Visionario
4 stars
Da avvicinare alla Trilogia della Città di K. Incomprensibile per gli umani.
Paperback, 188 pages
Spanish language
Published Aug. 18, 2006 by Anagrama.
Matadero Cinco
3 stars
(3 reviews)
Matadero Cinco o La cruzada de los niños catapultó a Kurt Vonnegut como uno de los grandes ídolos de la juventud norteamericana y se convirtió de inmediato en un clásico de la literatura contemporánea. Una historia amarga, conmovedora y a la vez divertidísima, de la inocencia confrontada con el apocalipsis, «una novela con ribetes esquizofrénico-telegráficos», en palabras de su autor. Kurt Vonnegut fue hecho prisionero en la Segunda Guerra Mundial y se encontraba en Dresde cuando esta ciudad fue bombardeada y arrasada por la aviación norteamericana; este hecho le marcó profundamente y decidió escribir un libro en torno a ese tema: "Matadero Cinco".
La historia de un superviviente de la matanza que, muchos años más tarde, es raptado y transportado al planeta Trafalmadore es una de las muchas tramas que se entrecruzan en una obra profundamente innovadora, en la que resplandecen cegadoras metáforas de la nueva era y en la …
Matadero Cinco o La cruzada de los niños catapultó a Kurt Vonnegut como uno de los grandes ídolos de la juventud norteamericana y se convirtió de inmediato en un clásico de la literatura contemporánea. Una historia amarga, conmovedora y a la vez divertidísima, de la inocencia confrontada con el apocalipsis, «una novela con ribetes esquizofrénico-telegráficos», en palabras de su autor. Kurt Vonnegut fue hecho prisionero en la Segunda Guerra Mundial y se encontraba en Dresde cuando esta ciudad fue bombardeada y arrasada por la aviación norteamericana; este hecho le marcó profundamente y decidió escribir un libro en torno a ese tema: "Matadero Cinco".
La historia de un superviviente de la matanza que, muchos años más tarde, es raptado y transportado al planeta Trafalmadore es una de las muchas tramas que se entrecruzan en una obra profundamente innovadora, en la que resplandecen cegadoras metáforas de la nueva era y en la que los pasajes de ciencia-ficción funcionan a la manera de los payasos de Shakespeare. El humor, a menudo muy negro, es esencial en la obra de Vonnegut, quien ha afirmado que «lo cómico es parte tan integral en mi vida que empiezo a trabajar en una historia sobre cualquier tema y, si no encuentro elementos cómicos, la dejo».
Review of 'Slaughterhouse-Five' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I liked how Vonnegut manages to tell a poignant war story in a gentle way, without any attempt to glorify anything or anyone. I guess this became a classic because it makes people reflect on their values and their approach to life. And maybe even prompt them to question their own views. To do the above through a novel in a gentle way is the accomplishment of this book.
This is my first Vonnegut novel. When I was reading it, I was surprised how much Douglas Adams' (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) style was influenced by Vonnegut.
Review of 'Slaughterhouse-Five' on 'GoodReads'
1 star
I don't think that Vonnegut writes poorly, nor do I think this work lacks inherent interest. It's more-so that this, alongside Catch-22 and the like, is a genre I just can't get behind. I understand the need for anti-war fiction, indeed even fiction mostly accounted from real life witness. With that being said, it seems that once you've read one 'war is futile and nothing makes sense, but that's what war is all about' book, you've read them all.
Am I so far out of touch with those in the story that I just don't get it? Well, actually no, and I don't think that this would be Vonnegut's aim either. I hope that war has been made so redundant to me that the thought of going through something like this in life continues to be a totally alien concept to me and everyone else. But I'd also hope that …
I don't think that Vonnegut writes poorly, nor do I think this work lacks inherent interest. It's more-so that this, alongside Catch-22 and the like, is a genre I just can't get behind. I understand the need for anti-war fiction, indeed even fiction mostly accounted from real life witness. With that being said, it seems that once you've read one 'war is futile and nothing makes sense, but that's what war is all about' book, you've read them all.
Am I so far out of touch with those in the story that I just don't get it? Well, actually no, and I don't think that this would be Vonnegut's aim either. I hope that war has been made so redundant to me that the thought of going through something like this in life continues to be a totally alien concept to me and everyone else. But I'd also hope that books of this manner would still resonate and serve as a reminder of those that did go through such events and a warning for the rest of us not to repeat such dark times. This didn't happen here with me, nor have any other stories I've read in this genre. Works like The Gulag Archipelago on the other hand - that's a tour de force to contend with.
There were some phrases in the book, some descriptions that I really did like. An overweight man sits down on a bed. Rather than stating that the springs creaked or some-such, Vonnegut writes 'the mattress springs had a lot to say about that'. Great! Witty! Funny! But overall I cannot recommend it.
Subjects
- General
- Fiction - General