The Reivers
by William Faulkner
|
|
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of The Reivers.
discuss this book
friend reviews (0)
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
lists with this book
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 439)
Read in June, 2008
Many people refer to this book as a coming of age story about Lucius, an 11 year old boy who takes an trip with two of his father’s employees without his family’s knowledge. Along the way the young man is exposed to car thievery, whores, horse theft and smuggling, gambling and other family values. Others say that the book is about the coming of the automobile, and the adjustment that American’s were faced with. Both of these ideas are equally important themes to this book, as they paral...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in August, 2008
At my high school, they introduced us to Faulkner with SANCTUARY. I never returned to him until this summer, when somewhere or other I picked up a copy of this, Faulkner's last novel, published a month before he died in 1962. The following year, it won a Pulitzer, yet it is one of his least-known works.
I am convinced this is the novel with which to introduce readers to Faulkner. It is set in the fictitious Yoknapatawpha County that is the setting of several of his novels, a landscape wi...more
I am convinced this is the novel with which to introduce readers to Faulkner. It is set in the fictitious Yoknapatawpha County that is the setting of several of his novels, a landscape wi...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2008
This book is Faulkner's final one, published one month before he died. It started off very slow and was the hardest of Faulkner's novels for me to get into, but it was worth pushing through because the story really begins to flow and is pretty funny at parts. The story behind the book is what interested me more, however, because it is subtitled "A Reminiscence" and there are some interesting theories about its relationship to Faulkner's death. It seems to reveal that maybe Faulkner had...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
This is a book that can be read over and over again, as a matter of fact, this copy purchased over 25 years ago finally fell apart in my hands after being read countless times. The Reivers is the story Boon, who took the 11 yr old son of his employer, Lucius, on a weeklong joy ride to a memphis boarding house for women in his bosses car. Ned, a stowaway in the car, trades the car for a horse, to race the horse against one it has lost to twice already in order to win both the money from the race ...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Has a copy to sell/swap
—
Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
Faulkner/coming of age
I got this book in a used book store because the cover said William Faulkner and 'now a new movie w/ Steve McQueen' I'd never heard of it, but I like Faulkner and I like McQ. It's a coming of age story about an 11 year old who helps steal a car and leave Jefferson to go to Memphis for a few days set in 1905. It's got whores and horse racing and race relations (the 3rd guy in their conspiracy is black), dirty cops and fighting.
My favorite part is in chapter 4 where they get stuck in the mud and...more
My favorite part is in chapter 4 where they get stuck in the mud and...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
it is hard getting started but fun once you get past the slow opening. there is much thinking, knowledge, vocab in even this humorous look at incidents in faulkner s childhood. we have no auto bio of this great author so we have to enjoy this bit of nostalgia he left for us. it is a little like mark twain and i saw where a reviewer said it was faulkner s tribute to twain. the steve mcqueen movie is great also.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in October, 2004
Prof. Malone assigned the first five chapters in AC 153 (how the automobile has affected American culture). I finally got around to finishing it (thanks again to the shuttle). It was entertaining and a fairly easy read. I haven’t read other Faulkner, but I understand it is quite different.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
My first return to Faulkner (after high school). A wild ride that took me on a journey that I wouldn't have had in my youth.
Oh, to be young, slightly mischievous, and adventurous. It is a little lighter than his other works, so maybe I enjoyed the ride on this one the best.
Oh, to be young, slightly mischievous, and adventurous. It is a little lighter than his other works, so maybe I enjoyed the ride on this one the best.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Picked up a 1962 hardbound Random House edition of this for a dollar between laundry cycles and found myself 100 pages into it before I knew it - too easy and fun to read compared to most of Faulkner hence not considered one of his most important, but I'm enjoying it thoroughly!
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
This book is fairly straightforward for Faulkner and has lots of humorous picaresque moments. It basically involves the misadventures of a youth and two stablehands (one white, one black) who steal a car and drive to Memphis for some fun.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
A joy to read. At long last Faulkner gave us lucky readers a comic novel: those long sentences are set to deliver punchlines, and the general mood is picaresque rather than High Tragic. Hilarious and very moving.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in March, 2008
I finished this book around 10pm on a Sunday night. Afterwards, I turned on the TV to see what was on-and the film version was playing at 11pm. True story.
(Both are hysterical!) Who knew Faulkner could be funny?
(Both are hysterical!) Who knew Faulkner could be funny?
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in December, 2005
I visited Rowan Oak while in Oxford, Mississippi, a few years ago. I had never read Faulkner so I picked out this book, not knowing it was his last. It was wonderfully irreverant.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
recommends it for:
Young adolescent coming of age folk, and adults who like to laugh.
Wonderful experience of love and character in Deep South by a literary genius. Unexpected coming of age tale without undue suffering or in depth southern angst.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in October, 2007
Started off kind of slow, picked up toward the middle & had a good finish. Interaction between blacks & whites in early 1900s Mississippi was interesting.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2004
i rate this as a great introduction to faulkner; it features his wonderful writing style, but in a light and very readable comedy/adventure.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Has a copy to sell/swap
—
Read in April, 1997
recommends it for:
Big Huck Finn fans
This one is funny. That's right, funny Faulkner! I think it's an homage to Mark Twain, but I'm not sophisticated enough to be sure.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2003
This one has the advantage of being the only Faulkner book I'm pretty sure I understood what was going on THE WHOLE TIME.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2006
First Faulkner novel I was able to read and like -- it's quite funny. Still confusing at time, but hey, it's Faulkner.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
i think his best and most accessible and funniest, must read if you are from or have relatives from the south
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
