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A review by elainarkk
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
You guessed it: another book read for my literature class on modernism!
Personally, I was not a fan of Hemingway's journalistic writing style. While it was certainly easier to read than other modernist authors, it also felt boring. I found myself skimming over long descriptions of nature that would go on for pages--and while I'm sure these descriptions could have some metaphorical significance, they didn't feel well executed. The story itself was okay. The ending (as in the last 20 pages) was the most interesting and moving portion of the book, but the rest felt dated and un-relatable. I'm always wary of "romance" books or love stories written by men (especially "classic" love stories), because there always seems to be an inherent misogynistic characterization of the women in the story, and that quality is definitely present in A Farewell To Arms. I think Hemingway has some wise things to say about the war and its effects on people in the aftermath, but I also feel like I would have rather read a different novel that covered the same themes in a more tactful or interesting way...
Personally, I was not a fan of Hemingway's journalistic writing style. While it was certainly easier to read than other modernist authors, it also felt boring. I found myself skimming over long descriptions of nature that would go on for pages--and while I'm sure these descriptions could have some metaphorical significance, they didn't feel well executed. The story itself was okay. The ending (as in the last 20 pages) was the most interesting and moving portion of the book, but the rest felt dated and un-relatable. I'm always wary of "romance" books or love stories written by men (especially "classic" love stories), because there always seems to be an inherent misogynistic characterization of the women in the story, and that quality is definitely present in A Farewell To Arms. I think Hemingway has some wise things to say about the war and its effects on people in the aftermath, but I also feel like I would have rather read a different novel that covered the same themes in a more tactful or interesting way...
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death