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Comments (60)

What did you think about this title?
1 to 25 of 60 items
Jun 20, 2021maipenrai rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
Perhaps my expectations of this book were too high as I have enjoyed other works by Franzen. This book seems contrived. I was particularly annoyed by the repeated statements from the "autobiographer" of Patty's story. Why say again and…
Feb 14, 2021brettminor rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Jonathan Franzen tells a story very well. I cannot say this was an exciting book and, to be honest, not a lot happens. It is the story of a few people's lives and there are virtually no action scenes in the entire 800+ pages. However, I…
Jan 13, 2020flay rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Couldn't put it down. Definitely want to read Purity now.
Jan 12, 2019BitterAdult rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
One of the most beautiful works of fiction I've ever read. Franzen's mastery of writing makes this book such a pleasure to read. It is definitely a darker subject matter but had themes that everyone can relate to.
Oct 28, 2018SurreyLibraries_Reads rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I just finished it and I’m having serious book withdrawal! It was a world I did not want to leave behind, even after all 562 pages. His earlier work, The Corrections, was on my best-ever list but this one topped it. The story follows the…
Jun 26, 2017
One of my favorite books of all time. If you enjoy thrillers, whodunits, or non-stop plot turns keep looking. This is a completely character driven story, giving you a ringside seat to their thoughts - the insecurities, dreams, fears,…
Jul 13, 2016Ethan_Annis rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
For me Freedom, published in 2010, served as a coda for the time described by Frank Rich as the decade of the zeros. (The 1980’s were called the 80’s, the 1990’s were called the 90’s…) Franzen captures the time when things were done…
Oct 27, 201557Bing rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
The book is deeply unsatisfying with caricatures rather than characters, endless verbiage and no message or point to it all. I really like Franzen ("Strong Motions" and "The Corrections" and his essays "How to be Alone") but he really…
Oct 09, 2015
Didn't finish. Somehow it failed to hold my interest, as his previous books did.
Jan 04, 2015
Fascinating. Characters come alive and are exposed completely, making them very real, very real... My favorite character had the same environmental principles as I do, but acted on them. Fascinating.
Dec 22, 2014Chapel_Hill_KenMc rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Complex story of marriage, infidelity, and maturity. Freedom as a concept is explored in various ironic guises, never escaping from the imperative of responsible behavior. Any freedom that most of these characters experience is always…
Sep 05, 2014natasha_pima rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Great book!
Jul 05, 2014becker rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is a very interesting and enjoyable read. This book is very character driven with heavy dialogue which carries you through page after page of the story. A lot happens in this book and it moves smoothly and steadily along in a linear…
Jun 04, 2013WVMLStaffPicks rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This novel from 2010 is a micro-sociology of millennial life. The elaborate narrative opens with a young gentrifying couple as they start a family and virtuously move upward through American social strata. The main characters multiply and…
natasha37
Mar 06, 2013natasha37 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Great book!
dptill73
Oct 30, 2012dptill73 rated this title 0.5 out of 5 stars
Tried to finish but could not. Too long and boring.
Aug 20, 2012LeslieP9 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I picked this book because it had so many rave reviews, but found it to be a long and somewhat slogging read. I hung in there because the characters were interesting and I wanted to see what happened in the end. The pace did pick up…
JaneAyr
May 19, 2012JaneAyr rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Too long. Lots of boring bits. Could have been condensed. But an okay read in the end.
May 01, 2012uncommonreader rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
UGH. Just what you'd expect. Who cares about these people?
natasha777
Apr 30, 2012
This book is long, but amazing! I couldn't get enough
pomtree
Dec 16, 2011pomtree rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
The novel starts intensely and seems tangled and humourless, but stay with it - it gets better and better and ends with such gentleness, purity and wisdom that it will make you weep. Every bit as impactful as The Corrections. I love…
Nov 21, 2011willowtorgerson rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Not my favourite book I have ever read. Well written, but not fiction enough, yet not non fiction enough. Too much like being in a family for me.
Nov 15, 2011
This book is long (562 pages), so it's a good one to get now since there isn't a waiting list and you can extend your time to read this book. I enjoyed this book because the characterizations were amazing. You really get to know the…
PrimaGigi
Oct 09, 2011PrimaGigi rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
A job of a good author will make you feel about a litany of emotions while reading his/her book. You empathize with or at least try to understand some of his/her characters. It takes a great writer to enthrall you in his world and…
nypl_jefferson_market
Oct 05, 2011
For our December book discussion!