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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “Despite being Vonnegutt's only non-sci-fi novel, it is my favorite of his. The theme that runs throughout the book, "You are what you pretend to be," is one that has lingered, taking root in my subconscious, perhaps even changing the path of my life. And isn't that the best we can hope for in a...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“One of my favorite Vonnegut books.”
Ben Z wrote this review 6 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Its back cover review says that MOTHER NIGHT is "a daring challenge to our moral sense….turning black and white into a chilling shade of gray with a verdict that will haunt us all."
thereal2 wrote this review Sunday, November 1 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I agree, it is time to question what is black and what is white; One can choose to be black even though one's color is white; and one can desire white even though he or she wears only black. But do their choices lead them to a gray? Who knows? Once in a while, the reds wave some yellows; the yellows mouth some reds; but do they wave or mouth some oranges? Maybe, sometimes.
For me, the book affirms this: Choices are labeled by the colors provided in the color wheel –as institutionalized by society (taught since grade school). The force acted upon the wheel blurs the colors –as painted by the individual. The force is generated by one's process of making decisions. Now what keeps the wheel likely to turn or stop is yet another blurred picture and always a mix of something. So what's the point?
Point is, or rather the question is, how do I relate with the colors and the blurs in the life of Vonnegut's protagonist – Howard Campbell, Jr., a playwright turned spy, whose musings include: where there's life, there is life; a nation can be a nation of two; a monogamous Casanova is possible to find; and relative harmony can sound like the loudspeakers in Auschwitz as they interspersed great music with the call for corpse-carriers.
I believe this Campbell character wondered too long at the formula of complementary colors until one day, he just stopped. He saw evil as that part of a person that hates without limit and thinks that God hates along (that part that justifies wars I guess). In that moment, he saw himself as not evil, but not colorless as he would have wanted to be. So again, what's the point?
In the end, Campbell had to punish himself for his crime, i.e. not being free with the colors he himself had painted nor by the palette that society armed him with. After all, "he served evil too openly and good too secretly." The first one he did by starting out as a spy; the last one by stopping to write his own poetry.
With MOTHER NIGHT, Vonnegut leaves us with the only moral he claims to have: "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be."”“Good Book, Good Movie!”
Chas M wrote this review Thursday, October 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Loved it, best love story ever.”
Lorin K wrote this review Monday, October 12 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Top three favorite fiction book. Re-read for the 15th time maybe. This or player piano might be my favorite vonnegut.”
chris w wrote this review Saturday, October 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Probably the one Vonnegut book that really made me think long and hard about it's core subject. A brilliant look at what makes us who we are, and whether pretending to be someone else in fact turns us into that person.
Bryan G wrote this review Friday, October 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I didn't actually read this edition. The one I have must be a foreign release.”
“A great Vonnegut read for many reasons. A compelling narrative, as well as a great statement on identity, art and propaganda. I was pleasantly surprised to find this rather dark Vonnegut book similar to Slaughterhouse Five, but, in my opinion, better. Tight and exciting. Great book.”
Daniel J. Rowe. wrote this review Monday, September 28 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Excellent. A spy novel that will break your heart. ”
Leif wrote this review Sunday, September 6 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“equal with cat's eye, ”
IVirOrfeo wrote this review Saturday, September 5 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
