“Okay. Let's start off by saying that as a novel, Atlas Shrugged rather sucks, but as an objectivist piece it works.
The books biggest downfall is characterization. This novel comes with basically two character types. All of the people of the non-objective mindset are fat, formless, depraved idiots with no talent. All of the objective characters are industrious, intelligent, good-looking folks. You cannot be smart, good-looking, AND want to help the poor. You cannot be wealthy, industrious, AND ugly. All of the characters are practically interchangeable, especially since no one has any hobbies, favorite foods, little ticks, lisps, et cetera. All of the objectivists believe in the same things right down to the type of music they like. The only difference between John Galt and Henry Rearden, two major characters, is their physical appearance.
There are several holes in the book. Why does Dagny randomly know how to fly an aeroplane? Why are trains the only real form of transportation when this book was written after the automobile? How are a handful of industrious people living in a village supposed to build a power grid, roads, a plumbing system, and houses without the use of hundreds of people and sufficient equipment? Especially knowing that these people are the owners of companies and thus probably not used to physical labor? Why isn't Dagny totally creeped out Galt has been stalking her for a decade? Inquiring minds want to know.
The only thing that saves the book is Ayn's philosophical viewpoint. Could it have been presented more elegantly? Yes. Concisely? Yes. She wastes her time writing her philosophy in the character's thoughts, in the prose, in the near-monologues she gives to the characters, and in the 50 page speech by Mr. Galt. She should have chosen whether she wanted to write a story that demonstrated a philosophy or to just go on a rant about her philosophical views. She landed in some gray area that really weakened the story. The real reason the reader trudges through this novel is to learn more about the ideas behind the book.
I will say that the ideas behind the book are appealing. Ayn gives a good case for selfishness as a virtue, but the world she presents is a sterile world, where no one has any personality, no one can love their own family members, and no one has the brains to give to charity within their means.”
