One of the best novels ever written
588232
Without a doubt this has to be one of the greatest novels of all time. I won't say it's the best just because once a work of art attains greatness I find it quite incomparable to other great works. Great works are ones which have fully succeeded in expressing the emotions and convictions of the artist, and without a doubt Great Expectations acheives this. Unfortunately I only hold this view of the book containing the original ending, which was not the originally published ending. (spoiler) The original ending at first seems sad and frustrating, but one can't help but to feel satisfied in knowing that through suffering Estella had gained a heart, which is much more than she would have gained through a cold and heartless relationship with Pip. The happy ending which was published is almost a fairtale ending and it perverts the themes which make the novel so relevant to reality. I must admit, like Dickens' friends and publisher, the original ending was hard for me to swallow, but as I dwelt on it and how it related to the novel, no other ending seemed appropriate, especially not a happy one.
4800948
One of the best novels of the past fifty years. It astounds me to see so many negative reviews of this classic. It's such a shame -- people seem to only want to read "literary fiction" if the style is plain and simple enough for middle schoolers to comprehend. Imagine if Faulkner had lived in the age of Amazon reviews! Norman Rush is one of our finest living writers and this book is a masterpiece.
1300884
I read this book when I was a teenager. It was one of my favorite books of all time. I decided to reread it at the age of sixty -seven. It has not disappointed me. The writing is exquisite and the story line is enthralling. I would be surprised if a young person today would find it interesting, but Oh what they are missing!!
1481137
One of the best novels I have ever read. It's about a family and an illness. It's also about love, friendship, careers, marriage, and children. Beautifully written, with great sensitivity and brilliance. Highly recommended for those who love a great novel.
3632383
This is flat out one of the greatest novels ever written, and it's more fun than any of James's other novels, too. It's nice that he thought such a pleasant book was his best.

If the style is too much for you, wait till you can handle it. On the other hand, if you start out as I did fifty years ago with liking the puzzle and getting a kick out of it, then as you keep coming back it will get clearer and clearer. Meanwhile, on my fourth reread, I'm tremendously enjoying the humor on every page of the first three sections.

Check this out: "Waymarsh had smoked of old, smoked hugely; but Waymarsh did nothing now, and that gave him the advantage over people who took things up lightly just when others had laid them heavily down."

Meanwhile, be advised: the theme, "Live all you can," is laid out openly in the fifth of twelve sections, and is totally present from Section One. Maybe Paris isn't as bad as Americans think it is -- yes, that's the comic point, but it's not what the book builds up to; it's what the book starts out from. We are given the comedy of American Puritanism versus Parisian High Culture right from the start ... and THEN what happens? That's the mystery and charm of the book.

And it couldn't be more charming.
4252701
One of the most romantic novels ever. Once you start reading you can never stop until you reach the end. A brilliant piece of work.
2719106
One of the greatest novels ever written.  The subject is human behavior - the good, the bad, the wise and the foolish things we do and we tell ourselves.
3404029
Not just a great graphical novel but also one of the finest works in literature. The artwork is quite powerful in an understated way. The story telling is superb.

Its not a particular easy read. The book is filled with historical references and filled with detail. There is no main plot (in the traditional sense) that drives the narrative.

A bit of patience is required, but but once the setting and the characters become familiar this is an extremely compelling and rewarding novel.
598806
This is one of the best written books I have ever read. I could not put it down. I have reread this book several times and I just can't get enough of it. It is such a moving story I just love it. I highly recommend it as a must read!
379581
This is a bit like reviewing the Bible, but here goes. This is the finest novel ever written. Forget the people who say it is "difficult." If you grew up in the south, if you listened to relatives tell the same story over and over again, each time changing the details slightly, always making the old material seem fresh, you will have no problem reading this book.  When I picked this book up at age 16, I literally could not put it down. I read it on the bus, in class, between classes, late into the night.  The ending is especially effective and poignant, so be sure to read all the way through.
2153841
One of the best books ever written. My wife loaned my copy to a neighbor and I never saw it again so I had to replace it. I've read it twice since the original shorter version was first published and I know I'll read it again.
3510597
This novel is deserving of all the praise and awards heaped on it. It's expertly written and narrated, it's politically explosive, it's imaginative, and it's blending of the real and surreal could only have been done by such a great writer. It's completely and utterly different from any of the "classics" you have ever read. It's modern and a relic at the same time. There surely are dozens of other reviews outlining the plots and characters of the novel, so let this one just recommend it as a must-read and one of the true masterpieces in all aspects of the word.
1203182
This is one of my all time favorite novels. It is not very long, and I would recommend it to everybody I know.
4282170
Invisible Man is one of the greatest novels of this century. Ellison only published the one novel during his lifetime, but he was correct when he said that there wasn't much more to say.
Invisible Man is told my an unnamed narrator (an effective device since the narrator hasn't totally found his existential self). He is an African American from the south living in New York. He has come to the realization that he is invisible in that people choose (conciously or subconciously) to look through him. He then tells the story of his life which has lead him to that epiphany.
Invisible Man is really marvelous. It is an existential novel of not really an African American in a prejudiced time and place, but really an American trying to find his identity in that prejudiced country. Ellison has so much to say about the races being a little of each other, not really being separate. He has so much to say to all of humanity. He tells everything in a smoothly written narrative. The prose is beautiful. The plot is entertaining and causes thought. This novel is just as valid today as it was when written and cannot be missed by the upcoming generation.
1005043
This is the greatest novel I have ever read.

Adding a review like this is just one voice in a great host, but it needs to be said. I love this book, I read it every year, and I learn more about myself and the world around me as I come closer and closer to understanding its vastness.

My mother bought me this book. She had heard I enjoyed Chesterton, having used a few of his cleverer quotes to support my own frail ideas. So she bought it for me, and left it on my bed, and one day, abroad in Provence, I would pick it up and read through its pages, not fully understanding what I held. It is a great book. It is funny and witty, terrifying and revealing. It is a book that will require multiple readings, if only to assure you it is as good the second, third, and fourth time as it is the first. I am saddened by those who denounce this wonderful contribution to literature. Do read what they say, and assess them honestly.

It's not uncommon to receive gifts from your mother that change your life. Life itself is the first of the list. This book is special to me personally, and to those who may hear me among the din, know that it can change your life too. It is my favorite Chesterton novel, as well as my favorite piece of the English language. Enjoy it. Be confused. Allow it to provoke your imagination and take you on an unparalleled journey. What you get out of it will belong to you, forever.
422402
Wow. Just...wow. I finished this novel about 10 minutes ago and I'm only now able to put it down and enter the real world again. This is one of the best novels, if not THE best, I have ever had the pleasure to read. Many people here say it, and they are all right: Murakami is a genius. Everything about this work was perfect or near perfect. It has amazing insights into the problems of existance that are as profound as any philosophical text, yet it doesn't (as so many so-called Postmodern novels do) sacrafice plot to do this. Rather, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle has, quite possibly, the best plot in any contemporary novel. No one except a psychic schizophrenic could predict what will happen next. And yet is all fits together beautifully. It reads as a literary representaion of the chaotic order of current philosophical thought. Amazing, amazing book. I haven't encountered an author who shocked me this much since Nabokov and Lolita. I know I'm rambling right now, but I can't help it. READ THIS BOOK. It will change every perspective you have on life. I know it did mine.
1509159
This book is one of the best written novels ever written. The fact that it is her first bears about an additional amount of incredulity. Even though this book is over a thousand pages long....I have read it at least 4 times .