Helpful Score: 4
Man those people drank a lot. I got dehydrated just reading about it.
If you like Hemingway because of the way he's able to use short words over and over and they hit you like it's the first time you've ever really heard them, you'll love this book. If you like Hemingway because of manly men doing things where you're like, "I'm a man, or at least I've observed them at close range, and I don't get why the correct man reaction to ________ (insult/woman's inscrutable comment/witness of horrific action/light fog) is _________ (fighting and winning/fighting and losing/fighting and drinking with the guy you just fought with/saying something random but confident and the woman seems to believe you and swim in your words). I don't understand why these are correct man responses, but I can see that they are, and I don't measure up," you'll also like this book.
If you like Hemingway because everybody you like dies, and so does everyone you hate, and aw hell, the bellhop and the waiter die too, this might not be the Hemingway for you.
If you like Hemingway because of the way he's able to use short words over and over and they hit you like it's the first time you've ever really heard them, you'll love this book. If you like Hemingway because of manly men doing things where you're like, "I'm a man, or at least I've observed them at close range, and I don't get why the correct man reaction to ________ (insult/woman's inscrutable comment/witness of horrific action/light fog) is _________ (fighting and winning/fighting and losing/fighting and drinking with the guy you just fought with/saying something random but confident and the woman seems to believe you and swim in your words). I don't understand why these are correct man responses, but I can see that they are, and I don't measure up," you'll also like this book.
If you like Hemingway because everybody you like dies, and so does everyone you hate, and aw hell, the bellhop and the waiter die too, this might not be the Hemingway for you.
Helpful Score: 3
I'm not particularly fond of Hemingway's stark prose and "tip of the iceberg" writing style, but this book was fascinating to think about afterwards, when I had to write an essay. Interesting though totally unlikeable characters and some very memorable lines.
Helpful Score: 3
I've never understood why this book rates any praise, it is among the worst books I have ever read. Maybe Hemingway is an acquired taste, but I find his writing just drunken, depressing rambling. There are far too many wonderful books to waste that kind of time in my opinion.
Helpful Score: 2
This book was really interesting...I had a better appreciation for it when I finsihed reading it. It took a little time to get into, but in the end it was pretty good!!
Helpful Score: 1
The book is a slow start as a vast slew of characters are intorduced to the reader and you try to get a grasp on just what exactly they are doing or where this book is going. But once they get to Spain and you start to figure these characters out (they are characters) you hate to see the party break-up at the end.
Must read for anyone.
Must read for anyone.
