A review by burymeatmakeoutcreek
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

I read this book once for high school and I remember loving it. Despite Holden's unreliability as a narrator and some dated language, I was enthralled by his mark as a storyteller. However, reading this again made me realize he really is just a teenager and this book is mostly his ramblings on anything and everything. It is also about the messed up life of a privileged kid who's trying to survive his own mind. I know most people now aren't into first-person narration and this book especially hinges on going through the mind of this teenage boy. However, I still think it's valuable for being able to present the life of a single person through a stream-of-consciousness style and showing the character's motives through their words and actions. 

Unlike the book, this review is going nowhere. I just loved it, despite everything wrong with it. I cannot get over how much despair Holden goes through and I'll always remember the red hunting hat.
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