The Sympathizer (The Sympathizer, #1) in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Jun 14, 2020 Loretta rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a hard book in many ways. It's very readable, that's not what I mean by hard. And it doesn't start out hard. But the story told, which more or less starts with the fall of Saigon, is unrelenting and honest and brutal in its depiction of war and the effects of war on all who live through it; it is both indictment and compassionate portrayal of cruel and vicious people, who are also the people who suffered the evils of war.

I'm having a hard time trying to review this, but I gave it five s ...more

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Apr 18, 2016 Eunice rated it really liked it

Somewhere between 3-4 stars for me. I can see why this book won the Pulitzer Prize. It feels important with a strong message, is beautifully written and his voice is unique. However, I lacked a bit of connection to it to push it over into the solid 4/5 star category for me. For me, there was a long middle section about making a movie which was based on the making of Apocalypse Now that was a bit tedious for me. Aside from this, the main character is full of complexities and I really was left thi ...more

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Sep 25, 2016 A. V. rated it it was amazing

The writing is relentless. How can someone get so much humor, plot, insight and characterization into every sentence? An atypically typical war story about both sides and neither side. A book to put in my "to be reread" pile. ...more

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Dec 31, 2016 Isabel rated it liked it

5 for the narrator + the Hollywood story line; 2 for the decision that that thing should have much of a plot beyond the narrator's delightful ramblings. The last 1/3, in particular, mostly left me cold. ...more

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