This stream doesn't have much life in it (The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger)

Member Name: carly_pussycat

Product:	The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger
Date:	29/06/04 (701 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fairly well written

Disadvantages: NOTHING actually 'happened'

In the past I've never really paid attention to my Amazon book recommendations as they're constantly changing depending on past purchases. However, this novel had appeared consistently in my recommendations for a long time so curiosity eventually devoured me and I couldn't resist slipping it in into my little digital shopping basket much like that sneaky move in the supermarket when you drop a luxury ice cream tub into the trolley while your boyfriend's evaluating the price differences between toilet rolls.

So anyway, onwards to the book! It is an unusual story in that I could probably reveal the whole plot without actually ruining the book as it concentrates more on the journey than the destination - though some say this is the key to a happy life so maybe the author's onto something here...

It begins with the protagonist, Holden Caulfield relating a very brief summary of his family history. He has one older brother called D.B. and one younger sister, Phoebe. His younger brother Allie died several years previously.

D.B. is a writer in Hollywood and Phoebe is still at school; Holden has been expelled from three private schools and has just been expelled from his fourth; Pencey prep. in Pennsylvania. This book really just turns out to be Holden's stream of consciousness between the time he prepared to leave Pencey and making his way back home.

The text itself is written in colloquial American so it is easy to follow if you hail from that same Dawsons Creek 20-something generation that I'm from. It helps that it's written like this (with certain parts of words in italics to indicate sarcasm etc.) because it's easy to imagine Holden's state of mind when thinking or talking in such a manner, and even easier to imagine yourself saying similar things in that rebel-against-your-parents Harry Enfield "I HATE you" phase of your teenage years.

Initially I was engrossed in the book because it was written in a similar way to how I think: pretty negatively and quite often critical of others. However, it soon became apparent that this was all the book had to offer. There was minimal development in the plot; it was literally just Holden's journey from Pencey through New York and back to his parents' home. I felt as if the whole book was building up to some monumental event but when I reached the penultimate chapter and nothing had happened I was left somewhat disheartened.

Upon reaching the last chapter there was something that happened (I won't reveal the event as it was the only interesting part!) which made Holden's thoughts do a quick U-turn, but even that wasn't enough after enduring a whole book of complete and utter nothingness. It felt akin to when you go to sneeze about three times and never do, and then when you finally do it's not a massive sneeze, just a stupid little one. Thoroughly unsatisfying.


My conclusion to this review will be that you should never, and I repeat NEVER, trust a computer generated recommendation.

Thankfully this book was only £3.99 and under 200 pages so I didn't waste too much of my life or money in reading it.

To sum it up: don't bother.

I welcome your comments though; and if anyone liked it, please tell me why!?


ISBN 0-14-023750-X

£3.99 from www.amazon.co.uk


Written by carly_pussycat for dooyoo UK ©

Summary: A troubled teenager's stream of consciousness