The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Feb 06, 2018 Rincey marked it as dnf · review of another edition

DNF @ ~50%

This one falls heavily in the "it's not you, it's me" category. Might pick it up again in the future, but right now my brain is not attaching to this one. ...more

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Sep 16, 2018 Melissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-heard

An odd book, reminds me of The Things They Carried format-wise. What struck me is the massive selfishness of many of the narrating characters, how they all chose to use the Deaf character of Singer as a repository for their worries or annoyances without ever listening or truly trying to engage him in conversation. This is also a very lonely book, with characters that only connect to each other’s lives in very superficial ways.

Read for a task in 2018 Read Harder - it was an Oprah’s BC pick

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Aug 09, 2013 Deb rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, fiction

I'm in awe of this book and its author. The whole time I was reading it, I couldn't stop thinking about Carson McCullers and HER story. Who writes this kind of thing at 23? Who possesses that kind of insight and depth and writes equally well black and white characters, adults and kids, women and men (but mostly men)? Astounding. And worth a read. ...more

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Aug 13, 2011 Erin rated it really liked it

Been meaning to read this for years. I can't say I'm DYING to read it, but I'm hopeful....

More of a page-turner than I anticipated, so I was happy for that. I've long meant to read this classic of Southern literature but always found a good reason not to start it. I'm glad that I read it, but it is certainly dark. DARK.

It follows five primary characters in a small Southern town and their interactions with each other, those around them and society as a whole. It tries to accomplish a lot in thre ...more

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Apr 24, 2017 Astrid Lim rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, literature, america, disability, popsugar-2017

Not to discredit the translator, but I think reading this book in English would be more enjoyable. The translation of this book is decent, but could not capture perfectly the atmosphere of the story. I know that the main theme of this book is about loneliness, and I could feel some of the silence and quietness- but not completely buy them.

I like the story though, the main character, Mr. Singer, who is deaf and mute, is a perfect representative of the world of silence - but ironically, he's the o ...more

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Dec 02, 2013 Kate rated it liked it

I don't know if there is any link between McCullers and Hemingway, but they seem cut from the same cloth. The language is very spare and the characters begin, and remain, fundamentally alone - a set of striving individuals rather than a community. The book seems to be exploring the tension between our very personal passions, Mick's "inside room," and our intense need to connect with others. There are moments when characters come close to touching, opening up these most central parts of their sou ...more

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Mar 19, 2010 Donna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, twisted-sisters

Very well written novel. Well ahead of its time in depicting both African-Americans in the South in the 1930s and the minds of teenage girls. John Singer is an interesting character.

Though my personal preference is for a bit more "story" the character development and writing were superb. ...more

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