Title: Catch-22
Author: Joseph Heller
Genre: Historical Fiction, Comedy
Pages: 453 Pages
Synopsis:
Set in Italy during World War II, this is the story of the incomparable, malingering bombardier, Yossarian, a hero who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy—it is his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to excuse himself from the perilous missions he’s assigned, he’ll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule: a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes a formal request to be removed from duty, he is proven sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved.
(from Goodreads)
My Thoughts:
DNF – 50 pages at 11%
Oh my gosh, this novel may just be the worst book that I’ve come across this entire year. And the thing is I was interested in this novel’s premise. This novel I was just unable to get into it.
This was supposed to be a Historical Fiction Comedy, but I found this not funny. I was annoyed by the fact that it felt like every other conversation was a circular conversation that doesn’t go anywhere. As a person who has studied logic, circular is when you begin with what you are trying to end with, and this is what happens in so many conversations within the first 50 pages of this novel. Also, none of the characters stood out to me, and they all seem interchangeable to me. Lastly reading the first 50 pages felt completely like a slog with not a lot really happening.
I’m very disappointed with this novel as again the premise looked interesting to me. I hate not finishing a book that I start but I am just not feeling it with this one. Ah well, on to another book and another author.
Rating:
Spencer's Bookcase 