A review by komoderr
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A bisexual boy goes through his own little odyssey and comes out okay on the other side.
I was deeply impressed with the emotions Holden exhibited and how wide his breadth of emotion was. I strongly related to his existentialism and his mental torment over the course of the novel.
I think the mental symptoms overflowing into actual physical ailment near the end really brought the book to what it had been building towards all along.
The characters Holden meets along the way were all unique and memorable, and worthy of the time spent on them in the novel. My only minor gripe is a lack of plot, because it can feel meandering at times, but that’s certainly (1) the point and (2) the best stylistic choice this book could’ve made. I also liked Holden’s speech patterns, minus the slurs.