Obviously, awarding just one star might seem a bit extreme. I really didn't have a liking for this book. However, it has to be said that the writing was beautiful. Styron is truly a master with words. The characters and the situation were vividly depicted. The "choice" that Sophie had to make was a nightmarish one. Unlike some of the reviewers here, I was deeply moved by it, and I thought it revealed a lot about her character. In contrast, the lives and issues of Stingo and Nathan seemed rather thin and pitiful. Which, indeed, they were. And that was precisely the problem.

A writer once said (I believe it was Vonnegut) that one should give the readers at least one character to cheer for. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it in myself to root for any of the three main characters. Nathan was mentally ill, and Stingo was unbearably self-absorbed. Even poor Sophie, who was a brilliantly realized character, by the time we meet her, had lost all fight and self-respect. Stingo's banal lust for her bordered on necrophilia.

I don't know. Perhaps in the context of post-War America and the self-hatred that the citizens must have felt... perhaps this book is a reflection of that era. Styron was suffering from manic-depression when he wrote it. I think that explains a great deal. I rarely throw books across the room, but I did with this one.

Just after I turned this novel’s last page, I found myself in a state of slight conflict.

My feelings towards it were a bit muddled, and I was also unsure about how to rate it. The "problem" I had with it was solely related to its structure. The extensive use of flashbacks and shifting perspectives made me initially skeptical.

I usually tend to view these narrative devices as somewhat manipulative, distracting, and often unnecessary. However, in this case, the writing itself managed to salvage the situation for me.

Surprisingly, I read those long flashbacks almost as compulsively as the rest of the story. Some of the imagery from this novel is simply unforgettable.

I know it will stay with me for the rest of my life. The effects of good writing on my brain are profound. The scenes from the novel have intertwined with my memories and dreams, blurring the lines between what is real and what is fictional.

The moment I "met" Sophie and Nathan is etched in my mind forever. How could I ever forget Sophie’s bedroom after so many visits?

The descriptions of Manhattan, Brooklyn, the ocean, and the way it reflected the light were simply breathtaking. The wind blowing from the ocean, its coolness, the sand, the dunes, and the beers all added to the vividness of the setting.

And, of course, there was Sophie. Her body, passion, accent, mispronounced words, her hair, and her eyes in the mirror. Her stories, voice, pain, dreams, worst nightmares, and lies all contributed to making her a complex and unforgettable character.

This is a beautifully written but slightly conflicting novel about lust and love, broken dreams, loss, and the horrors of war. After much thought, and considering the rarity of coming across such good writing and well-developed characters, I decided to rate it 4.5 stars. However, I rounded it up to 5, giving an extra half star just for Sophie.

Stingo is 22 years old, a Southerner, a virgin, and dreams of becoming a writer in New York. It is the late 1940s, and the Nazi theme is at its peak.

The novel begins with a kind of personal inner journey of Stingo. He tells us about his adventures while looking for money, a place to live, and a topic for his first book. All of this leads him to a boarding house where he meets the unique couple consisting of Nathan, a successful researcher, and Sophie, a beautiful 30-year-old Pole with numbers tattooed on her forearm.

I still haven't been able to figure out the reason, but I must say that I didn't like the prose. It is simple and plain, but at the same time, it doesn't have a rhythm or a theme that makes it come alive. There are passages so monotonous that it seems we are sailing without a fixed course, in a gray sea without waves, something so calm that it makes us close our eyes whenever we let our guard down.

The central theme is the experiences lived during World War II and the concentration camps, through Sophie, a tormented woman who lives an intense and troubled love with Nathan. These two variables are the spark that tries to ignite the fire of our interest, but in my case, it fails.

By interweaving the past and present life of Sophie, the narrator keeps us updated on her own sexual adventures, which are rather failures of sexual attempts that, instead of seeming pathetic or sad, are so funny but at the same time, they take away credibility from the story. Imagine the suffering Sophie telling Stingo terrible things, and seconds later, he is thinking about her rounded buttocks.

There are so many books on this topic that are really intense, overwhelming, and that make you feel so many emotions that I think this story doesn't bring anything new or memorable, except for the anecdote associated with the title of the book, which touches very few pages to really have weight in the events that are told.

The character of Sophie didn't seem congruent to me, and although she shows certain flashes, they don't materialize. She is adrift between infinite sadness, sexual avidity, and selfishness. It's like a fraud, something artificial that doesn't connect, can't stand up and walk like a human being, and remains in the theater of marionettes.

The story has specific passages that are good, but they are so few that they can't weigh against the hundreds of pages that are insignificant.

It is an average book, not entertaining but not horrible either. Rather, it is lukewarm water, it gets you wet, but it doesn't cool or warm you.

I declare from this tribune that I fell in love with the creator and the creation of the work, and it was undoubtedly one of the most unique experiences of my reading. One day, I will pay the price of the content in return for this magical pen. Until that day, do not neglect the original version of the book and take your English to the highest level. This book has its value.

It is truly remarkable how this work has had such a profound impact on me. The moment I delved into its pages, I was captivated by the beauty and depth of the words. The author's creativity and talent shone through every sentence, making it a truly unforgettable reading experience.

I am determined to do justice to this book by mastering the English language to the best of my ability. I understand the importance of being able to fully appreciate the original version and all its nuances. I will study hard, practice regularly, and strive to improve my language skills until I can read and understand this book with ease and fluency.

This book is not just a collection of words; it is a masterpiece that holds great value. It has the power to inspire, educate, and touch the hearts of its readers. I am excited to embark on this journey of language learning and discovery, and I look forward to the day when I can fully embrace the essence of this wonderful book.

The world appears to be constructed of triangles… Triangles of love… And the narrator finds themselves as the apex of one such triangle.

There exists truth, and there are lies – and we traverse the tortuous paths of our lives in the space between.

As is stated in the quote: “Perhaps I should say she indulged in certain evasions which at the time were necessary in order for her to retain her composure. Or maybe her sanity. I certainly don’t accuse her, for from the point of view of hindsight her untruths seem fathomable beyond need of apology.”

So it is with “Sophie’s Choice” – truth and lies coexist.

And to reach the truth, one must strip away numerous layers of lies.

As the other quote mentions: “This was not judgment day – only morning. Morning: excellent and fair.”

Life is not a straight line that one can simply progress along without posing questions – one must make choices at the crossroads and perceive the bitter truths hidden behind the ostensibly shining excellence.

We are constantly faced with the task of untangling the web of lies to uncover the precious gem of truth, all while navigating the complex and often convoluted paths of our lives.

I finally finished it, yes all 600 pages, and my reaction to "Sophie's Choice" is a complex mix.

For years, I was urged by friends to read this book, but as a mom, I was afraid of what I might discover within its pages. However, it turns out my fears were completely unfounded.

This book is not at all what I initially expected. I thought it would be a straightforward and moving account of a woman's experience at Auschwitz and the terrible things she endured as a mother. But that description only covers about 10% of the novel.

"Sophie's Choice" is, first and foremost, a recollection told mainly from the perspective of Stingo, an aspiring writer who befriends Sophie and her abusive Jewish boyfriend, Nathan, in 1947 Brooklyn, NY, where they all live in the same apartment complex. At first, I found the young 20-something Stingo annoying due to his obsession with sexual conquest. But as I delved deeper into the novel, I became grateful for the comic relief his perspective provided.

Nonetheless, it was painfully evident that Stingo was, in fact, William Styron, and at times, the perspective seemed overly self-indulgent and out of place. I am well aware that Stingo is meant to represent the naive American contrasted with the worldly-wise and world-weary European perspective of Sophie (a Polish Catholic), and that he brings with him the dark chapter of American slavery history to parallel the Holocaust. But as someone familiar with these themes and specializing in American literature, I couldn't help but wonder if Styron really had to be so repetitive.

This book could have benefited greatly from a good editor to trim at least 200 pages from its hefty length. Many of those pages did not contribute to the narrative, especially the parts that read like Stingo's dissertation, complete with secondary sources about the Holocaust.

Another issue I had with this narrative was the characterization, particularly of Sophie and Nathan. There were significant gaps in Sophie's characterization (perhaps because she is seen through the eyes of horny Stingo), which prevented me from fully connecting with her emotionally throughout the story. And frankly, I despised Nathan. I understand that Sophie is a masochistic victim who has lived through horrifying experiences and has made choices she can never forgive herself for. But what is Nathan's problem? He is an American-born Jew, born into wealth and privilege, with the means to help himself get better. Some of the scenes between Sophie and Nathan were more disturbing and horrific than those that took place at Auschwitz.

This story is as much about lies as it is about choices, the lies we hide behind to protect ourselves. So, what happens when we confess the truth? That is a question worth pondering. Despite the fact that this book is very well-written in terms of Styron's use of language and the rhythm of his prose (hence the 3-star rating), there was just too much hype preceding it. Similarly, there was an excessive build-up in the book itself regarding the nature of Sophie's actual "choice." And when Styron finally gets to it, he glosses over it, which was the one place I wished he would have lingered. This detracted from the emotional impact for me. Now, I look forward to seeing the film, hoping it resolves some of Styron's flaws.

I had forgotten it, and from the film seen a long time ago, I only had fragments in my mind.

The great surprise for me was to discover how well, of course, expressively and complexly William Styron writes! And how intelligently he manages to combine major themes (the North-South divergences in America in the 1940s, the Holocaust, madness, the discovery of sexuality, the relationships in a troubled couple, the difficulties of a writer at the beginning of his career).

The book leaves an inseparable and special trio to literature: Sofia-Nathan-Stingo... each of them, in turn, I loved, then I judged them, so that in the end I could fully understand them. And they remained very dear to me.

We have here a different approach to the manifestation of Evil in everything that happened in that black period of history: hatred towards the Poles, anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, and what Styron stated in an interview seems important to me:

"I tried to show that the promoters of absolute evil at Auschwitz were, in fact, simple people.

As both Simone Weil and Hannah Arendt have shown well, we tend to stereotype the notion of evil, putting too much emphasis on its melodramatic or sadistic manifestations, when in fact, evil manifests with a monotonous regularity, like a kind of bureaucratic normality."

Sad all the way through, but so worth the voyage. This simple sentence holds a profound truth. Life's journey is often filled with sadness and hardships. We may face disappointments, losses, and heartaches along the way. However, it is precisely these experiences that make the voyage truly worthwhile.

The sadness we encounter shapes us, molds our character, and teaches us valuable lessons. It makes us stronger, more resilient, and more empathetic towards others. It allows us to appreciate the joys and blessings that come our way, for we know the contrast all too well.

Moreover, the voyage itself, with all its ups and downs, is a beautiful adventure. It is a chance to explore new places, meet new people, and discover hidden aspects of ourselves. It is a journey of self-discovery and growth. And in the end, when we look back on our lives, we will realize that every step, every tear, and every moment of sadness was an essential part of the story. It was all worth it.

So, that was truly a struggle.

I can't recall ever experiencing such intense confliction regarding a single book.

I was extremely intrigued by Sophie's story, as well as her relationship with Nathan.

However, two elements completely spoiled the book for me: Stingo and the writing.

They are somewhat intertwined, as Stingo's rambling, especially, was presented in such long and incomprehensible sentences that I frequently found myself simply skimming over those parts.

I almost gave up on the book after just a few chapters, but it was Sophie's story that managed to keep me persevering.

Towards the end, I was less bothered by Stingo and the writing. I'm not sure if I got accustomed to it or if there was simply less of it.

I would have much preferred if it was solely the story of Sophie and Nathan (even if told from Stingo's perspective), without all the other aspects that solely involved Stingo.

So, in the final analysis, I give 4 stars to Sophie (and Nathan), 1 star to Stingo and the writing, and 2 stars to the story in general.

Sophie's Choice by William Styron has long been on my reading list for two significant reasons. Firstly, it is included in the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels list, which I have been gradually working my way through. Secondly, the mention of a scene in Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, where her husband Gregory Donne is seen reading this book in their California swimming pool, trying to understand its workings, served as a weighty recommendation. However, I was hesitant to read it as the only scene I knew from the movie was the titular choice that Meryl Streep's character had to make. I wondered if knowing this climactic scene would ruin my reading experience.

The story is told through the eyes of Stingo, a 22-year-old aspiring writer from the South. After losing his editorial job in Manhattan, he moves into a cheap rooming-house in Brooklyn to work on his first novel. There, he meets Sophie, a Polish Catholic survivor of Auschwitz, and Nathan, a brilliant and wealthy Jew. Over time, Stingo falls in love with Sophie and grows to respect Nathan as a brother. However, Nathan periodically has rages, accusing Sophie of infidelity and attacking Stingo over the legacy of slavery. Whenever Nathan disappears, Sophie turns to Stingo as her confessor, gradually revealing the story of her time in Auschwitz and how she survived.

The format of the book is semi-autobiographical, with Stingo writing from the present (late 1970s) and remembering the summer of 1947. This gives the story credibility and allows the author to reflect on his own youthful thinking and the irony of certain beliefs. Stingo also reflects on the current upsurge in Holocaust memoirs and dismisses the objections of some survivors, like Elie Wiesel, who believe that fiction is not an appropriate way to understand the Holocaust. Stingo argues that Sophie's experience, although she was not Jewish, was as痛苦 as that of any Jewish survivor and in some ways, even more so.

The writing in Sophie's Choice is masculine, intelligent, and adult, similar to the other great male American voices of the 20th century. The vocabulary is challenging but not overly so, and the straightforwardness of the writing emphasizes that Stingo is reporting rather than inventing. There are many references to other authors and classical music, which add depth to the story. The structure of Sophie's narrative is also interesting, with her lies and misdirections gradually being corrected and filled in as the reader gets to know her better. Overall, while I can appreciate the importance of Sophie's Choice, I was not personally very moved by it. However, I do believe that it should be widely read for the insights it provides into the mind of William Styron and its place in the literary and historical conversation about the Holocaust.

It is extremely challenging to convey, within these brief lines, the profound emotions that surge when one reads such a remarkable work. The scope and grandeur of it are truly without bounds.

Nonetheless, at certain moments, the book does give the impression of being a bit overly verbose, particularly in its pseudo-erotic scenes.

However, when it comes to the topic of the Holocaust, it becomes nearly impossible to dispute or deem any passages as excessive or superfluous. In this regard, "Sophie's Choice" persists as a document that is worthy of being cherished and admired.

The character of Nathan Landau, on the other hand, remains somewhat controversial. While Mr. Styron endeavors to make him appear somewhat grotesque, there is an underlying current of sympathy. Perhaps Styron's sympathy lies more with the mentally ill in general rather than with this specific character.

As for Sophie, I am unable to argue with Styron's portrayal since I have never encountered a survivor. And although I find the character somewhat hard to believe, who am I to dispute? It is incredibly difficult to determine how a human being who has endured such extreme stress (in this aspect, she is entirely believable) would turn out.

Stingo serves as the fulcrum of the story, and if we recall, his is the most recognizable character – the most universal.

All things considered, "Sophie's Choice" remains a text that should be read and preserved as a record of a significant period in American history (and indeed, world history). It should be safeguarded for both its optimism and the horror it represents. I envision that the post-WWII era was one of optimism due to the defeat of the Nazi regime, yet it was also one of horror because of the atrocities that were permitted to occur. This dual sentiment must have left everyone feeling a bit frenzied and eager to distance themselves from those very recent and harrowing events. Styron's novel captures this frenzy with remarkable precision.

I find myself in a quandary as I try to determine whether I simply don't like Styron or perhaps it's just Stingo that rubs me the wrong way.

Stingo is an insufferably pretentious writer. He has an inflated view of himself, spending a significant portion of the book deriding other writers, convinced that they pale in comparison to his supposed "incredible skills". He also complains incessantly about women, believing that he is such a catch and wondering why they aren't interested in him. Moreover, he dismisses his own family, deeming a return to the south beneath him.

This book held great potential. In the hands of a more adept storyteller, it could have been the heart-wrenching tearjerker it was meant to be. When I reflect on Sophie's story and her impossible choice, it truly devastates me. However, while reading in real-time, I felt nothing but annoyance. And this is coming from someone who typically cries at everything. Immediately after the big reveal of "Sophie's Choice", Stingo launches into his own rationalization, which borders on exoneration. Styron should have allowed the reveal to linger, to soak in. But no, here comes Stingo again.

Sophie has two dominant traits: being hot and self-loathing. Given her situation, it's understandable that she would loathe herself. But Stingo makes sure we are fully aware of how hot (and yet simultaneously emaciated?) she is. With a more conscientious writer, Sophie could have been a truly great character.

On the positive side, Nathan is a well-written narcissistic abuser. His highs are extremely high, overflowing with charm and charisma. His lows are depressingly low, marked by verbal and physical abuse and manipulation. I have known people like this, and it was both terrifying and realistic.

Had the character of Sophie and her storyline not been filtered through the eyes of the unbearable Stingo, I believe I would have loved this book. If Stingo were completely removed, and Sophie and the Holocaust storyline were fleshed out more, then I would agree that we have a literary masterpiece. As it stands now, unfortunately, it falls short.

2/5

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