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tracyreally's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not saying I loved it, because I don't love getting kicked in the neck, but it was so well done and so devastating I have to give it the full 5 stars.
nermrlib's review against another edition
4.0
I watched the movie first, and read the book partly to get a better read on the characters. I'm glad I did. It gives much more insight into what they're thinking, and enriches the narrative. The book was written in 1961, but only made into a movie last year. There are several issues that resonate today, but several that don't. That's my biggest question about this book. Would the couple have felt so trapped in their lives if they hadn't been so locked into "traditional" roles? What if they had had better access to birth control or medical care? Was April depressed by the circumstances she found herself locked into, or because of her childhood insecurity, or was it more organic than that?
Even though the subject matter is difficult, the author is an excellent writer. His prose is superb, and he has a gift for narrative. This is a very thought provoking book, even if you don't like the subject matter.
Even though the subject matter is difficult, the author is an excellent writer. His prose is superb, and he has a gift for narrative. This is a very thought provoking book, even if you don't like the subject matter.
aylasmiler's review against another edition
5.0
Revolutionary Road is definitely a book I'll keep coming back to when I need a reminder that life expectations are what you make them. Beautiful, vivid, heartbreaking.
michaelpdonley's review against another edition
5.0
A bleak, potent look at 50s suburban America. If this is the "great" America we want again, Lord have mercy.
alisaura's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
hannadora's review
4.0
Wonderfully disturbing story of a not so happy marriage - got so invested in this book about 60 pages in and didnt put it down till I finished it.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
rainbowcabal's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
katiescho741's review
4.0
This is an iconic piece of domestic drama...a 1950's precursor to books like Gone Girl.
April and Frank are middle-class, they live in the Connecticut suburbs, have two children, disposable income, friends...they should be happy. But they aren't. Frank feels like he's slaving away in a 9-5 job in the city that's beneath him and April has recently learned that she is not the fantastic actress she imagined she was.
Their marriage is a ball of bitterness, hatred, resentment, and spite, covered up with all the "American Dream" dressings of the 50's....They are living the American Dream and they make each other miserable. Revolutionary Road shows how horrific the hate in a marriage can be; It's personal and under the skin.
One thing I noticed that was different from the film, was that the book seemed to focus more on Frank's POV. Most of the time we're in his head and learning his life story, and so our view of April is biased.
Revolutionary Road is bleak and understated. It shows us the tiny world of one couple, and yet it could be any couple in 1950's America.
April and Frank are middle-class, they live in the Connecticut suburbs, have two children, disposable income, friends...they should be happy. But they aren't. Frank feels like he's slaving away in a 9-5 job in the city that's beneath him and April has recently learned that she is not the fantastic actress she imagined she was.
Their marriage is a ball of bitterness, hatred, resentment, and spite, covered up with all the "American Dream" dressings of the 50's....They are living the American Dream and they make each other miserable. Revolutionary Road shows how horrific the hate in a marriage can be; It's personal and under the skin.
One thing I noticed that was different from the film, was that the book seemed to focus more on Frank's POV. Most of the time we're in his head and learning his life story, and so our view of April is biased.
Revolutionary Road is bleak and understated. It shows us the tiny world of one couple, and yet it could be any couple in 1950's America.
hjb_128's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Abortion, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse and Physical abuse
bojangacic's review against another edition
5.0
Frensis Skot Ficdžerald je pisao o stvaranju američke elite(new money), ekspresni nastanak ekstremno bogatih između Velikog rata i Velikog pada berze 1929. Iza svog blještavila krio se neodrživi nagon za ubrzanim stvaranjem nečega što samo po sebi zahteva vreme- istorije.
Nakon Drugog svetskog rata javlja se novi dualizam u američkom društvu- Mekartiizam, histerični strah od "crvene najezde", sve u državi koja istovremeno socijalizam sprovodi doslednije nego ijedna druga do tada. U tom šizoidnom prostoru između činjenice i propagirane fikcije udenut je Ričard Jejts i "Put revolucije".
Sam naziv njegove biografije-" Tragična iskrenost"- idealna je sumacija Jejtsovog stvaralštva. Hroničar velike nade- američkog građanskog prosperiteta i porodičnog blaženstva, zatim još većeg američkog razočarenja pred dezintegracijom slike decenijama održavane kroz žarku želju da svi, u svakom trenutku deluju "OK".
"Honey, I'm home!", poput vradžbine, ili možda prizivanja, plasiran kroz popularnu kulturu, izrastao je u simboliku američkog sna. Frenk i Ejpril Viler simbol su trijumfa srednje klase, nuklearne porodice i porodične idile pedesetih godina. Sjaj suburbanizma u malom- automobili poput bombona, zeleni travnjak, kuća dovoljno velika da odaje uspeh ali nipošto dovoljno velika da sugeriše razlikovanje od okoline. Sve deluje sasvim "OK".
Iza fasade savršenosti struji reka nesigurnosti. Sumnja u sopstvene potencijale i ostvarenost istih; sumnja u istinsku želju za životom koji bi, sa aspekta društveno prihvatljivog, morali da žele, sumnja u to da li su "dobili drugo dete samo da bi dokazali da prvo nije bilo greška"; sumnja da su, pored vokalizovane vere u sopstvenu individualnost, samo jedna tačka u kolažu promotivne umetnosti za način života koji možda ni ne postoji.
Dva su glavna arhetipa kod Jejtsa:
1) Zaposleni muž čija muškost je rascepljena i nedorečena između mačoizma nekadašnjeg učestvovanja u ratu i sadašnje umreženosti u armiju tipova u identičnim odelima, sinova tek začete korporativne kulture, koji svaki dan sedaju na voz, putuju u grad na posao, konstantno se dolivaju alkoholom i vraćaju svako veče porodici, sve u službi da sve bude "OK".
2) Žena domaćica, brine o kući i deci, uvek je tu prisutna, nasmejana, pod punom šminkom, uvek savršena, uživa u svim slobodama koje mašina za veš i sudove istinski donose, konstantno se doliva alkoholom i dočekuje muža, sve u službi da sve bude "OK".
Taj muškarac, čija uloga u društvu doživljava tektonski potres u tranzijici između tradicionalnog i modernog, ta potisnuta domaćica, koja kasnije rađa feministinju i radikalnu feministkinju, nukleus su razdora čiji se se razvoj sve do danas može ispratiti.
Takav je bio Jejts, surovo iskren u vreme kada iskrenost nije bila poželjna. Slavljen na početku karijere, guran pod tepih većinu svog spisateljskog života. Dočekao je kraj kao strastveni pušač i alkoholičar, anonimus, vukući bocu kiseonika dok je išao da drži predavanja u radionici kreativnog pisanja, ulozi koju je istinski mrzeo.
Moje prvo susretanje sa Ričardom Jejtsom desilo se pre petnaest godina. Danas, kao i pre deceniju i po, mišljenje je isto- "Revolutionary Road" je sve što jedan roman može da bude i teži da bude. Stilski savršen, zanatski isklesan, potresan ali, pre svega, nužan i istinit.
Knjiga koju će čitati oni koji imaju sreće da je otkriju, a kada je pročitaju znaće i zašto.
Nakon Drugog svetskog rata javlja se novi dualizam u američkom društvu- Mekartiizam, histerični strah od "crvene najezde", sve u državi koja istovremeno socijalizam sprovodi doslednije nego ijedna druga do tada. U tom šizoidnom prostoru između činjenice i propagirane fikcije udenut je Ričard Jejts i "Put revolucije".
Sam naziv njegove biografije-" Tragična iskrenost"- idealna je sumacija Jejtsovog stvaralštva. Hroničar velike nade- američkog građanskog prosperiteta i porodičnog blaženstva, zatim još većeg američkog razočarenja pred dezintegracijom slike decenijama održavane kroz žarku želju da svi, u svakom trenutku deluju "OK".
"Honey, I'm home!", poput vradžbine, ili možda prizivanja, plasiran kroz popularnu kulturu, izrastao je u simboliku američkog sna. Frenk i Ejpril Viler simbol su trijumfa srednje klase, nuklearne porodice i porodične idile pedesetih godina. Sjaj suburbanizma u malom- automobili poput bombona, zeleni travnjak, kuća dovoljno velika da odaje uspeh ali nipošto dovoljno velika da sugeriše razlikovanje od okoline. Sve deluje sasvim "OK".
Iza fasade savršenosti struji reka nesigurnosti. Sumnja u sopstvene potencijale i ostvarenost istih; sumnja u istinsku želju za životom koji bi, sa aspekta društveno prihvatljivog, morali da žele, sumnja u to da li su "dobili drugo dete samo da bi dokazali da prvo nije bilo greška"; sumnja da su, pored vokalizovane vere u sopstvenu individualnost, samo jedna tačka u kolažu promotivne umetnosti za način života koji možda ni ne postoji.
Dva su glavna arhetipa kod Jejtsa:
1) Zaposleni muž čija muškost je rascepljena i nedorečena između mačoizma nekadašnjeg učestvovanja u ratu i sadašnje umreženosti u armiju tipova u identičnim odelima, sinova tek začete korporativne kulture, koji svaki dan sedaju na voz, putuju u grad na posao, konstantno se dolivaju alkoholom i vraćaju svako veče porodici, sve u službi da sve bude "OK".
2) Žena domaćica, brine o kući i deci, uvek je tu prisutna, nasmejana, pod punom šminkom, uvek savršena, uživa u svim slobodama koje mašina za veš i sudove istinski donose, konstantno se doliva alkoholom i dočekuje muža, sve u službi da sve bude "OK".
Taj muškarac, čija uloga u društvu doživljava tektonski potres u tranzijici između tradicionalnog i modernog, ta potisnuta domaćica, koja kasnije rađa feministinju i radikalnu feministkinju, nukleus su razdora čiji se se razvoj sve do danas može ispratiti.
Takav je bio Jejts, surovo iskren u vreme kada iskrenost nije bila poželjna. Slavljen na početku karijere, guran pod tepih većinu svog spisateljskog života. Dočekao je kraj kao strastveni pušač i alkoholičar, anonimus, vukući bocu kiseonika dok je išao da drži predavanja u radionici kreativnog pisanja, ulozi koju je istinski mrzeo.
Moje prvo susretanje sa Ričardom Jejtsom desilo se pre petnaest godina. Danas, kao i pre deceniju i po, mišljenje je isto- "Revolutionary Road" je sve što jedan roman može da bude i teži da bude. Stilski savršen, zanatski isklesan, potresan ali, pre svega, nužan i istinit.
Knjiga koju će čitati oni koji imaju sreće da je otkriju, a kada je pročitaju znaće i zašto.