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A review by grrr8_catsby
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
3.0
I can't tell you about the plot to The Sirens Of Titan.
It's not because it doesn't have one; in fact, The Sirens Of Titan has a fantastic story.
Telling you about the plot of The Sirens Of Titan discredits and belittles the individual themes that comprise this satirical masterpiece.
I have not done any serious literary analysis since high school, but The Sirens Of Titan is the first book in a long time in which I found myself stopping to digest the chunk of literature I had just consumed. If you have read any Kurt Vonnegut in the past, you will know what to expect here; zany situations played straight, a concoction of discrete and over-saturated satire, and poignant social commentary.
The Sirens Of Titan can be thought of as The Atheist Manifesto; depictions of religion and the search for meaning are found consistently throughout the pages of this book. To be fair, Vonnegut does not directly discredit any religious god or deity, but rather the concept of religion itself. Basic belief is not the issue here, but rather the systems of belief established to find divine understanding and truth. Also thematically important, the concept of free will (or the lack thereof) makes a major appearance in this book, and sets up the theme of many of his later novels.
There is nothing I can say in 2,200 characters that can justify a thorough thematic evaluation of this novel. While not Kurt Vonnegut's finest work, The Sirens Of Titan is still a fun science-fiction adventure teeming with high existential dread.
It's not because it doesn't have one; in fact, The Sirens Of Titan has a fantastic story.
Telling you about the plot of The Sirens Of Titan discredits and belittles the individual themes that comprise this satirical masterpiece.
I have not done any serious literary analysis since high school, but The Sirens Of Titan is the first book in a long time in which I found myself stopping to digest the chunk of literature I had just consumed. If you have read any Kurt Vonnegut in the past, you will know what to expect here; zany situations played straight, a concoction of discrete and over-saturated satire, and poignant social commentary.
The Sirens Of Titan can be thought of as The Atheist Manifesto; depictions of religion and the search for meaning are found consistently throughout the pages of this book. To be fair, Vonnegut does not directly discredit any religious god or deity, but rather the concept of religion itself. Basic belief is not the issue here, but rather the systems of belief established to find divine understanding and truth. Also thematically important, the concept of free will (or the lack thereof) makes a major appearance in this book, and sets up the theme of many of his later novels.
There is nothing I can say in 2,200 characters that can justify a thorough thematic evaluation of this novel. While not Kurt Vonnegut's finest work, The Sirens Of Titan is still a fun science-fiction adventure teeming with high existential dread.