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scottyreadsstuff's review against another edition
This is starting to lose luster and feel cluttered. Too bad, it started out brilliant!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
slodder's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
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
2.0
I loved other Tim O’Brien books, but this was a dud for me. Very long, with no emotional payoff, d the characters were too unlikeable to even find their misfortune enjoyable.
hallformusic's review against another edition
3.5
impeccable writing paired with a delusional plot. unreliable narrators abound. loved the characters.
barbarella's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
lindy_b's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
2.0
drkennethnoisewater's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
O'Brien's classic The Things They Carried is one of my all time favourites, so this book always had a high bar to clear. It is propulsive and funny, taking wry swipes at the alt-right and fake news but the female characters aren't very sharply drawn and the misogyny of many of the male characters is pretty off-putting (which is probably the point)
j9theshort's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bhnmt61's review against another edition
Not for me. Very disappointing, because I was really looking forward to this--The Things They Carried is an all-time favorite of mine. I'm on the same side of the political fence as O'Brien but I found his continuous sniping at conservatives off-putting and sometimes even offensive.
It started out great- sort of a slightly more sophisticated Hiaasen- but by about the halfway point I was so tired of the not-very-funny farce that I skipped through the second half and then read the last thirty pages. First of all, it didn't seem like I missed much (more murder and more larceny). And secondly, I was expecting Boyd to become more likeable, or at least sympathetic, by the end, but nope. That last couple of paragraphs was surprisingly offensive (really? a 20-year-old?)-- and worst of all, I couldn't tell if O'Brien also thought it was, or if he thought that was giving Boyd a genuinely good ending. I can't say how disappointed I am in this book. Is the take-home message that since some people are awful, we might as well all give up and be awful, and ha-ha, isn’t that hilarious? I’m no paragon but I try to be kind most of the time. The characters in this novel don’t even make an effort, and that’s a level of cynicism that actually scares me.
It started out great- sort of a slightly more sophisticated Hiaasen- but by about the halfway point I was so tired of the not-very-funny farce that I skipped through the second half and then read the last thirty pages. First of all, it didn't seem like I missed much (more murder and more larceny). And secondly, I was expecting Boyd to become more likeable, or at least sympathetic, by the end, but nope. That last couple of paragraphs was surprisingly offensive (really? a 20-year-old?)-- and worst of all, I couldn't tell if O'Brien also thought it was, or if he thought that was giving Boyd a genuinely good ending. I can't say how disappointed I am in this book. Is the take-home message that since some people are awful, we might as well all give up and be awful, and ha-ha, isn’t that hilarious? I’m no paragon but I try to be kind most of the time. The characters in this novel don’t even make an effort, and that’s a level of cynicism that actually scares me.
space_scoundrel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kyne_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0