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Marchpane's Reviews > Franny and Zooey
Franny and Zooey
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Sorry Salinger fans but I really did not enjoy this one.
I guess Salinger intended this book to be like a Platonic dialogue, full of profound wisdom. But instead of Franny being hectored by Zooey, reading this felt like I was being hectored by the author. The whole story is contrived, the characters are irritating & supercilious, Zooey’s ‘advice’ is condescending and actually, just terrible advice. Which would be fine if that was the point, but it felt like Salinger wants us to love Zooey, think his religiosity deep and to believe that he ‘fixed’ Franny by the end.
The first section, with Franny and Lane in the restaurant, was decent. It felt like a scene out of Mad Men, very arch. Lane was clearly supposed to be awful, and I just assumed Franny was too. So it kind of works when the characters’ awfulness is intentional. But the writing style is also irritating and in general this book was like nails on a blackboard to me.
I guess Salinger intended this book to be like a Platonic dialogue, full of profound wisdom. But instead of Franny being hectored by Zooey, reading this felt like I was being hectored by the author. The whole story is contrived, the characters are irritating & supercilious, Zooey’s ‘advice’ is condescending and actually, just terrible advice. Which would be fine if that was the point, but it felt like Salinger wants us to love Zooey, think his religiosity deep and to believe that he ‘fixed’ Franny by the end.
The first section, with Franny and Lane in the restaurant, was decent. It felt like a scene out of Mad Men, very arch. Lane was clearly supposed to be awful, and I just assumed Franny was too. So it kind of works when the characters’ awfulness is intentional. But the writing style is also irritating and in general this book was like nails on a blackboard to me.
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Reading Progress
August 15, 2016
– Shelved
August 15, 2016
– Shelved as:
to-read
September 20, 2016
– Shelved as:
19-20-19
January 16, 2017
– Shelved as:
unread-paper-books
June 6, 2017
– Shelved as:
tbr-print-copy
December 23, 2018
–
Started Reading
December 23, 2018
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-12 of 12 (12 new)
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Lee
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rated it 2 stars
Dec 23, 2018 02:52PM
Resounding agreement, sadly.
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At least it was short!
I loved Salinger in my youth. Loved. But I have been thinking lately if I reread them all I’d likely have my illusions shattered, being a proper grown up now.
Emma, it's funny because I re-read Catcher in the Rye earlier this year and loved it (as a teenager I had hated it)! So I thought I'd try another, but F&Z doesn't hold up that well, at least for me.
Thanks Lee, that's a great article, with some good discussion in the comments. It's really interesting to read about the early reactions to this book, seems like it has divided opinion since the beginning!
I read the Janet Malcolm article and totally revere her but I can see why she writes brilliant non-fiction and not fiction...I think Salinger is basically hectoring his audience. And like you I love Catcher.
I didn’t like it either. I think catcher in the rye might’ve been s fluke. I didn’t like his other books.
Two (2) stars from the woman who sang a paean to Catcher in the Rye?
Wow! Glad I never put this on my TBR! Sounds like I’d hate it!
I don't have much esteem for Salinger and I think mediocrity is always intended. Totally agree with you
Agreed! I read because I loved Catcher in the rye so much but I HATED this book. It was so irritating to me
