In, ‘The Sun Also Rises’, we follow a group of friends who are expats in Europe after the end of the first world war. I feel like this book was supposed to be a character driven one, but I just could not get connected with them. There was a lot of dialogue, something I have found common in books from this time period, rather than internal thoughts. Overall, they were dull like much else in this story.
The atmosphere was cool and really reminded of books like ‘The Nightingale’ and ‘The Paris Hours’, Hemmingway is a character in that one. I really think this book did a good job at showing us what life in post war Europe was like and all the angst and questioning that came with it.
The writing was quite descriptive at times, and I think it was the highlight of the novel. Especially the descriptions of the travel between France and Spain, I could see the rolling hills and how beautiful they were. There were other parts with how a person was described maybe something as small as the look in their eyes, but I thought that it was beautiful and rather emotional in writing.
The writing might have been great, but this was a dull story. I just do not know what the plot was and that’s why I could not even write a synopsis for it. We just followed the lives of these characters day to day. Even with their dramas, I did not care because I could not connect with the characters. This book was boring and after reading it, I just wanted to go to sleep.
I feel like this book was supposed to be a character driven one, but I just could not get connected with them. I really think this book did a good job at showing us what life in post war Europe was like and all the angst and questioning that came with it. The writing was quite descriptive at times, and I think it was the highlight of the novel. I just do not know what the plot was. I have read two books from this author now, if I do not like the next one that I read from him, then I will not read anymore.
2 out 5 stars
Izzy Reads 