Reviews

Seize the Day by Saul Bellow

book_line_and_sinker's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

3.75

drysers's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad medium-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

4.5

Pretty profound stuff but also very funny. Worried by just how much I could relate to the main protagonist.

aaaahhhhh's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

emily1602's review against another edition

Man wanders around New York in a panic over his mounting debts, which brings him to a deeper sense of despair about his wasted life. He is freaked out by the size of the city, the sheer number of people packed so closely together. The ennui is sometimes relatable, but many of the period details are so quaint that it felt more nostalgic than anything else. There are shoe shines and private-eye academies and  apple strudel at automats for 25 cents. 

Wilhelm's attitudes toward his ex-wife and his mistress is messed up. Not that this is bad exactly. His anger at his ex-wife reminded me of having temper tantrums as a kid. Even when my difficulties were the consequences of my own actions, they still felt colossally unfair.

alciewms's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

3.75

lilyaulait's review against another edition

4.0

And so the day remains unseized, in spite of a pathetic, far-too-late attempt to grasp at it. “Tommy” Wilhelm “Wilky” Adler shall spend the second half of his life half-heartedly repairing the mistakes of the first half–just as he feared.

jyotideepa's review against another edition

4.0

One of the best-written books I read this year. A valuable read for those who want to master the craft of Storytelling.

christene_littlelibrary's review against another edition

3.0

Seize the Day, follows the chronicles of a single day of a man named, Wilhelm Adler. A failed middle aged actor, out of work, nearly broke, and estranged from his wife and children. He is haunted by all of his setbacks and bad decisions in life and is in search of salvation through an easy financial win that will solve all his problems in the help of this so called man, Dr. Tamkin. He has invested the last of his savings and was advised to shed the burden of his failed past and to live in the here and now, in other words, to "Seize the Day".

A very well written novella. Simple yet impactful. 3.5/5

christopher_azure's review against another edition

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

3.0

chiara_everywhere's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5