Reviews

This story is based on a true tragedy that happened in upstate New York in the early 1900’s. Long story short: A young man is trying to find his way into the upper class society but he can’t fight the temptations that come along so he finds himself in a biiiiiig trouble.

That’s one of the best books I’ve read even tho it quite disturbed me. The author made Clyde shockingly real and I could feel his torments, I sympathized and I believed his words. I liked the combination of romance, drama and detective balanced so well I didn’t even mind the court scenes taking up a huge chunk of the book.

(KINDA SPOILER) Even tho everyone knows who’s a bad guy of the story, Dreiser left a lot to the reader to decide and find our own answers. What happened on the lake after all? Was he really guilty? Did he deserve what happened to him? I made my verdict.

labeck's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

tomleetang's review against another edition

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4.0

An American Tragedy is a critique of the American dream; the idea that if you work hard you'll make it rich, and that's the end goal. It also gives the lie to Pope's oft quoted "where ignorance is bliss tis folly to be wise." Ignorance is what drives this tragedy as much as greed and poverty, and if a little more wisdom had been in evidence the tragic conclusion would not so inexorably have been reached.

What Agee goes to pains to point out is that there has to be some kind of morality or guiding principle to our lives. That's not necessarily religion - which is at times portrayed as rather unintentionally inimical by the narrowness it imposes on Clyde and his siblings - but certainly something more than merely social position and lucre.

As the novel progresses, we're invited to question whether "darker fears or better impulses" are truly more dominant in guiding us towards living a "good" life (whatever that means).

This is an imperfect book. One major downside, for example, is how all of the working men seem to do is chase skirts while all the working women seem to do is dream of seducing (relatively) well-off men.

Often the language is plodding, without much in the way of flourishes or linguistic gymnastics. At times, the plot feels plodding too, but it ultimately suits the novel - how else to really make the reader feel how bogged down protagonist Clyde becomes in his (often self-inflicted) woes. This is unvarnished realism that dwells and ponders and delays and omits snappy conclusions. Agee is no great stylist, but in some ways this complements the rather earth-bound story of a man who wishes for the cloths of heaven but is provided only dirt and rags by virtue of his humble birth.

lilianaj's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

4ryssa's review against another edition

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5.0

I started this without the intention of finishing it, but after sitting on the first chapter awhile, I devoured the rest of the book. I couldn’t stop thinking about Clyde — his naive decisions, his values, his relationships, his hubris. It was easy to relate to his ambition, but when he starts to stray too close to the flame you can’t help but watch his life unravel in horror and fascination. Good books play like a movie, and this one projected scene after scene in vivid color. I’ve noticed younger people don’t know this story at ALL (and don’t care to) but my parents’ generation all recognized it, which also makes me think a remake of the movie is overdue.

The story in a quote: “… what matter it if a man gaineth the whole world and loseth his own soul?”

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