(Warning, the following may contain spoilers for The Sound in the Fury. Read at your own discretion)
So, I have just recently finished reading my independent novel The Sound in the Fury and I have to say I am glad I'm done with it. Mainly because it was a little big and its now one less thing to worry about. Now, here are my thoughts on the novel.
If you choose to read this book, be warned that it is very hard to follow at times. The book is broken up into four sections and the first section has no concept of time, making it hard to figure out what's happening. You'll be reading one part then it will flash do another with no indication a switch has been made. The other sections are easier to read, but still have a hard time making a distinction memories and the actual events. It also didn't help that the dialogue is written in a southern accent which makes sense as it takes place in the deep south during the 1930s, but it can be hard to read, either from not knowing what's being said or not enjoying seeing an apostrophe over every word.
I will say though that when you finally do figure out what's happening, it is a very interesting and engaging read. It tells the story of the Compson Family and the narration is done through three of its members. It also helped to create the "stream of consciousness" narrative where you read about a person's thoughts and reactions to events. The fact that this was the novel that created it does give it some credibility.
As for the characters, some are enjoyable, others are awful and you should hate them for it. I didn't really connect a lot with them mainly because 1. I didn't share any of their views (except Quentin) and 2. I had no idea who anyone was when I first read it.
In conclusion, did I like this book? No, it made little sense when I read it. I only finally understood it when I read the Spark notes for it and by then it had little impact on me. Would I recommend it to you "literary scholars?" Probably. Even though I didn't like it and don't see how anyone could, I do see why. It presents a very interesting story with dynamic characters. The fact that it also created a new type of narration is also great so I do recommend it. I will say this though, if you read it, read it carefully and make sure to have a spark notes book nearby to use if you get lost. It may be a good read, but it is very dense and confusing at times.
I totally agree with you that the stream of consciousness makes *The Sound and the Fury* hard to read. It gets so dense sometimes that you are completely lost and it feels like you're reading a jumble of words. I wonder why you did not connect with any of the characters at all. I like the second section of the novel because even though it is still highly stylized as stream of consciousness, it allows us as readers to delve directly into Quentin's thoughts with him, which was an unexpected plus for me.
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