I had no idea what this book was about but have always been intrigued. I felt such discomfort, anxiety, and pure dislike/hate of this book as I read it . I cannot speak for people who have severe narcissistic mental health disorders as to how accurate it is but if you have ever been in a toxic relationship with a narcissist.. this book is hella triggering. The way Holden interacts and speaks of those around him swinging back and forth from praising/loving to tearing them to shreds in whiplash I have experienced being on the other side of that and listening to it. I also just didn’t understand the plot much and the way it abruptly ended made me mad, that I had gone through all that emotional turmoil for it to just… finish with no real reason. Anyways I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you are curious about what it feels like to be around someone with actual narcissism.

Some novels have engaging characters or an absorbing plot or are delightfully written. Some even have two or all three of these elements. But then there are novels like The Catcher in the Rye that has none of these features.

I detested this so-called ‘great novel’ when I was compelled to read it as a teenager at secondary school. But that was decades ago, so when I mentioned my loathing recently and someone claimed it was well-written, I decided to read it again. But no, I didn’t find it well-written either: probably because it is a first-person narrative of a puerile, self-absorbed, cynical adolescent, the writing reflects that too.

To be clear, I have enjoyed novels whose MC is unattractive and selfish. But for me there needs to be something else for the novel to be ‘great’, moving, impactful and absorbing – some wider perspective, perhaps, or beautiful writing or something.

Yes, I understand that the MC, Holden Caulfield, is grieving for his dead brother, estranged from his parents and is grappling with the anguish of a teenager growing up. But his deep cynicism of everything, shallow appreciation of others, selfishness and general sordidness in thought and word is just plain ugly and unappealing. The MC only shows a bit of human warmth towards his younger sister, and even then he struggles not to be a selfish moron. (Now, if the MC had been his sister instead – she comes across as a sensible, decent human being – with a disturbed older brother to cope with, that might have been a ‘great novel’).

In short, I still regard this novel as the ‘type specimen’ of a largely meritless novel that some others regard as superlative for reasons I can’t really understand.

Or in words Holden might use: The MC is such a pain in the arse and phony sonuvabitch who annoys the hell out of me. The whole novel is a dumb, stinking goddam story that makes me want to puke.

Just a weird teenage boy hating everything, being sexist, racist and homophobic at the same time. Definitely of its time. 

how you all liked this book is insane and you terrify me. the sexism makes this book worthy of being burned. only thing I liked was how easy it is to read and the old man at the end.

This book does not live up to the hype. I just could not get into it, it’s was very hard for me to read I think it might be because I hated the repetition.