The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars
Pages: 214
Genre: Fiction (Classic)
Series: No
Publication Date: 1952

Synopsis (From Google Books):

In an effort to escape the hypocrisies of life at his boarding school, sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield seeks refuge in New York City

LibraryThing Prediction: Probably Will Not Like It

Review:

Where to Start?

This is my second go around with Holden Caulfield. I read "Catcher In The Rye" for the first time in high school. I re-read the book because I eventually plan to read all the books that I read in my 11th grade English class over again. Because I did not enjoy most of them and wanted to see if my opinion still holds. For this book it did.

My main problem is that the story is in first person stream of thought style. And Holden Caulfield's thoughts are everywhere. Add to that he chooses to repeat the same words over and over again. I can understand why Salinger did this, so that the reader can better understand Caulfield and his problems, but it irked me. It was so bad that I would guess when he would used certain phrase at the end of a sentence, and I would mostly be right.

Here is an example of phrase that popped up every page or so:

It really is (or was)
I (or they) really....
Depressed me Or Depressing
Kill me (or you)

I don't know if my dislike for the book come from the fact that I can't relate to sixteen year old boys or was it the character and story style, but whatever it was. It wasn't working. It got to the point where I would have to take a break after each chapter. Not because the storyline was hard to follow but the style just wasn't working for me and I needed a breather.

Overall, the concept is good but the main character just messes it up for me.

Pros: I seriously can't think of any
Cons: Character, Wording


Overall Recommendation:

Read it if you want to get through some of the classics or 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. Otherwise, skip it.

Challenges:
Decades '09 (4 out of 9 Books)
Library Challenge (4 out of 25 Books)
Round The World Passage (2 out of 18 Books)

Rewards:
National Book Award Finalist (1952)

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