have characters and events I recognised again
Oxen of the Sun, Circe: the worst parts of the whole book to wade through in my opinion, I was just reading words to get closer to the end. I'm sure some very clever things were going on but they flew directly over my head
Eumaeus: back to prose I could actually read properly! Again, I enjoyed this section, but more from relief at understanding it than anything else.
Ithaca: I liked the question-and-answer layout of this section, less keen on more toilet talk and mathematics.
Penelope: 1000 pages in, we finally get to hear from Molly herself! Although written as extremely (think 20 pages each) long run-on sentences I found this not too bad to read and process, and the ending was satisfying. I don't think I could have dealt with a total non-ending after three months of reading.
Am I glad I read this book? I think I am! The parts that I was able to enjoy really were engaging, interesting, even funny in places. Would I recommend it? Only if you want to say you've read it - read Dubliners instead if you want stories set in Joyce's Ireland, and Didn't Nobody Give A Shit What Happened To Carlotta if you want chaotic travels across a city and that iconic ending line. Will I read it again? Honestly, probably yes, I think I could work a lot harder on understanding it - but not for several years, I'm back to strictly no-thoughts-head-empty reading for now.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Excrement, Antisemitism, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy
timmytunter's review against another edition
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-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? Yes
2.25
Reading Ulysses has been one of the most challenging literary experiences I’ve undertaken, and while I respect its monumental place in the canon of Western literature, I must admit that I did not find it a particularly enjoyable experience as a whole. The novel is undeniably a landmark in terms of its innovative structure, vast creativity, and the sheer complexity of its construction. The variety of writing styles Joyce employs throughout the novel is impressive, showcasing his command over the English language in ways that few authors can match. The research and intellectual effort required to produce such a work must have been immense, and I deeply respect Joyce for his ambition and skill.
That said, my overall experience with Ulysses was marked more by frustration than pleasure. I found the content at times painfully dull, and at other times simply nauseating, with a plot that I found ponderous, trite, and tedious. As a modern parallel to Homer’s The Odyssey, Ulysses strikes me as the very opposite of its grand and epic predecessor. While I understand that Joyce’s intent was to present a more mundane, perhaps even trivial, version of the hero’s journey, I found myself questioning the purpose of this choice. The Odyssey has its own flaws, but it is still a gloriously epic adventure, full of drama and heroism. In contrast, Ulysses often left me wondering, “To what end?” But then, I suppose, what is the point of any art. This is a line of thought I don’t care to pursue any further at present, for fear of meandering off the primary object of the present book review into Joycean tangents and digressions.
However, not all was lost in this literary labyrinth. There were episodes where I did derive some enjoyment, especially when I allowed myself to step back and view the text through a more abstract lens. By metaphorically crossing my mind’s eye(s), I was able to appreciate the bizarre and often surreal nature of some of Joyce’s episodes.
One of the highlights for me was Episode 14: Oxen of the Sun. This episode, with its chronologically successive prose styles, mirrors the evolution of English writing from Chaucer to the present day. Though relatively useless as a means of advancing the plot, it was, with the aid of guides and resources, an entertaining trip through the history of the English language. Joyce’s self-confidence is on full display here as he demonstrates his proficiency in almost any writing style.
Another episode that stood out was Episode 17: Ithaca. Some of Joyce’s most beautiful prose can be found within these pages. This catechismic episode also frequently amused me with its laughably overzealous attention to detail. The passage narrating the simple act of boiling water, for instance, stretches into an absurdly complex description, as if Joyce were daring the reader to endure the tedium of such minutiae:
That said, my overall experience with Ulysses was marked more by frustration than pleasure. I found the content at times painfully dull, and at other times simply nauseating, with a plot that I found ponderous, trite, and tedious. As a modern parallel to Homer’s The Odyssey, Ulysses strikes me as the very opposite of its grand and epic predecessor. While I understand that Joyce’s intent was to present a more mundane, perhaps even trivial, version of the hero’s journey, I found myself questioning the purpose of this choice. The Odyssey has its own flaws, but it is still a gloriously epic adventure, full of drama and heroism. In contrast, Ulysses often left me wondering, “To what end?” But then, I suppose, what is the point of any art. This is a line of thought I don’t care to pursue any further at present, for fear of meandering off the primary object of the present book review into Joycean tangents and digressions.
However, not all was lost in this literary labyrinth. There were episodes where I did derive some enjoyment, especially when I allowed myself to step back and view the text through a more abstract lens. By metaphorically crossing my mind’s eye(s), I was able to appreciate the bizarre and often surreal nature of some of Joyce’s episodes.
One of the highlights for me was Episode 14: Oxen of the Sun. This episode, with its chronologically successive prose styles, mirrors the evolution of English writing from Chaucer to the present day. Though relatively useless as a means of advancing the plot, it was, with the aid of guides and resources, an entertaining trip through the history of the English language. Joyce’s self-confidence is on full display here as he demonstrates his proficiency in almost any writing style.
Another episode that stood out was Episode 17: Ithaca. Some of Joyce’s most beautiful prose can be found within these pages. This catechismic episode also frequently amused me with its laughably overzealous attention to detail. The passage narrating the simple act of boiling water, for instance, stretches into an absurdly complex description, as if Joyce were daring the reader to endure the tedium of such minutiae:
“What concomitant phenomenon took place in the vessel of liquid by the agency of fire?
The phenomenon of ebullition. Fanned by a constant updraught of ventilation between the kitchen and the chimneyflue, ignition was communicated from the faggots of precombustible fuel to polyhedral masses of bituminous coal, containing in compressed mineral form the foliated fossilised decidua of primeval forests which had in turn derived their vegetative existence from the sun, primal source of heat (radiant), transmitted through omnipresent luminiferous diathermanous ether. Heat (convected), a mode of motion developed by such combustion, was constantly and increasingly conveyed from the source of calorification to the liquid contained in the vessel, being radiated through the uneven unpolished dark surface of the metal iron, in part reflected, in part absorbed, in part transmitted, gradually raising the temperature of the water from normal to boiling point, a rise in temperature expressible as the result of an expenditure of 72 thermal units needed to raise 1 pound of water from 50° to 212° Fahrenheit.
What announced the accomplishment of this rise in temperature?
A double falciform ejection of water vapour from under the kettlelid at both sides simultaneously.
For what personal purpose could Bloom have applied the water so boiled?
To shave himself.”
In short, by penning Ulysses, James Joyce doled out the ultimate literary troll to casual reader and scholar alike.
Ulysses was a challenging read, one that I am pleased to have completed, but equally pleased to not revisit. The pleasure I usually derive from reading fiction was largely absent, as my engagement with Ulysses became a mostly academic exercise. While this is not an exercise I dislike per se, I look forward to returning to the comfort of slightly more conventional works of fiction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Suicide, and Alcohol
atuin's review against another edition
I think the label masterpiece is well earned, and despite the immense difficulty I still enjoyed the experience! There is so much here I feel like I missed I know I'll have to read this again next Bloomsday. Perhaps then I can give a more coherent review of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Antisemitism
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Police brutality
russianliteraturefan's review against another edition
challenging
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing and Racial slurs
marthadude's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
witherskeleton's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Cursing, Racial slurs, Medical content, and Alcohol
Minor: Police brutality
sunn_bleach's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
5.0
"Ulysses" is about the totality of experience. For Joyce, it's the totality of a single man's day in the life. For Melville's "Moby-Dick", it's not just whaling, but the essence of adventure and being out of one's element, then looking back on those salad days with the knowledge and pity of older age. For books like that... of course you won't get everything. It's not your life. It's Starbuck's life, or Ishmael's life, or Bloom's life.
If someone wrote a comprehensive story about your particular existence, then there would be thousands of allusions that a reader wouldn't pick up on simply because the minutiae of everyday existence is filled with nuance and even encyclopedic level of experience. So, I'll recommend that you don't look up footnotes. Just read it. Experience what you experience. Then, whatever you walk away with from "Ulysses" (and other modernist literature) will be completely and uniquely yours as you bring your own allusions and experiences to the book.
That lesson is why this is one of the top five books I have ever read in my life - and that's not even getting into the prose, the deep satire, the idiosyncratic all-caps Dublin, the allegories... life also goes on.
If someone wrote a comprehensive story about your particular existence, then there would be thousands of allusions that a reader wouldn't pick up on simply because the minutiae of everyday existence is filled with nuance and even encyclopedic level of experience. So, I'll recommend that you don't look up footnotes. Just read it. Experience what you experience. Then, whatever you walk away with from "Ulysses" (and other modernist literature) will be completely and uniquely yours as you bring your own allusions and experiences to the book.
That lesson is why this is one of the top five books I have ever read in my life - and that's not even getting into the prose, the deep satire, the idiosyncratic all-caps Dublin, the allegories... life also goes on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Miscarriage, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity, Antisemitism, and Pregnancy
asililydying's review against another edition
5.0
disgusting and overwhelming and amazing and terrible and incoherently insightful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment