Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Zucchero di cocomero by Andrea Pellizzari, Richard Brautigan

7 reviews

rzh's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

3.0

hmm. weird. kinda spooky. very sparse in a dreamy, hippie-dippie sort of way. the book being so sparse directly leads to what makes it so interesting: whilst reading, i was desperately turning over every object in my head, working out if it was an analogy. like the tigers, for instance, or the things in the forgotten works: i wanted to imagine what they could be with the limited information i was given in the book. of course, they needn't be anything in particular. maybe brautigan himself had no idea. i guess its not important. but i liked this aspect of it: the mystery inherently makes your mind wander and creates (i presume) a different book for every reader and every reading.
i also liked that it was short. if it was any longer i think i would have grown impatient, but the length allows it to remain quaint and charming. 3 stars
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

charlottefannon's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jessiebertram's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious medium-paced
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

nstew16's review against another edition

Go to review page

lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I felt like I was in a dream reading this. The writing was equal parts escapist and surreal. Brautigan's style is minimal and honest, repetitive and inviting.

Other books that In Watermelon Sugar reminded me of:
1. Le Petit Prince (fantastical/surreal elements like the talking tigers)
2. Cat's Cradle (writing style)
3. The Time Machine (iDeath)
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

burnyayhayley's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark funny
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

Based on the reviews I have seen, this is a love-it-or-hate-it book, and I really wish I found there to be any morsel of genius so that I could love it, but yiiiikes this is incredibly bizarre and incoherent. 
The first half is boring as hell, and the second half is a tonal rollercoaster. Reading this book feels how I imagine it would feel to be the only sober person with a group of strangers that you are somehow in charge of keeping alive, who are all on psychedelics, and then right when you think they are going to fall asleep they all start to bad trip and scream. 
Honestly I just saved you the trouble of reading the book, but if that strikes your fancy, have at it. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

christinereichard's review against another edition

Go to review page

fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

The only takeaway I can dig up is a reflection on materialism & its influence on society. The novel went completely over my head even when I made every attempt to digest it. That being said, I respect Brautigan for writing somewhat of a postmodernist classic and if you already enjoy the genre it's probably worth a read. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it to anybody else.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

neptunereign's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings