The Catcher in the Rye review By: Nitish Raj

 The Catcher in the Rye review

By: Nitish Raj

The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D Salinger, is a book about the problems and situations faced by a grieving 16-year old boy. Holden Caulfield, the main character in the book, fights the problems of loneliness and depression throughout the story, both stemming from the universal issue of grief from his brother’s death a few years prior. The story starts after Holden is kicked out of his fourth private school, and has to inform his parents of the news. But rather than wait to tell them, Holden decides to leave his school early and spend a few days in New York before coming home. Throughout the book, Holden describes the days he spends in New York, and describes the different people he meets. He seems eager to hang out with and be friendly with them, in order to accommodate his loneliness. However, he does not seem to like them, and struggles to connect with anyone other than his little sister, Phoebe. Holden cares for Phoebe, and thinks of her at many different times throughout the story. As the story progresses, Holden’s relationships with several different characters are revealed, and his interactions with them are intriguing. The book is written from the perspective of Holden, and includes many relatable situations for teens. The book is not overloaded with description, and Holden’s thoughts make the book easy and enjoyable to read. I enjoyed the book, and liked the different interactions Holden had as his true problems revealed themselves. I thought the book was slow-developing at times and lacked dramatic action, but it was a great read because of the many themes developed in the story. I thought the book was a relaxing read that was very relatable, and I think it is a good book to read for fun.