A review by animar1a
On the Road by Jack Kerouac

adventurous challenging inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I picked up this book because I knew Kerouac was one of Bob Dylan’s influences, and beat writers and poets have been catching my attention recently. I wouldn’t say On the Road was a disappointment, but it also didn’t live up to my expectations. I didn’t enjoy the ‘stream of consciousness’ writing style or the abhorrent racism, misogyny and pedophelia; but the plot (or lack thereof) was actually really compelling. I don’t think the passage of time was coherent whatsoever, with some parts of the book being drawn out and pointless to the character arc, and others being beautifully written but much too short, (specifically their time spent in Mexico and the ending of the novel). On the Road is definitely inspiring but deeply flawed. anyways I’m not feeling desperate to read any more of Kerouac’s novels, but I probably will in the future.
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