The Corrections (2001) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 2 stars

“this was a lengthy book about a dysfunctional family...I managed to finish it but I didn't like a single character and I would not recommend it”

• Rated 5 stars

“Thought this book was beautifully written. A return to the great writing of old. I loved each of the characters and could relate to their struggles. I'll admit that some of their problems were a little whacked, or to the extreme, but I think that below the surface, their weaknesses were fundamental human weaknesses. Their problems... our problems. They struggle to find acceptance.. acceptance in society, acceptance among their family, and acceptance of self.

Again.. beautiful!”

• Rated 3 stars

“I saw Oprah drooling over this book, so I got it. There were moments where I felt I knew exactly what a character was thinking and feeling. Truely an enjoyable read. A cast that if you had to pick players from your own family, you could fill each roll very easily. That said, it was not as great as Oprah boasted it was, but it was very good.”

• Rated 5 stars

“One of the best fiction stories I've read in the past few years. Franzen unflinchingly illustrates the transition of power and perspective in an aging and dysfunctional family. I believe that many people enjoy this book because most recognize themselves/their family members in these characters, no matter how extreme or disturbing the story becomes.

I've re-read this book several times and recommend it to all friends.”

• Rated 2 stars

“I must agree with Robert's opinion. Most of the characters are so annoyingly dysfunctional that instead of identifying with them that I found myself at times wanting to reach into the book and smacking them. A good premise, but as AbbeyNormal wrote, "painful to read."”

• Rated 5 stars

“Loved this book so much I couldn't put it down. I felt as if I knew every single one of those characters intimately (maybe it's because they're all a part of my family--extended or otherwise!) You just want to reach out and smack these people, which is exactly what Franzen had intended, I think. Hard to read only because it felt so real.”

• Rated 1 stars

“A great example of everything that's wrong with contemporary American fiction.”

• Rated 3 stars

“It was interesting enought to finish but not something i would read again.”

• Rated 0 stars

“Loved this book...maybe because the dysfunctional family in it reminded me so much of my own. You'll either "get it" (because you can identify with it) or you won't.”

• Rated 1 stars

“I don't get why everyone loved this so much. So many details I wanted to shoot myself, a million tangents . The main premise was good, but Frazen should have stuck to the story and not gotten so caught up in the oh so tedious details. ”