 "Telling better and better lies" | 2009-10-04 |
| - Reviewed By snowleopardspot |
This is one of Vonnegut's early novels, written a few years before Slaughterhouse-Five but already showing many of his characteristic concerns and stylistic tics. Like most of Vonnegut's books, this one has a bad attitude, in this case directed mostly at religion, with a few swipes at the military-industrial complex.
One of the narrative threads deals with a shadowy substance called ice-nine. Ice-nine was invented by a military contractor because a general "felt that one of the aspects of progress should be that Marines no longer had to fight in mud." Ice-nine is a special crystalline form of frozen water that remains solid at room temperature, and contact between it and wet water causes the wet water to crystallize also. Throwing even the smallest particle of ice-nine into a swamp or bog would cause the whole thing to solidify, and the Marines would march across the former obstacle. The narrator realizes immediately that if ice-nine ever was used, it would continue its crystalline chain-reaction until all the water in the world was solid.
The other narrative thread deals with the hypothetical impoverished Caribbean island of San Lorenzo, and the hypothetical religion of Bokononism embraced by its natives. Two Americans, McCabe and Johnson, were shipwrecked on San Lorenzo long ago and invented the religion to soothe the people's misery. Johnson (pronounced "Bokonon" by the natives) is the religion's prophet, namesake, and front man. "Truth was the enemy of the people, because the truth was so terrible, so Bokonon made it his business to provide the people with better and better lies."
This is one of Vonnegut's funniest books, although most of the humor is in the form of one-liners (or at least one-paragraphers) rather than being inherent in the characters or the situation. The tone of the book gradually turns grim towards the end, partly because it encompasses the near-end of the world caused by the escape of ice-nine, but the book also just seems to run out of steam. |
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 "Dr Strangelove x 10" | 2009-07-13 |
| - Reviewed By User: ANJFPISKYLJ2Z |
| Ive read through Cat's Cradle twice and I'm convinced that Mr Vonnegut was either insane or is good at convincing the reader that he is. The characters in the story are certifiable. And the leadup to the climax is a trip through the rediculous and surreal. That may very well was his intention, however the result is a book this is every much jarring to try and get through. |
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 "funny and thought-provoking, but a bit disappointing" | 2009-06-30 |
| - Reviewed By pahamaha |
| Clever, humorous, satirical tale about the end of the world and the bumbling characters (including the three children of a mad scientist) in a South American dictatorship that cause it to come into being through turning all the world's water into ice. Philosophical and psychological, incredibly insightful into mankind's existence. Grade: B+ |
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| "A Masterpiece from a Masterful hand" | 2009-06-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2TP8PHZFPK726 |
I first read this book when I was 12. My father gave it to me. He is a man of science and always quoted from it or praised it's subtlety and lifelong lessons that dwelt within. I didn't really understand it when I first read it. I picked it up a few weeks ago after my semester ended and blew through it in a single night. It isn't very long and can be conquered in a single sitting. I actually recommend reading it in one shot because the voices of each character will resonate more if they remain fresh.
The sly humor and unique language of the book is it's greatest reward. Vonnegut has the rare gift of allowing the reader to engage in the subject matter even if it is heavily scientific or partially obscured by an intellectual layer that might be harder to penetrate if not for Vonnegut's expert hands.
It's really impossible to describe any part of the plot without spoiling anything for a future reader. I'll just say this: you'll comprehend the limits of the human mind, heart, and the intricacies of the scientific stratum long after you turn the final page. A modern classic. |
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| "Cat's Cradle" | 2009-04-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3PJQR34FZM5C1 |
| Cat's Cradle is a book about a writer (Jonah) who wants to write a story on the day the atomic bombings during World War II. He requests information from the family of the man who invented the bomb, but soon finds out that there is more to this man than meets the eye. He finds out that man developed a chemical that can wipe out the entire world as we know it. On top of that, Jonah discovers a very mysterious religion that unfolds as the story progresses. This book is an excellent read with many un-expected twists and turns. The more you read, the more the book develops and the more in depth it becomes. It is a mind bender that makes you take a second look at many of today's religions, and the beliefs that go along with them. |
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| "One hundred stars if I could" | 2009-04-17 |
| - Reviewed By User: A34XZI5Q10Q2Z3 |
Wow. Wow! I just finished this spectacular read, and it left me breathless. Multiple times, throughout the book, it had me laughing hysterically so, that I was forced to actually put the book down, and walk away for a few minutes. How hard it was though, indeed! I hardly put this book down, which is a rarity for me.
This was my first Vonnegut read, but it most certainly will NOT be my last! A great place to start if you aren't familiar with his work. Thought-provoking, gently pokes fun at most every topic, and is guaranteed to make you question. Read it, read it, read it! |
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