My mom suggested I read Garp because she remembered enjoying it. She forget to mention that the book is 600+ pages long. Even so, two days later, I have finished it!
GENERAL IMPRESSIONS: I'm not sure why people are so fascinated by books about writers. Perhaps deep down most readers wish they were writers and want to know how to become one. Answer: become John Irving. The only other Irving novel I've read was A Prayer for Owen Meaney which is EXTREMELY different from this book (much more religious/moralistic and tame compared to the LUST!SEX!FEMINISM! of Garp) but they both exhibit what I think is Irving's greatest ability- he knows where his story is going but doesn't give away anything. PLUS he came up with the different stories within the book written by Garp and his mother AND the entire narrative was based off of made up biographies. WHO DOES THAT? GENIUS!!! Also, it's interesting to read a book which interacts with feminism so much written when 2nd wave feminism was on the up and up (I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say it's a feminist novel and I'm not sure what critics/other feminists/Irving would have to say on the subject). While sometimes I grew frustrated with all of the main characters' general flatness (even Garp was not as complex as I think he was supposed to be), the book was really a fun read.
SPOILER ALERTS: Too many deaths. But I think that's Irving's thing.
MUSINGS: It's interesting to read a book full of debauchery/cheating/sluts/sex/death/other bad stuff which has absolutely no reference to religion.
GRADE SHEET:
Narrator's Likability: A
Pace: A
Readability: A
Satisfying Ending: B+
Sense of Humor: B+
Supporting Actresses: A-
I loved this book, too! I had no recollection that it was so long.
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