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A review by accidentalmuse
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book really surprised me. I found it really difficult to get into because I wasn't a fan of the writing style. It's very dense, and not lyrical. It reminds me a lot of the stream of consciousness. I hated it at first, but it really grew on me as I kept reading.
I also didn't like the characters, I found them disrespectful and indulgent. But somewhere along the way, I came to care about them. I think the reason why, is again, because of the writing style. We are thrust into the lives of these characters very suddenly, and we have no choice but to go along with the quick pace the lives around them are changing.
One thing I continued to dislike throughout the whole book was the treatment of women. It felt very objectifying at first, especially during the early scenes between our main character and Catherine. Similarly, I struggled with how Catherine was written. She was so desperate to please, and I just couldn't imagine someone talking that way. Then again, I'm sure people acted in very peculiar ways during the war.
The ending of this novel is heart-wrenching. I can't believe it ends so suddenly. It really packed a punch. I've been thinking about it all day since.
Overall, I'm not sure I enjoyed this book. After all, I found it difficult to read given the writing style, I didn't particularly relate to any of the characters, and I wasn't that drawn into the plot. However, whenever I picked this book up I was loathe to put it down. I always wanted to read more. I'm glad I read this book.
I also didn't like the characters, I found them disrespectful and indulgent. But somewhere along the way, I came to care about them. I think the reason why, is again, because of the writing style. We are thrust into the lives of these characters very suddenly, and we have no choice but to go along with the quick pace the lives around them are changing.
One thing I continued to dislike throughout the whole book was the treatment of women. It felt very objectifying at first, especially during the early scenes between our main character and Catherine. Similarly, I struggled with how Catherine was written. She was so desperate to please, and I just couldn't imagine someone talking that way. Then again, I'm sure people acted in very peculiar ways during the war.
The ending of this novel is heart-wrenching. I can't believe it ends so suddenly. It really packed a punch. I've been thinking about it all day since.
Overall, I'm not sure I enjoyed this book. After all, I found it difficult to read given the writing style, I didn't particularly relate to any of the characters, and I wasn't that drawn into the plot. However, whenever I picked this book up I was loathe to put it down. I always wanted to read more. I'm glad I read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War