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70 of 78 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant, August 10, 2004
This book is huge. I approached it with skepticism. Half way through the book, I wasn't wowed. Then while I was telling somebody else about it, it dawned on me how deep the characters and the story had grown. It's a coming of age story for a whole town and one young girl. Every character is so natural through the story that a rich diversity of music, politics, philosophy, and religion is subtly and radically revealed.
Mick Kelly's experiences at her "prom" and the swimming hole, her relationships with her siblings, and obsession with music provide a parallel for the life of each other person. A deaf-mute as a focus to share a secret with each character was inspired. We're all individuals in the same boat. The abrupt last sentence of Part 2 is brilliant.
It's a simple story to enjoy with plenty to discover and digest throughout.
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115 of 132 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
many shades of gray, November 14, 2004
Besides this book, I have read "A Member of the Wedding" by Carson McCullers. It is very striking to me that when I read each of these books, my mental images of the characters and settings were in black and white. Well, really, I saw it all play out in shades of gray. The people and places in this book are dark, often dirty, lowly, depressed, depressing and teetering on the verge of hopelessness.
The title aptly states the novel's theme; the overriding feeling of the book is stark loneliness. The characters cannot connect with one another - even when they are trying very hard to do so. They don't have authentic relationships even when they think that they have found a soul mate. Each of them wants to share his or her inner-most truths, and without exception they are impotent in their attempts. They each have things that they want to do, talents that they want to express. In each case, they can't or don't overcome their personal burdens to reach their goals or to achieve any sort of success. In the end, they are each alone with little hope for a more fullfilling life.
The book is very well written. Each chapter is written as a stream of consciousness of one of 4 main characters who each move the story forward a (very tiny) bit. This book is all about characters. It is definitely NOT about plot. McCullers remains stylistically consistent throughout, which seems to be quite an accomplishment in this very ambitious first novel.
For me, reading this book is a literary accomplishment. I can check off another classic from my list of books to read. However, it was not a book that I found enjoyable. I would suggest that ambitious readers should tackle it. Its style, mood and characters are very effectively created and sustained. On the other hand, if you prefer plot, uplifting or hopeful themes, happy endings or characters that grow or overcome their limitations, you may not want to spend your reading efforts on this book.
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34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a great book, April 24, 2004
The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter is one of the best novels I've read in a while. I loved the way Carson McCullers develops the characters in this book. Loneliness and racial injustice are two timeless themes in this novel that McCullers presents so well. McCullers was a white woman writing about how black people were mistreated and felt oppressed in 1940. She was an author truly ahead of her time in that way. All the characters are so memorable in this book. Biff Brannon is a compassionate cafe owner. He helps anyone in need by giving them either food, money or a job. Brannon becomes a widower when his wife dies suddenly of a tumor. Mick Kelly is a lonely but intelligent 12 year old girl from a poor family with a passion for music. Doctor Copeland is a black physician. He becomes a crusader for racial justice when his son goes to jail. McCullers explains the basic principles of Karl Marx's economic theory in the novel by putting in a lecture by Copeland in the novel to show how society is divided between the rich and poor people. I knew nothing about Karl Marx's ideas, so I thought this part of the novel was very interesting. Another memorable character is John Singer. He is a man who does not have the ability to speak. However, he becomes the person all the characters eventually confide all their problems to. Singer communicates with his long time room mate and only deaf friend by using sign language. The relationship and love between these two deaf friends is one of the best things about this novel. The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter is one of the best books Oprah has ever chosen for her book club. The themes of loneliness and racial injustice are timeless and universal. The characters are very memorable too. I loved reading this book.
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