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Summary: Life, death and a personal journey in the 20 century
Review: More than a simple satire Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five" is one of the most important books written in the North America in the 20 Century. Dealing with both personal experiences, fiction and introducing himself as a character, the writer has created a unique work that will remain in the literary cannon forever.It is hard to tell what this novel is about, because it is sometimes funny, sometimes a sci-fiction, and sometimes very very sad. By using such device, Vonnegut shows the reader the absurdity of the war and of the 20 century as well. Death and life are side by side in his words. At the same time, the novel is a personal journey towards the center of himself. Using a fragmented prose only enhances the experience of reading this novel. With such technique, the book requires more attention from the reader, and increases the curiosity of what will happen next, and when this part of the narrative will be resumed. This is one reason why many readers find Vonnegut's work stranger than the average writer. So he is, but in a good way. This elliptic narrative is very sophisticated and beautiful to those who read a book and care about language, character development and plot. Vonnegut's sense of humor and sarcasm are brilliant turning what could be a tacky story into a deep work, filled with undertones and, psychological and political ideas. The constant use of the sentence 'So it goes' display a high level of sophistication, that many veteran writers will never acquire. All in all, 'Slaughterhouse-Five' is an important read for everyone who is interested in good and profound books. Those works that make us care more about the world we live, the society we are building everyday and, above all, the life we are leading.
Rating:
Summary: A Strange but Satisfying Read
Review: This novel reminded me of a bizarre abstract painting. Vonnegut is perhaps the Picasso of literature. Billy Pilgrim's bizarre story is told in pieces, jumbled and out of order, but the novel is still put together ingeniously. Vonnegut brilliantly adds in his touch of science fiction, toying with such matters as time travel and alien abduction, but these are only the backdrop for Billy's real story of sacrifice, tragedy, and the pains of violence and combat. Billy is a tortured hero, pathetic but still likeable. His story is a sad one and you feel as if you must like him or else. The review on the book says it well; it is a book "at which you are not permitted to laugh." One of my favorites of all time.
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Summary: Not Vonnegut's Best
Review: Kurt Vonnegut is an author whom I became intimately familiar with for a few years. I read, literally, every single work of fiction that he has had published, and generally enjoyed them, as well. However, it seems that Vonnegut is also the type of author that one outgrows: I re-read Slaughterhouse Five in its entirety some two months ago, and have not been more frustrated (and tired) by a book in quite a while. The biggest issue with Vonnegut is, no matter what else is to be said: He is formulaic. After a while, all of his stories bleed together, his cynicism is tiresome, and his misanthropy becomes cliche. Period. Slaughterhouse Five is often hailed as Vonnegut's piece de resistane, though I sincerely doubt it was written as such. It deals primarily with a man, Billy Pilgrim, who continually experiences changes and "jumps" in time: He does not experience a linear sense of time. Pilgrim fought in World War II, and is subsequently kidnapped by Trafalmadorians, an alien race who also do not experience linear time. This book has been championed as an anti-war novel, though to be honest, I never quite saw this. Does Vonnegut speak down on war? Most assuredly. But I think this book extends far, far past simply being an anti-war novel: In fact, I think the theme of "anti-war" is perhaps the one theme which is least prominant in the book. Truth be told, perhaps to others the literary merits of this novel shine through, but I personally believe there are far more intriguing, thought provoking, and funny books by Vonnegut out there. Mother Night and The Sirens of Titan, to name two. Slaughterhouse Five is worth reading for its supposed literary merit, but it seems to me that it is a sophomoric work of Vonnegut's: Its ideas are there, and they are far, far below the surface.
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Summary: Logical and confused
Review: When the movie based on the book was presented in Italian cinemas, I was in my pre-teens and, being it rated NC-14, all I was allowed to look at was its trailer. Even it, alone, left me a strange impression, as a result of an usual mix of war, science fiction and sex (very few, however, but then considered enough for rating). The book has been a full confirmation of that boyhood memory: strict language, dark humour, plenty of references (The Execution of Private Slovik is an interesting historical note), an underlying structure uncorrelated events are attached over, build up an environment logical and confused at the same time. All books by Vonnegut I have read so far are someway related to previous references or boyhood memories, so I sensed a hint of completion of old knowledge by their reading. So considering him as the best author in science fiction may be an exaggeration, but I am glad I have read this book now: I think I could have not appreciated the random jumps in the thread when I was used to the "fairy tale" SF.
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Summary: Deep and Delicious
Review: Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time. One of my new favorite books ever! Truly one of Vonnegut's best works of art. Deep and profound with many allusions to keep you guessing. So it goes...
Rating: 
Summary: So it goes
Review: Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five is about a writer (Vonnegut himself) who is writing about a book about an optometrist/WWII vet who regularly converses with aliens. Yes, it's a writer who writes about another writer, whose writings are based on the original writer's war experiences. Billy Pilgrim, the protagonist of said novel, is unstuck in time, which basically means that he relives old memories in a seemingly random order. He is totally unfit for war, yet he is forced into service to fight in World War II. Vonnegut's novel within a novel details Billy's experiences before, during, and after the war. During the war, Billy sees many things that would be considered heroic by many, yet Vonnegut portrays these would-be heroes as ridiculous and obnoxious. The book has a clear anti-war message, but ultimately, it states that war is inevitable. Vonnegut brings his book to a filmmaker, who states that being anti-war is like being anti-glacier; you can dislike it, but it's going to happen anyway. When a death in the novel occurs, Billy Pilgrim's only response is, "so it goes," which reflects on his powerlessness in his situation. He may not like what occurs around him, but he cannot do anything to stop it, and so he accepts the way things are. Slaughterhouse Five is written well, but it is rather difficult to keep up with because of all the changes in setting. There are several settings Billy is unstuck in, such as America during the Vietnam War and Billy as a prisoner of war during the firebombing of Dresden. Also, Billy's encounters on the alien planet Tralfamadore are just strange. Despite this, Vonnegut's message is clear, and it is articulated in an interesting, albeit perplexing manner.
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Summary: Proof that Sci-Fi can be Earth-bound
Review: One of the things that I love about Slaughterhouse Five (and many of Vonnegut's other books as well) is how the sci-fi elements are there, but they are not the focal point of the story, nor of the characters. The sheer mention of Tralfamadore rockets this novel into the classification of science fiction. Yet, despite the "popping between time" of Pilgrim that tries to defy a physical setting, the story remains solidly anchored within an emotional setting: the bombing of Dresden (WWII), which keeps everything in perspective. Tralfamadore, and many of the "non-linear" qualities of the story could as easily be the creation and fixation of a weakened mind, just as much as they could be (?) real. You never know. Vonnegut always keeps you guessing. SH-5 is a great introduction to Vonnegut. If you enjoy this one, I would recommend moving in either one of two ways: for those who liked the character elements and emotional qualities, move to "Bluebeard". For those who were more intrigued by Pilgrim's temporal displacement, try "The Sirens of Titan" next.
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Summary: An Odd-ball look at War and Life
Review: First of all, I'd like to say that I'd give this book four and a half stars if I could, it's funny but deals with serious subjects. Slaugtherhouse-Five foucus on the life of Billy Piligrim, a quite timid,man who is able to travel through time to different points in his life. Billy jumps from being a POW, like Vonnegut, to a sucsessful optometrist, to a human being in an alien zoo. Much of the book focuses on Billy as a POW who was a survivor of the fire-bombing of Dresden. After the war, Billy becomes sucsessful, but begins to mentally fall apart, he doesn't like his wife and is not close to his children. When the aliens from Tralfamadore capture Billy they explain all moments, past, present, and future, are structerd and cannot be changed so he accepts all that has happend. One aspect of the book I like is that you can see how things Billy has already seen in the future effect his life in the past and vice-versa. This funny look at the life of a mentally deteriorating man and many aspects of culture is defently worth a read.
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Summary: Over-hyped relic from the 1960s
Review: I've read other works by Vonnegut and while I consider this to be one of his better works, I was fairly disappointed with this supposed "classic". I have no doubt people of Vonnegut's generation at the time thought it would indeed be a classic--shocking, anti-Establishment, "unconventional"--and this is exactly the problem: It really speaks only to his time and generation. The prose simply doesn't stand up to the test of time and is at time unbearable to read. The oh-so hip use of language is terribly dated and things that are supposed to be shocking to his contemporary audience are today trite, the irony coming off rather simple-minded and pedantic. The greatest moments in literature are when the author forgets about sending messages and delves into what the book itself wants to say. Vonnegut seems to be too concenred with his own ego and scoring points among his peers for being some kind of Moral Conscience of his generation. In another thirty years, this book may be almost totally unreadable.
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: Without question, Kurt Vonnegut is among that small group of America's greatest 20th Century writers and, also without question, SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE is his masterpiece. The title refers to the location where his anti-hero, Bill Pilgrim, is held as a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II, a location that formerly had been, yes, a meat slaughterhouse. S-5 makes for painful reading, but reading that at the same time is rich with insight. The scenes describing the bombing of Dresden are as vivid as anything ever written. SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE is a powerful work which should be on every literate person's short-list of "must reads."
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