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margaretb6's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
emmayu918's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rmoore15's review
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Best part about this book is exploring what it means to truly be affected and changed by a person, been thinking about the ending to this book a lot since I finished it.
nelsey's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
3.0
reading this book for school, i was honestly pretty excited to have chosen it. it was really promising for the first quarter-ish of the book. after maybe page 100, it just fell off for me. the story didn’t veer into a different direction or anything but that may have been why it fell off, nothing really changed though i did dislike gene a lot more and just didn’t appreciate his character as the book went on
spectracommunist's review against another edition
5.0
This is so beautiful. I think this falls on my top 5 reads this year. It's a perfect prelude to WWII America. It so revolves on a particular experience of Gene Forrester, who experiences a mental conflict in his distant from actual war, a separate peace, and events leading to his loss of innocence which acts as a driving force for a rush of war in him as well as his colleagues.
This so reminds me of Catcher in the Rye, in portraying a personal disillusion and a passive warlike ambience on streets. Besides, this is also much different as a narrative. There is much dank humour in serious conditions or moments of tension that feel so utterly touching. And afterall, it explores a mental rivalry between two best friends so eruditly that has a lot to say about close male friendships.
I think this is so overlooked as it is darkly true for this world and secondly the description of adulthood jealously can push anyone out of their comfort zones because it is truth.
This so reminds me of Catcher in the Rye, in portraying a personal disillusion and a passive warlike ambience on streets. Besides, this is also much different as a narrative. There is much dank humour in serious conditions or moments of tension that feel so utterly touching. And afterall, it explores a mental rivalry between two best friends so eruditly that has a lot to say about close male friendships.
I think this is so overlooked as it is darkly true for this world and secondly the description of adulthood jealously can push anyone out of their comfort zones because it is truth.
cozylittlebrownhouse's review against another edition
3.0
Overrated. Read it on a spring break trip to Santa Fe and thought "Hmmph" when I finally finished. "Hmmph" is my sound for "Why do people go apeshit over this book?"
sam2085's review against another edition
5.0
Like any good fiction, this novel provides insight into a particular world by vividly painting the physical setting, culture, and interpersonal relationships common to that place and time. In this case, A Separate Peace focuses on the human experience when lived by rich white male adolescents at a boarding school during the Second World War.
The characters themselves are believable archetypes, and the most compelling is the narrator. Without his knowledge, the reader sees an intellectual, self-absorbed youth descend into a kind of madness before knowingly climbing out of it. This provides a particular psychological benefit to the the reader, though the author was wise not to play this card ham-handedly.
Even with the tragedy essentially announced in the first chapter, the book’s conclusion comes as a gut punch. Well done.
Highly recommended!
The characters themselves are believable archetypes, and the most compelling is the narrator. Without his knowledge, the reader sees an intellectual, self-absorbed youth descend into a kind of madness before knowingly climbing out of it. This provides a particular psychological benefit to the the reader, though the author was wise not to play this card ham-handedly.
Even with the tragedy essentially announced in the first chapter, the book’s conclusion comes as a gut punch. Well done.
Highly recommended!
sheilareads_'s review against another edition
5.0
Another book that I read in March.
Wow what an amazing book. The novel is a poignant representation of boyhood in the background of war. A must read. The book made me think a lot.
Wow what an amazing book. The novel is a poignant representation of boyhood in the background of war. A must read. The book made me think a lot.
hilaryannbrown's review against another edition
4.0
A classic exploration of the psychology of adolescence. MUCH preferred over Lord of the Flies. What happens when the transition between boyhood and manhood takes place in wartime?