Rating: Summary: Cat's Cradle Review Review: Cat's Cradle, a novel be Kurt Vonnegut, is a science fiction novel. In this story, the main character (who is also the narrator), Jonah, meets many interesting people on his journey to successfully write a book. He encounters many new things, such as a new religion, and a new way of living. Jonah's book, along with an article he needs to write for the magazine he works for, leads him to San Lorenzo. There, his life takes a very interesting turn, and because of this, his life will never be the same again. Kurt Vonnegut has many highlighted points in his writing. In the novel, he writes as thought he was thinking. He doesn't always write in perfect English. This makes reading, for the most part, easy. However, at times, it can be difficult to understand. Vonnegut also uses an extensive vocabulary. There are words that he uses that I could not define without a dictionary. He also makes his chapters very short, which I find makes for much easier reading. I believe this novel was very good and I enjoyed it very much. As I read Cat's Cradle. some very vivid pictures were painted in my head which, added to the overall effect of the book. I would recommend this to anyone in the reading level of a fourteen to sixteen year old. However, this would provide as entertaining reading to anyone over the age of sixteen as well.
Rating: Summary: Cat's Cradle Review Review: I thought Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut was a creative, entertaining, humorous and unique novel that dealt with science, religion and politics. The narrator is a writer aspiring to compose a book about what people were doing the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. He begins his investigation through communicating with one of Frank Hoenikker's (the father of the atomic bomb) three children. His investigation brings John, the narrator from Illium, Illinois to San Lorenzo to finally the destruction of the world. John meets Frank Hoenikker's three children on his way to San Lorenzo. Here, he found his religion and becomes president. John encounters the end of the world due to a substance known as "ice nine" invented by Frank Hoenikker.Cat's Cradle was an intriguing novel. The ideas of Bokonists were fun and also the way Kurt Vonnegut connected all of his characters. His short and witty chapters made the reading go by quickly. His style of writing and creativeness kept me hooked. I recommend Cat's Cradle for ages 14 and up.
Rating: Summary: The End of the World Review: The book Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is about 180 pages published by Dell, this is the first time I've read anything by Vonnegut. I thought it was such a disturbing book. Everything I've heard about him, though, seems to be true. He's a brilliant satirist. Well, this is a story, a satirical effusion of sarcasm, about that subject - The End of the World. The irony here is that the guy who was really the father of the atomic bomb didn't wipe out the earth on his first try using the fiery, nuclear holocaust. So he tries again with this substance called Ice-9, with spectacularly better results. I thought it was a very incomplete yet complex story portraying the end of the world, yet I still found it enjoyable. War, religion, capitalism, Americanism and the implied hatred that the entire world has for it, politics -- Human Nature are all targets of Vonnegut's caustic satire. It's an interesting story, but it's more interesting as a macabre, yet humorous, linguistic feast. As I read this book I couldn't help thinking of that Robert Frost poem, Fire and Ice. You know... Some say the world will end in fire, some say in Ice. I thought this was appropriate considering the man behind the atomic bomb was like an attempt to end the world in fire, and Ice-9 was like an attempt using Ice, yet all done by the same man. In the end I found that this book was an excellent read, at least once. While it has the potential to be a favorite re-read, I would not give it overwhelming praise such as guaranteeing it. I found some parts humorous and others quite depressing, but it was well written and had a fairly easily followed plot, if not incomplete. So I would recommend you definitely read this book for yourself, and you be the judge, don't just take my word for it.
Rating: Summary: "Yes, yes!" Review: Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle is a fantastically witty narration of an author's bizarre encounters as he goes about collecting material for his book, The Day the World Ended. Through the voice of the narrator, Vonnegut lampoons organized religion and creates an imaginative science fiction story in which a new atom called "ICE NINE" that has the potential to destroy the world. Vonnegut's ideas are expertly assembled to create a masterpiece of science fiction and humor that holds together and is extremely entertaining.
Rating: Summary: Review of Cat's Cradle Review: Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle is an apocalyptic interpretation of the world's future. Written from the perspective of a free-lance writer, John, Cat's Cradle cleverly links a scientist's disfunctional family to a Caribbean island living under the illusions of a religion grounded on lies. Pursuing substance for his novel, The Day the World Ended, John contacts the family of Felix Hoenikker, the father of the atomic bomb. Consequently, John travels with Hoenikker's children to a Caribbean island, falls in love, assumes the presidency, and witnesses the destruction of the world. The text flowed very well; terse chapters maintained the reader's interest. Witty conclusions exemplified how humans are connected through intricate links. Vonnegut's varied settings, ranging from suburban New York to an impoverished Caribbean island, certainly maintain the reader's interest. Vonnegut also refrains from narrating the novel with an omniscient voice. On the contrary, John is ignorant about human relationships; this naivety evokes humor. Two themes the novel served to exemplify, illusion vs. reality and the destruction resulting from unrestricted science were prominent. To comprehend these themes, readers should be in the adolescent or adult age groups. The reader must also bear patience to see how obscure events string together at the novel's conclusion. With patience, readers will relish this ingenius satire.
Rating: Summary: Cat's Cradle Review: The novel Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is a prime example of the science fiction genre. The novel contains a perfect blend of scientific logic and literary fiction, making it both believable and entertaining at once. The story is the fictitious memoirs of a writer named John, who is doing research for a book he plans to write about the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. His curiosity spurs a chain of events, and he soon is caught in the middle of the intricate web of secrets and lies of the Hoenikkers, the children of Felix Hoenikker, the father of the atomic bomb. John soon discovers that the children possess a synthetic compound called Ice Nine, an isotope of H20 whose unique structure gives it properties unique from any other material on Earth. The discovery of Ice Nine proves to be the turning point of the novel, and Ice Nine ultimately plays a key role in the conclusion of the story. I found Cat's Cradle to be an insightful and brilliantly composed novel. Cat's Cradle has the captivating plot that is characteristic to science fiction novels, but it separates itself from other novels in its genre with its sense of reality. Despite some of its far-fetched aspects, while reading Cat's Cradle, I couldn't help but think that it was a true story. Vonnegut's detailed characterization, believable setting, and blend of fictitious occurrences and historic events make the novel seem as realistic as an autobiography. Vonnegut also did a great job using irony and black humor to express the hidden themes of the novel. Cat's Cradle offers a cynical and insightful view into the worlds of religion, technology, science, and government. Although I consider this novel to be one of most well written works of science fiction ever composed, it does contain a few minor downsides. This book is written in an odd format, and it is set up as a collection of interconnecting anecdotes. Although this format gives Cat's Cradle a unique and interesting feel, it can make the plot confusing to understand at times. The only other downside is that the symbolism and hidden meaning of many of the events and people in the novel can be difficult to decipher at times. For these reasons, I would recommend this book to people ages 16 and above who read at a sophisticated level. I would certainly recommend this novel to anyone who has an interest in science, as well as anyone who is interested by politically and socially ironic literature.
Rating: Summary: Cat's Cradle review Review: The novel Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is an entertaining story of a man who gets tied up while writing a book. It features an interesting cast of characters and tells a story of the end of the world. One of the positive aspects of this novel is its humor. Although the humor is mostly dry, Vonnegut gives a comical twist to his characters as well as his ideas of the future. One of the negative aspects is within the content. For some people the religion of Bokonism may be hard to understand because it is so odd. Cat's Cradle would be most interesting to either teenagers or adults. If you're in search of an enjoyable novel with great characters and plot then this is the story for you.
Rating: Summary: Cat's Cradle Review: Cats Cradle by Kurt Vonnegot is a wonderful but deceiving. It is a well-written story about the narrator Jonah (a journalist) and it opens with him writing a story call The Day The World Ended and he based it reactions of Felix Hoenikker (the father of the atomic bomb) on the day the bomb was dropped. Jonah meets Felix's three bizarre children and he becomes mixed up with the inhabitant from the island of San Lorenzo. He learns about ice-nine, a small chemical that could bring around the end of the world. Once created for the soldiers to solidify mud so it is easier to travel on. However he really made a weapon more dangerous the atomic bomb. There are many high points skillfully twisted into the story. Vonnegot is a very skillful writer and I want to read more of his novels. The high point that sticks out the most is when Jonah and the others bring about the end of the world by using ice-nine. This however was a mistake they had to pay for. I think the book has no low points because it was written so well nothing makes you lose you attention. Yes, I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. It is good at any age because you can see things at a different view. The one reason one shouldn't read this book is if they are easily distracted because if you miss one thing you are in trouble. This is a book that should be read at least once.
Rating: Summary: A review Review: Kurt Vonneugts Cat's Cradle is carried along by a group of captivating characters, which include a scientist, Dr. Hoenikker, and his 3 awkward children. A religious man, sugar giants, and a beautiful woman are all found on San Lorenzo. These characters carry the reader from Ilium in the Midwestern United States, to the small island of San Lorenzo in the Caribbean, to the ultimate destruction of the world using a new, mysterious substance. The symbolism portrayed makes this a wonderful book that will absorb a reader completely. This book is recommended to anyone 15 and older.
Rating: Summary: Cats Cradle Review: Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is an accomplished text that masters the essence of a new religion, and hazards of science through a sarcastic and humorous tone. The novel comprises a curious man gathering information for his novel on The Day the World Ended. While interviewing the family of a doctor that contributed to the discovery of the atom bond, the narrator stumbles into a society where religion is based on lies and human stupidity is universal. By surrounding the character in a new civilization and faith, Vonnegut engulfs the reader into his masterpiece. As the lead role, John's arrival at the island of San Lorenzo and his discovery of Bokonism paves the way for his commitment to the awkward religion. John develops a relationship with a childish midget, his stringy six-foot sister, and their public shy brother that unfurls him into a mysterious world. This unique novel tours the reader through a separate dimension. With his unpredictability and ability to create suspense, Vonnegut creates a sense of curiousity persuading one to continue reading. Cat's Cradle is an ideal piece that ignites one's imagination and is fit for a teenager to an adult that is ready to explore a new religion and way of life!
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