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

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Man, this is definitely one of those novels whose cultural legacy is extremely incongruous with the actual content of the story. I was under the impression that Holden Caulfield was a sinister character, the original incel... but he's approximately as fucked in the head as your average depressed sixteen year old. His mind is not a pleasant place to be but I just felt sad for him. I also found his relationship with his little sister to be really touching.

I can't decide if it was a missed opportunity or a dodged bullet that I didn't read this as an insufferable depressed teen as it definitely would have become my entire personality.