I must say that I was very pleased with this book, although I am majorly biased to a good piece of suspenseful writing. I think that Salinger's real tribute in that book was not in fact the book itself, but the uncanny ability he has to submerge into another character. It's almost as if to write the darn story, he lived it out scrupulously writing down every notable detail along the way. When reading, I felt (and I feel like many other people felt like this too) I knew Holden Caulfield personally. Red hunting hat, handsomely face, and sullen, lying profile and all.
I have to admit that it was still a decent novel, with some well-written and interesting quirks, but I just simply want to state that, that is not what made to novel remarkably. I'll remember back fondly at reading the book, and as a matter of fact I count on re-reading it one day again, but not for the story. Instead I'll read it for general effect, and puzzlement that I get from the main character--Holden Caulfield.
That's an interesting take on the book. There were some parts that I had felt J.D. Salinger may have been trying just a bit too hard, but when I read another's opinion of the book, I can't help but think that he really did do a great job of portraying the teen of the time, which I suppose could be attributed to his moderately young age at the time of writing. It wouldn't have been terribly difficult for him to write in the perspective of a teenager.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am completely impressed by the way he took on Holden's character. That was what had bothered me about the essays we read that said Salinger was just being whiny. Well, he wasn't, but Holden was. And have you ever met a teen that doesn't whine and complain?
ReplyDelete"Instead I'll read it for general effect, and puzzlement that I get from the main character--Holden Caulfield." Love it, Sisco. You have inspired me, to one day do that as well.