jonn reviewed The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
The Sirens of Titan is an outrageous romp through space, time, and morality. The richest, …
Vonnegut carries so much love, he cultivates compassion even to most despicable people
5 stars
When I started reading this book, after Breakfast of Champions and Slaughterhouse #5 which I read as a young person learning how fucked up the world is, I had a feeling of almost Adamsian lightness of talking about heavy social things. Oh how wrong I was!
So to those who want to venture into this book, a fair warning: expect soul-crushing stuff after every corner. Reading the book is like wandering the caves of Mercury.
The story is very layered and has some twists, so don't be too arrogant if you think you see where it's going. What's more, please think the book through from back to front after you complete it.
There is only one positive character in the book, but I felt so much compassion to another one, and another one later. Which, as I recover from the book hangover[1], I find slightly distressing, but it's a testament to genius of Vonnegut.
Traditionally, I finish my non-specific reviews with a quote:
That's the worst thing you can do, Unk — remembering back," said Brackman. "That's what they put you in the hospital for in the first place — on account of you remembered too much.