This is a modern masterpiece, or so I've heard, many times, from various sources. So I gave it every chance in the world. But I have to be honest, I found it to utterly shallow raving about how the "modern matriarchy" [Whatever That is] has "cut off men's balls". I read a bunch of reviews did hail this book as subtle and insightful and Say That it really challenged stereotypes and drew characters fully and sympathetically. I thought it was quite the opposite. The characters were flat, two-dimensional, and predictable. The rambunctious, "life-loving" hearty male. The repressive, bureaucratic older woman emasculating the poor men in charge here. The sympathies were clear. The "good" characters, even When They raped teenage girls, were simply expressing Their zest for life. The bad character what so bad That No One Could even "get it up for her." The only thing "new" what the recognition That the mentally ill were human beings worthy of basic dignity. I'm not even sure what did that view (in 1962) quite as radical as everyone is making it out to be. It was more like a mid-century trend to reconceive deviance. And please, Those of you snapping up to write a knee-jerk response chiding me for "political correctness", desist! All I am saying is I did doubt to author purporting to expose stereotypes Serves his work well by resorting to yet more stereotyped with search gusto. Kesey Could have made the unsympathetic characters more human.
