I really enjoyed reading this book. Contrary to the other reviews posted, I found it very interesting and insightful. I have not yet seen the movie, and am curious about how it will be done, because in general the story of the book is bland and sad, but the way the book is written, with pages and pages of inner monolouge which gives you insight into the emotion of the characters, makes the story worthwhile. Without all of the details you get from the characters thought life, I don't think I would like the story line very much.

The characters are real, they go beyond the cliche of middle life suburbia, and they made me think about my own priorities and future. I thought the book was well written, however if you don't like "deep" "contemplative" literature, this may not be the book for you. It takes a bit of engagement to get into it fully.

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This was a very different read for me. I enjoyed it but found it bitter sweet. It leaves you with a real complacent feeling, as though you too should be doing more with your life. I felt bad for both main characters, April is totally misunderstood by her husband and subject to his endless manipulation and Frank doesn't know how diluted he is. Although many aspects of this book are dated, (its set in the 1950s) it is remarkable how the general theme of the book is very applicable today.

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This book was very hard to get into and a bit boring at times. I found myself thinking about other things rather than this book. Although, it does have a good story line. Its message is clear and makes you wonder about others "perfect" lives. It ends sad and somewhat predictable.

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I picked up Revolutionary Road because I mistakenly thought it was on the list of 1001 books you must read before you die, but I feel it could be. Richard Yates eloquently writes about alienation in the 1950s. Frank and April Wheeler seem like the quintessential middle-class couple, but Yates' characterization gives a rich, nuanced picture of how they feel trapped in their dystopian suburban Connecticut existence. However, unlike many novels with psychologically detailed portrayals, the plot moves along and touches on profound themes such as love, mental illness, morality and gender roles. It is a satisfying book that makes one reflect on what constitutes a well-lived life.

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This book was amazing and really made me think about myself and how I think about other people. The paragraph structure of conversations is so unique, it flawlessly jumps from the situation, to what Frank wants to tell his wife later, back to the situation, to what Frank actually tells his wife, back to the situation... I could really relate to that because I'm often thinking of what I'm going to tell people later. I haven't seen the movie yet but I can't imagine that it's any good because it was the writing that made this book so remarkable.

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This is a very readable and realistically-written, although depressing, novel about the dissolution of a marriage in what was supposed to be the "ideal" 1950s American suburbs. Telling the tragic story of a quasi-bohemian couple conditioning themselves to suburban life (the classic picket fence, couple of kids, office job, etc.), the book explores the ideas of societal constraints and individuality, and the characters are written believably. I found myself drawn into the plot because the situation was so engaging, but the characters themselves can quickly seem rather sour. At the dark end of the novel, though, these flaws are justified and one realizes they've just read a work that speaks profound, yet very sad, truths still applicable to today's readers. Recommended, as is the splendidly shot and acted film version.

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very good book, sometimes a bit slow, but very poignant.

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Extraordinarily true dialogue. A great read.

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I bought this book because I wanted to see the movie. I figured whatever story had brought Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio back together had to be top-notch. I'm still holding out hope for the movie.

I found the story very boring. It's clearly written by a man who never attempts to get into the female psyche. We're given countless descriptions of how Frank held his jaw and what image he was trying to present. His wife is only ever seen through his eyes. I would have loved to see inside her thinking.

It's disappointing because it could have been so much more. A more balanced look at mid-life from the point of view of the very traditional 50s. Instead, it was the man's point of view in a decade that already left no room for a woman to be like April.

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"I think the writing is first-rate. The plot avoids making melodramatic martyrs out of the characters. There is no portrayal of Frank and April has being these intrinsically Byronic repressed-artist types. The closest the book comes to that are April's vague thespian ambitions. What we have is more of a sense of unsettledness in the milieu of Eisenhower-era suburbia.

The interesting part of their characterization is the depiction of the events of their youths, April's loveless childhood and Frank's wanderlust and his vague sense that he was meant for something big. Thus, it isn't just the intrinsic qualities of suburbia but the Wheeler's ill-adaptedness to it.

At the risk of giving too much away, the shifting in the perspective of the story to the Campbells from the Wheelers was a deft choice. I have to think that having a mentally unbalanced character making the trenchant observations he makes in the book has a cliched feel to it (sort of like having a blind character be the most insightful).

I think that back in 1961, the idea of a dry rot lying inside 1950s suburbia was probably had more of an impact then it would now. This is largely because the Wheeler's of the 1960s and 1970s were, in fact, more daring in living out of the box then their 1950s predecessors. Likewise, the use of the consideration of abortion as a plot device would've carried more weight pre-Roe v. Wade"...http://books.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977964287

I recommends this book; it maybe slow to read at frist, but it is more in detail than the movie. This story shows the lifestyle of the 50's and a deeply troubled couple.

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A great read.

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I just could not get into the story line.

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I really wanted to like this book --- but it just never really clicked with me. This is the story of Frank and April set in the mid 1950's in the greater New York area. It's really a story of the emotional turmoil between a couple in their early thirties and the people that touch, or don't touch (in the case of distant parents) their lives.

It was a fairly fast read, but I didn't ever really feel connected to the story. To me there was too much posturing between the characters. It was a pretty bleak story.

I know it was written in 1961, and nominated for the National Book Award. Perhaps it was more cutting edge when it was first published. To me today it just seemed sad.

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I read this for book club and would not have picked it up otherwise. Not the kind of story that I typically like to read, but I'm glad that I did. It is a depressing story, but eye opening.

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the story of a middle class young couple who find out that life isnt always what you thought it would be and dont read it if you think it will spoil your movie experience. I havent seen movie yet

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Overall I enjoyed this book. It was a little slow and hard to get into, but it did have some good twists and turns.

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In the hopeful 1950's, Frank and April Wheeler appear to be the model couple: bright, beautiful, talented, with two young children and a starter home in the suburbs. Perhaps they married too young and started a family yoo early. Maybe Frank's job is dull. And April never saw herself as a housewife. Yet they have always lived on the assumption that greatness is only just around the corner. But now that certainly is about to crumble. With heartbreaking compassion and remorseless clarity. Richard Yates shows how Frank and April mortgage their spiritual birthright, betraying not only each other, but their best selves.

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