is a self-proclaimed "anti-war" novel about a man named Billy Pilgrim who was a Prisoner of War in Dresden during WWII. The book mixes real history with science fiction. Vonnegut himself was a POW in WWII during the bombing of Dresden. What makes this book a science fiction novel is the fact that Billy Pilgrim is "unstuck in time" which means that he often finds himself traveling through time to other parts of his life. Also, Billy Pilgrim is abducted by aliens and kept in a zoo on their planet. During his time on the alien planet, he learns about their views on time and war. The novel, written during the Vietnam War, really captures the absurdity of war while also making statements about how humans choose to live their lives. Read this book if you like science fiction, if you like anti-war novels, or if you are interested in some WWII history, particularly the bombing of Dresden. I give it a 7.5 out of 10.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Slaughterhouse-Five
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is a self-proclaimed "anti-war" novel about a man named Billy Pilgrim who was a Prisoner of War in Dresden during WWII. The book mixes real history with science fiction. Vonnegut himself was a POW in WWII during the bombing of Dresden. What makes this book a science fiction novel is the fact that Billy Pilgrim is "unstuck in time" which means that he often finds himself traveling through time to other parts of his life. Also, Billy Pilgrim is abducted by aliens and kept in a zoo on their planet. During his time on the alien planet, he learns about their views on time and war. The novel, written during the Vietnam War, really captures the absurdity of war while also making statements about how humans choose to live their lives. Read this book if you like science fiction, if you like anti-war novels, or if you are interested in some WWII history, particularly the bombing of Dresden. I give it a 7.5 out of 10.
is a self-proclaimed "anti-war" novel about a man named Billy Pilgrim who was a Prisoner of War in Dresden during WWII. The book mixes real history with science fiction. Vonnegut himself was a POW in WWII during the bombing of Dresden. What makes this book a science fiction novel is the fact that Billy Pilgrim is "unstuck in time" which means that he often finds himself traveling through time to other parts of his life. Also, Billy Pilgrim is abducted by aliens and kept in a zoo on their planet. During his time on the alien planet, he learns about their views on time and war. The novel, written during the Vietnam War, really captures the absurdity of war while also making statements about how humans choose to live their lives. Read this book if you like science fiction, if you like anti-war novels, or if you are interested in some WWII history, particularly the bombing of Dresden. I give it a 7.5 out of 10.
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2 comments:
Wow, only a 7.5 for Slaughterhouse? Usually people fall all over that book the first time they read it. It is "the" Vonnegut book everyone reads even if they only read him once. Good review though. I was wondering--what about it made you take points away?
Mostly because it didn't live up to my expectations. I finished thinking, "That's it?"
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