I haven't done a four-word review in a while, so here's one for As I Lay Dying:Dysfunctional Family Buries Mother
I can't quite leave it at that--I liked it better than The Sound and the Fury, but you still have to work at understanding some passages, and switch gears often due to the many narrators. In some parts I laughed, and others pondered the meaning of my existence, like the characters in the novel. If I were to read this in an American Lit class, where I would have to dissect it and dig deeper, I bet it would earn one more star. But for now:
Faulker is one author I shy away from. He gives me headaches. But I feel compelled to try, because my father thinks he's great. Can you recommend the least confusing one, for starters?
ReplyDeleteJeane,
ReplyDeleteI have only ventured into The Sound and the Fury and this one, and all I can say is that this one was more enjoyable for me! The Sound and the Fury gave me a headache too! I can't say that I am overly anxious to try another. Maybe in a couple of years.
I totally agree with your assessment of this book. Dysfunctional is a great word for it. Dysfunctional to the point of making you feel very , very sorry for them. Thanks for visiting my blog. I'm definitely going to keep checking back here.
ReplyDeleteAnother agreement here that As I Lay Dying is better than The Sound and the Fury. I read AILD in 11th grade and it was the first time I saw that I loved literature. It opened a whole new world for me.
ReplyDeleteMy mother with an English PhD thinks this is a really funny novel; every time she discusses it in an American lit class she just wants to laugh because everyone is putting meaning to it.
ReplyDeleteDid you think it was funny?
I haven't read it but I guess I should so I'd know what I think of it!
Some parts were definitely funny, but all in all I guess the book was rather forgettable for me. I have not learned to appreciate Faulkner...yet.
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