Scan barcode
A review by theresejanosky
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
3.0
The most annoying part of this book is the discourse surrounding it. Some people think this book is an incredible work of literature. Some people think it's the worst book ever written. I've seen people say that if you don't feel sad for Holden then you lack empathy (a truly unhinged take). I've seen people say that if you connect with Holden you're probably an insufferable, privileged person with no real problems (maybe this one could be a teeny, tiny, little bit true). People are really doing the most in discussions about this book, and it's kind of bonkers to me.
I first read this book in high school during a phase where I also tried to watch the movie Pulp Fiction three separate times but kept falling asleep. I hated it then and thought Holden was a garbage boy. This time around though, I felt pretty neutral about it. So maybe that's some character growth for me. Whether it's good or bad character growth I couldn't say.
My take is that Holden is pretty annoying and insufferable, and I would not want to be his friend or have even a single conversation with him. But I do feel sad for him. I think this book speaks to how uniquely awful being a teenager can be, and I probably have more sympathy for teenagers now that I'm past that point in life than I did when I actually was a teenager. Maybe because I was a little like Holden and just straight up hated everyone, other teenagers included (Holden also included). Yes, Holden is very privileged, but he has been having a pretty tough go of it leading up to the events of the novel. So while I'd like to stay very far away from him, I would like for Holden to get the help and support that kids deserve. As far as everything besides the character of Holden goes, this book is fine. I don't really know what else to say beyond that. It just felt so middle of the road to me.
The one thing I can say I genuinely like about this book is Holden's sister, Phoebe. She is lovely and her interactions with Holden are very sweet and also a little heartbreaking. I thought Salinger did a great job crafting their relationship.
I'm honestly a little shocked at the stir this book can create because it's pretty short and mostly plotless. I can't get myself to love it or to feel angry about it. It's just a book I read that had some good bits and some bad bits. I love when I feel nothing towards a trivial thing I see people feeling really stressed about. Like when everyone was freaking out about the final season of Game of Thrones being bad, but I stopped watching after season 3. It makes me feel like I am a very Zen person. That's how I feel about this book.
I first read this book in high school during a phase where I also tried to watch the movie Pulp Fiction three separate times but kept falling asleep. I hated it then and thought Holden was a garbage boy. This time around though, I felt pretty neutral about it. So maybe that's some character growth for me. Whether it's good or bad character growth I couldn't say.
My take is that Holden is pretty annoying and insufferable, and I would not want to be his friend or have even a single conversation with him. But I do feel sad for him. I think this book speaks to how uniquely awful being a teenager can be, and I probably have more sympathy for teenagers now that I'm past that point in life than I did when I actually was a teenager. Maybe because I was a little like Holden and just straight up hated everyone, other teenagers included (Holden also included). Yes, Holden is very privileged, but he has been having a pretty tough go of it leading up to the events of the novel. So while I'd like to stay very far away from him, I would like for Holden to get the help and support that kids deserve. As far as everything besides the character of Holden goes, this book is fine. I don't really know what else to say beyond that. It just felt so middle of the road to me.
The one thing I can say I genuinely like about this book is Holden's sister, Phoebe. She is lovely and her interactions with Holden are very sweet and also a little heartbreaking. I thought Salinger did a great job crafting their relationship.
I'm honestly a little shocked at the stir this book can create because it's pretty short and mostly plotless. I can't get myself to love it or to feel angry about it. It's just a book I read that had some good bits and some bad bits. I love when I feel nothing towards a trivial thing I see people feeling really stressed about. Like when everyone was freaking out about the final season of Game of Thrones being bad, but I stopped watching after season 3. It makes me feel like I am a very Zen person. That's how I feel about this book.