The Catcher In The Rye (The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger)

Member Name: grumpygremlin

Product:	The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger
Date:	10/11/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Apparently one of the best novels of the 20th century

Disadvantages: Dull, depressing, disatisfying, lacking interesting characters or any real plot.

This text has become a great American classic, and seems to be loved by many. However, I personally could not find what there was to be loved. For one, every other word seemed to be either 'depressed' or 'phony' - they turned up pretty much every page! This sort of sums up what the book was about. A young lad, full of angst, lacking direction, and full of cynicism against a world and society that to him is 'phony'. Perhaps it is to emphasise the 'phony' that Salinger creates such unrealistic, hollow and ultimately uninteresting characters. If Holden lacks direction, that's precisely what the book does. Very little seems to actually happen as you read it, the 'plot' seems almost non-existent. If ever you feel that something seems about to happen, that some new character will bring with it some form of plot, you are sure to be disappointed. You come out of reading it highly dissatisfied, and feeling almost as depressed as the characters!

Summary: Read it to make up your own choice, but don't feel you have to love it just because it's a 'classic'