This guy. At the very beginning, you wholeheartedly believe that he is this kind of angel who was brutally stabbed in the heart by his one true love. However, as time goes by, you gradually come to the realization that this guy is actually a bit of a weirdo. And it's not just him, his ex-wife and her entire family seem rather strange as well. Although, perhaps that could be attributed to some sort of mental illness. His new fiancee, on the other hand, appears to be rather dumb.

I have a hunch that the reader “you” he refers to is actually his fiancée, Donna. It seems that he eventually leaves her for the redhead. Maybe he met her while she was braiding her hair. He is well aware that she will read the book, as she specifically asks him if he is writing while they are in Fiji. Moreover, he has a reputation for being quite flirty. Hm, this whole situation is quite a complex and interesting one.

It's a really bad sign when all the praise on the back cover is for other books - not this one.

He is indeed a good writer, which makes it even more puzzling and disappointing that this particular work was terrible.

After reading this, I have such a strong feeling that I want to wash my brain with bleach.

It's as if my mind has been filled with something that I just can't get rid of easily.

The lack of engaging content, the convoluted plot, and the unlikable characters all contribute to this negative experience.

I had high expectations for this book, given the author's reputation, but unfortunately, it failed to meet any of them.

I hope that the author will take this feedback into consideration and produce better works in the future.

Tim O'Brien's non-The-Things-They-Carried novels have truly left a profound impact on me. The three that I've read are filled with astonishing twists that blend realism and surrealism in a remarkable way. The believability of the seemingly half-insane characters is truly captivating.

A few chapters in, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Thomas Chippering, the narrator, was not just a slightly pompous man with a broken heart, but a mold-breaking blowhard. This added a new layer of complexity to the story.

The depiction of Lorna Sue, the self-mutilating ex-wife, is also quite effective. It creates some very uncomfortable moments, moments that are truly DAMNED uncomfortable. O'Brien, in all his work, has the courage to imagine things that I would immediately dismiss from my mind as a bad place to explore.

His writerly guts are truly admirable. He is not afraid to venture into the unknown and explore the darkest corners of the human psyche. His novels are a testament to his talent and his willingness to take risks. I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.

This was a roller coaster comedy that had far more downs than ups.

It failed to build up to a sensational finish and instead, it just seemed to lose its momentum towards the end.

And then, everyone simply got off, went their separate ways, and all of it was quickly forgotten.

It's really challenging to take an unlikable, pretentious character like this, endure all of his false airs and graces, and smile at his numerous humiliations when he's mostly unaware of them and remains unwavering in his obsessions.

In other words, you just wish he would realize it, shut up, and leave us alone.

In truth, there was probably only one truly good chapter, a few that were above average and helped to move the story along, but there was also an awful lot of dull and uninteresting parts to slog through.

It's an agreeable book, but I'm not entirely sure if I would recommend it to anyone I liked.

Tim O'Brien has the remarkable ability to pen semi-nonfiction and comic novels that are both engaging and entertaining. One such example is his work "Tomcat in Love."

This novel tells the story of a misguided middle-aged professor who finds himself on the prowl. The protagonist, an obsessed linguistics teacher, takes readers on a hilarious romp through his adventures and misadventures.

O'Brien's writing style brings the characters and their situations to life, making it easy for readers to become fully immersed in the story. The humor is both witty and relatable, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the reading experience.

Whether you're a fan of semi-nonfiction or simply looking for a good laugh, "Tomcat in Love" is definitely worth checking out. It's a novel that will keep you entertained from start to finish.

I am a huge O'Brien fan. This is Tim swinging & missing.

The concept presented in this work is a bit juvenile. Although the telling of it has its moments of brilliance and humor, it is unfortunately marred by the sophomoric and cartoonist behavior of the main protagonist. What's more, there is no redeeming co-star to salvage the rather messy situation.

When an author writes great sentences, one can perhaps overlook a few bad paragraphs. However, when the quality deteriorates to bad pages and then to bad chapters, it becomes clear that it's time to cut one's losses. And that's precisely what I did, right about halfway through.

It's a pity because I had such high hopes, being a big fan of O'Brien. But sometimes, even the best can have an off day, and this seems to be one of those cases.

A narcissist antihero takes center stage in this story. However, as the pages turn, it becomes evident that his unraveling takes far too long.

At first, the reader is intrigued by his charm and self-assuredness. But as the narrative progresses, his flaws begin to surface, and it seems that the author is stretching out the process of his downfall.

The story could have been more engaging if the unraveling had been more concise and impactful. Instead, it feels drawn out, and the reader's interest starts to wane.

Perhaps the author was trying to explore the complex psyche of the narcissist in depth, but in doing so, they sacrificed the pacing and momentum of the story.

In conclusion, while the concept of a narcissist antihero is an interesting one, the execution in this particular piece leaves something to be desired.

I had high expectations for this book as I had previously enjoyed several of O'Brien's other works. However, I ultimately gave up on Tomcat in Love around page 200. It was a laborious read, and the two main characters were simply insufferable.

Thomas Chippering, the narrator and main character, is blatantly pompous, narcissistic, and delusional. While many readers may find him wickedly funny, I completely failed to see the humor. To me, he was nothing more than an excruciating bore with rather creepy tendencies, and I couldn't bear to spend another minute with him. How Mrs. Robert Kooshof, his co-conspirator and eager paramour, convinces herself that he is a suitable life companion is beyond my comprehension. It seems that O'Brien wants us to find their relationship endearing in some way, similar to an archetypal TV sitcom marriage: Thomas, the reckless, boorish husband; Mrs. Kooshof, the abiding, long-suffering wife. She patiently stands by her man, believing that beneath his evasiveness, lies, manipulation, neuroses, self-absorption, and emotional unavailability, there is a man with whom she can live happily ever after.

O'Brien's attempts to establish this dynamic and the humor to sustain it are unsuccessful. Beyond her physical attributes, which are mentioned frequently, Mrs. Kooshof is no great catch. It is as difficult to accept her as the stabilizing figure of the novel as it is to accept him as the hilarious antihero. While Thomas is a pedantic pain in the neck, Mrs. Kooshof is a desperate flunky who would latch on to any man she found in her yard. Frankly, they didn't make me laugh; they only irritated me.

Needless to say, I had no desire to continue reading the entire book. I did admit, however, to skimming the last few pages as a reward for my efforts. O'Brien finally fleshes out Herbie and Lorna Sue, who were two-dimensional for most of the novel (all other characters remain either cartoonish or flat). This was a pleasant surprise, but the conclusion with Chippering and Mrs. Kooshof was entirely predictable.

Overall, Tomcat in Love was a disappointment for me. The characters were unlikable, the humor fell flat, and the story failed to engage me. I'm glad I gave it a try, but I won't be recommending it to others.

Tim O’Brien is truly a talented writer. His work is not only well-written but also highly interesting. However, I find myself giving it one star less than a perfect five due to the excessive machismo exhibited by the main character.

When this work is read in today's context, it is likely to horrify and upset an extreme feminist. The text contains a significant amount of misogyny, which can be quite disturbing.

Nevertheless, it also serves as a reminder that we, as human beings, are all somewhat flawed and perhaps a bit sick and twisted. It makes us reflect on our own behaviors and attitudes, and forces us to consider how far we have come in terms of gender equality and social progress.

Despite its flaws, the work still has its merits and can be a thought-provoking read for those who are willing to look beyond the surface and engage with the deeper themes and ideas presented.

Lolita is a well-known novel, and now there is a version set in the land of Hubert H. Humphrey.

The narrator of this new novel, a tomcat, takes on the linguistic style of Humbert Humbert. He prowls around a small academic town in Minnesota, with side trips to Tampa, Vietnam, and even Fiji.

Thomas Chippering, the tomcat narrator, has a remarkable similarity to H.H. - his narration is as unreliable and self-serving as Humbert's. However, his focus is on slightly older women than Humbert's.

O'Brien, the author, didn't want to go down the pedophile path completely. Thomas also has a pathological need to declare his love to his own Lolita, Lorna Sue, who was his high school sweetheart, wife, and then the target of his post-divorce revenge.

But this love doesn't stop him from tomcatting around, which ultimately leads him to disaster. He thinks he knows the Art of Loving, but in reality, he is an artist of Losing.

I didn't find the book as outrageously funny as the blurbs claimed. It's not a farcical book that makes you guffaw. Instead, it's built on the dichotomy between the unreliable narration and what the reader gradually realizes is really happening.

I hope this isn't too much of a spoiler, but what would you expect from a novel about a tomcat? Certainly not a saint.

This book was entertaining enough for me to finish, but it definitely wasn't my favorite.

It constantly reminded me of the series “You,” yet it had more misogyny and less murdering.

I found the main character to be rather unlikeable, perhaps that was the intended effect.

My perception is that he was supposed to be misogynistic and delusional, but for me, the self-awareness within the book didn't come through strongly enough to make me truly enjoy it.

Moreover, it didn't quite sit well with me that in the end, the woman was portrayed as the true villain.

However, despite all these drawbacks, I still have a great love for O’Brien’s writing style, his sharp wit, and his other books.

There's something about his work that keeps drawing me in, even when a particular story doesn't fully resonate with me.

I'll continue to read his books, hoping to find that next gem that will become one of my all-time favorites.

I always have a complex mix of emotions when it comes to these kinds of books.

For the most part, it was truly depressing. However, I persisted in reading, hoping against hope that it would improve.

Thankfully, it did come together in the end, and some of the lingering questions were answered, which in turn helped me to better understand the author's intended direction.

These are the types of books that have a lasting impact on me, though.

Perhaps the most depressing aspect is that it makes me look deep within myself.

All I know for sure is that my next book needs to be of a more lighthearted nature.

I need something that will lift my spirits and not leave me feeling so weighed down.

Maybe it's time for a fun and轻松的 story to take my mind off the more serious and thought-provoking ones.

Only time will tell what my next literary adventure will be.