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waytoomanybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The main character is Jake—who is so clearly a self-insert that it’s almost laughable—and we see the world only through his eyes. He’s self-centered, broken by war, desperately sad, and serious. In between jazz age parties, you watch this man crumble beneath the weight of his suffering, and even though he kind of sucks, you can’t help but feel sorry for the guy.
Jake's travels in France and Spain read like a journal/travelogue. He’s simultaneously numb and in pain, but he also sees beauty in everything. He’s a walking, talking contradiction.
The prose is melancholy, wistful, and reflective. You end up feeling bad for almost all the characters, who have all wrecked their own lives or been wrecked by others or some combination. This is the first novel of Hemingway's that I’ve read, and despite some of my qualms with it, it makes me want to pick up more of his work. He's writes a compelling, fascinating read.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Grief, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: War
toffishay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Xenophobia, and War
renicula's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, Violence, Religious bigotry, and War
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
i_llumi's review against another edition
- 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
2.75
I just really could not bring myself to remotely care for anyone except maybe the two protagonists. the entire cast and the plot read like unseasoned food and just . not fun
I get that Hemingway’s writing is innovative and unique and great but after putting myself through 3 works by him, I’m starting to accept that his thing just isn’t for me
with that being said tho here are some quotes that i found funny for no reason
It is very important to discover graceful exits like that in the newspaper business, where it is such an important part of the ethics that you should never seem to be working.
"Mr. Barnes introduced his fiancée as Mademoiselle Le-blanc, and her name is actually Hobin."
I knelt and started to pray and prayed for everybody I thought of, Brett and Mike and Bill and Robert Cohn and myself. and all the bull-fighters, separately for the ones I liked, and lumping all the rest, then I prayed for myself again, and while I was praying for mysel I found I was getting sleepy, so I prayed that the bull-fights would be good, and that it would be a fine fiesta, and that we would get some fishing. I wondered if there was anything else I might pray for, and I though I would like to have some money, so I praved that I would make a loto money, and then I started to think how I would make it, and thinking of making money reminded me of the count, and I started wondering about where he was, and regretting I hadn't seen him since that night in Montmartre, and about something funny Brett told me about him, and as all the time I was kneeling with my forehead on the wood in front of me, and was thinking of myself as praying, I was a little ashamed, and regret red that I was such a rotten Catholic, but realized there was nothing I could do about it, at least for a while, and maybe never, but that anyway it was a grand religion, and I only wished I felt religious and maybe I would the next time; and then I was out in the hot sun on the steps of the cathedral, and the forefingers and the thumb of my right hand were still damp, and I felt them dry in the sun.
“You know what you are?”
Tell him bulls have no balls!
“You kill your friends?”
“Always”
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, and Racism
optionalobjectives's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, and Antisemitism
shadestate's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Misogyny and War
oceanwriter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
My disinterest was more of a plot/character problem. I simply wasn’t interested in the subject matter. Another problem was the years of build up and having it fall short. Perhaps this is an unpopular opinion, but I found the storytelling dull. As a piece of historical literature, it’s interesting, but definitely not a book I would have read otherwise.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Misogyny and Racial slurs
Minor: War
roclarenett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Death, Blood, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Classism
anoveldestination's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The lack of dialogue tags in the book wouldn’t have bothered me so much if I found the characters unique and memorable. I’ve forgotten most of their names but it seems appropriate just to call them all old chaps like 50% of the dialogue in this book does.
Don’t get me started on the characterization of Brett Ashley, the leading lady. A lot of people think her character is progressive for the time, and on the surface, she does seem sexually empowered, but the misogyny is also under the iceberg. One of the themes Hemingway seems to express is that women’s sexual empowerment comes at the expense of men and their masculinity. Brett’s sexual liberation is constantly blamed for the hardships men experience in the novel, so not the most empowering message it seems on the surface. Also there’s a reference to domestic abuse in Brett’s past that just felt too glossed over and belittled.
At this point, you may be wondering why I gave this book 3 stars. Despite my issues with the dialogue (including the amount of dialogue), I liked Hemingway’s more descriptive passages. I also think there are a lot of themes here to unpack, and I like a book that keeps me thinking and learning more afterwards. I found some of the themes surrounding the Lost Generation well executed and even resonant with the effect of the pandemic on today’s generation. A book that reverberates with me is always a good book for me.
However, ultimately, I don’t think Hemingway’s sparse writing style is my cup of tea. Also, there’s just homophobia, racism, misogyny, and antisemitism littered throughout, and I don’t think we have to excuse these things just because something is a classic. There are plenty of other classics and contemporary books that are just as smart without resorting to hate and prejudice.
Graphic: Violence and Antisemitism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Homophobia and War
cnohero's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Grief
Minor: Sexual content