Stoner | Book Review

Author: John Williams

Genre: Classic Fiction

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5

Trigger Warnings: Suicide, unexpected pregnancy

Summary

The story essentially explores William Stoner’s academics, personal life, marriage, fatherhood, career followed by the relationships and the friendships formed with people all taking place against an academic drop. It gives in an insight on how his marriage affected his relationship with his daughter, how a feud with a student and a fellow professor affected his role as an English Literature professor in the college.

What I liked about the book

The story doesn’t exactly have an exciting plot where a lot happens. Instead, it follows a simple storyline of retelling events in a person’s life which is a refreshing kind to read. It is definitely a character driven story where the reader is given a glimpse of all the areas of Stoner’s life.

The book does a great job of highlighting the simplicity of one’s life, the ups and downs that a normal person faces in their life. We were also given glimpses of how women had to lead their lives back then and how it was so different from the present time. Of course Stoner led a miserable life and handled a lot of his problems poorly but he still showed integrity and courage and tried to do what thought was best

Another thing, it is extremely readable with very simple language. This makes the story very easy to follow and pushes you to continue even though the plot has nothing to intrigue or excite the reader.

What I disliked about the book

Again, since the book lacks much of a plot, it is quite slow paced and flat. Despite being a short read, it is definitely not the kind that will keep you hooked to finish within just a few hours. There’s nothing exquisite and new in this book. A simple story about the life of a simple man who experienced a lot.

Overall, the book would definitely be a great pick for anyone who wants to read something academia related or wants a change of scene from the usual fantasy or fiction. The book would also be a perfect pick for anyone who wants to try reading classics or wants a short book to reach their reading goal