Date Started: 3/20/12
Date Finished: 3/23/12
One-Word Summary: Adolescent
When I decided to read this book, my husband said "you won't get it." I forged ahead and while I did get it, I can see where he was coming from.
Look, the narrator is a young teenage boy, so clearly this book is going to resonate with guys. We are dropped into a two-day or so time in Holden Caulfield's life. We can tell, based on the very start of the story and the very end, that something has happened and he is out in California. How he got there and what happened is never answered. We only get this glimpse into his life.
One of the things I liked best about the book was the way it really puts you into 1949. The language opened up this world in away it hadn't been opened to me before. I'll admit to being surprised about the adventures Holden has - I somehow like to think that people were more innocent back then and this clearly proves this misconception wrong.
Did I like Holden? Tough question but I think the answer is a resounding yes. We feel his pain at the loss of his brother, Allie and he clearly loves and adores his sister, Phoebe. He is flawed, but aren't we all?
I can see where the controversy came from when this was published. It is dark and deals with heavy subjects. That said, I think it was worth the read and I'm glad I finally decided to pick this one up.
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