This was one of those books that had been on my list for a long time. I figured with an audiobook version I’d have no issues getting through the novel. Oh boy was I severely mistaken.
By the time this book had been released Mrs. Rand had witnessed the dust bowl, WWI, WWII, and at least part of the Cold War. I thought this would at least appear in the book in some form which it all did, heavily. There were some points when her political opinions completely distracted from the book she was trying to write. It was so clear she was writing from her own personal experience instead of through the experience of her characters that it seriously distracts from the actual story and dragged me out of any submersion I could have had with the book. Some of it felt and sounded so crazy to me that I expected a character to bust down a door with an axe and scream “here’s Johnny” just to show me someone had gone insane.
During the time periods where she couldn’t wedge in political commentary like a toddler tries to shove a penny up their nose was really good. She had believable characters, believable companies, a believable government, and a great story. Without the political commentary I would have been presented with a book that I’d likely read/listen to again. I was often rooting for people like Dagne Taggert and Hank Rearden. I wanted their goals to be reached by their own terms. While I’m glad I got through it once I’d never pick it back up.
artificialbutthole t1_j21dqe5 wrote
Book was too damn long.