Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Над пропастью во ржи

It started with a bit of a slouch (it wasn't to easy to adjust to 1940's New York slang at first), but I quickly found myself drawn to Salingers way of weaving the complex struggles of adolescence into the narrative through Holden's own conflicted perspective. And boy does he have a very strong perspective.

While Holden is certainly a very... idiosyncratic character (he's a bit of a dick, quick to pass judgment on others whilst falling short of identifying the same flaws in himself sometimes), he's also a character that's very true to the adolescent struggle of failing to fit in. To find a purpose in a world that places a lot of restrictions upon people while growing up. And how in trying to rebel against the confines of adulthood and this sense of alienation from ourselves, we can get lost just as well as when we're giving in.

There's a lot of other interesting themes and often dark topics (like sexual assault and trauma) that get brought up, but this one resonated with me the most.

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darcybeckett's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Pretty neutral on this book. I don't have super strong feelings either way which seems to place me in the minority, as I feel like people tend to either really hate or really love this book. Similarly with Holden I didn't love him or hate him, I more just felt really bad for him.

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seanml's review against another edition

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funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Excellent. A kid on the verge of growing into a young adult tells us all about how the world works. Everyone is annoying - either they're sad and pathetic to think about. Or they're phony; so full of themselves. Every except Holden - Holden who hates movies more than anything but sometimes goes to watch them. Holden who knows all about how women work because he's decided how they work before he even says hello. Holden does have a lot of beautiful points to make about the world - they're just not the ones he intends. 9/10.

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halaagmod's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective 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

3.0

I suppose for the time written, the contents in this book were groundbreaking and never seen before, and I can certainly appreciate the cultural significance that this book has had on Western literature and pop culture. However, in the era where much of the protagonist's antics are more-or-less seen as completely normal or expected teenage behavior, it falls flat in living up to its legacy and does little to give the reader anything entirely unique or of substance to chew on. There's little for me to dig my fangs into as far as analyzation since everything is just laid out for the reader (though this did help in English class; easiest A I've ever gotten on an assignment), and as far as an actual story, though it is dull and uneventful throughout the entire thing, it was still an enjoyable read thanks to Holden's pessimistic quips and the wonderful writing, hence my three star rating.

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o3tri's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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marmat89on's review against another edition

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dark funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I’ve feel like I’ve never read a book that so captured me! Some parts I could’ve sworn were written for and about me. I know I need to read more, but this book taught me at the very least what life was like a bit in the 1930s or whenever.

I love Salinger’s style, where he says one thing, thinks another, written in a whole different way; and then goes off to tell a little side story. Only for that point to either go nowhere, or come up full circle by the end. Maybe I’m too heavily praising it, but I do want to read more Salinger and I’ll probably try an unauthorized sequel from the library – 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye. I just loved Holden Caulfield. His way of thinking and living, and his love for his little sister Phobe, it just killed me. Great for a teen, originally written for adults. Healthy exposure to drinking, swearing, coming-of-age, sex, depression, anxiety, and love. Good talking points for sure.

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islamccormack's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, and Alcohol

I honestly wasn’t expecting that book to be so amazing. I know that it’s a classic, but sometimes classics can be dusty and complicated to read. This was far from that, despite its slight slow pace sometimes (hence 4.75 stars). I have never felt so connected to a character in all the times that I’ve read in a VERY long time. Holden is such a complex but heartbreakingly innocent character. He is exposed and is exposing himself to self destructive behaviours and experiences a series of chaotic events during this novel which he chooses to pursue, yet he is so in pain, which makes me sympathise with him so much. I was so incredibly moved by this story - I’m actually speechless. And the twist at the end was even more heartbreaking. Holders attention to detail, his observant nature, his immaturity yet his mature tendencies, his wit and humour, his melancholia (that “killed me”) and his pluckiness that initiates these illicit activities that he pursues on these adventures around New York make for a amusing yet harrowing tale. Its like I was simultaneously laughing but nearly crying the entire way through the novel. One, because I have a brother the same age as Holden and I was imagining him in this mischievous position of trying to claim his masculinity and maturity around a big city. But two, I was so deeply saddened by Holden’s depression which overarches all of the mischief that it almost brought me to tears. The relationship he had with his sister was also very touching and personal to me. I felt even the nuances of a sibling relationship was executed perfectly, and the carousel scene had me in tears. Salinger’s ability to capture the complexities of the human mind, dialogue, inner turmoil and nuances of American people and society from the naive yet tormented mind of a 16 year old boy was eye opening, pivotal in challenging Americanism and essential in shining a light on internalised melancholia and grief. And all under the shadow of a post war society to top it all off! This is the work of a genius. I definitely can stand with everybody now when they dub this book a classic.

carrrrrrrrmen's review against another edition

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reflective 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

4.5

i read this for school this year and loved it more than i expected

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