Freedom by Jonathan Franzen is an epic novel that delves into the lives of the Berglund family - Patty, Walter, Joey, and Jessica, along with their friends and acquaintances. The story captures the complexities of relationships, midlife crises, teenage angst, and the struggles of suburban life. Franzen's writing style is described as astute, insightful, and engaging, with a focus on character development and psychological depth.

Characters:

The characters are complex, presenting a mix of relatable flaws and moral ambiguities that drive the story.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging and character-driven, allowing an intimate exploration of contemporary lives.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot intricately maps the lives and choices of the Berglund family, revealing deep relational struggles and societal themes.

Setting:

The setting serves as a backdrop for exploring the intersection of personal lives and broader societal issues.

Pacing:

The pacing is varied, sometimes slow and dense, but ultimately rewarding as the story develops.

If Patty weren’t an atheist, she would thank the good Lord for school athletic programs, because they basically saved her life and gave her a chance to realize herself as a person. She is especially g...

Notes:

Freedom explores the complexities of modern American family life, particularly through the lens of the Berglund family.

The characters in Freedom are depicted as deeply flawed and self-absorbed, which makes them hard to like but relatable.

Franzen uses a variety of narrative perspectives, allowing readers to gain insight into the thoughts and motivations of multiple characters.

The book has been noted for its cultural and political relevance, reflecting issues such as environmentalism and the impact of 9/11 on American society.

Patty Berglund's character is particularly complex, as she struggles with depression and dissatisfaction in her life.

The writing style is characterized by sharp, insightful observations about society and human behavior, though some readers find it dense and drawn-out.

Freedom has been recognized as a significant contemporary novel, often compared to works like War and Peace and The Corrections.

The novel's themes include the struggle for personal freedom and the consequences of individual choices on family dynamics.

Some sections of the novel received criticism for being overly political or preachy, especially regarding environmental issues like mountaintop removal and overpopulation.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for Freedom include themes of infidelity, graphic sexual content, drug use, depression, and familial dysfunction.

Has Romance?

The novel contains a significant exploration of romantic relationships including infidelity and personal longing.

From The Publisher:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A NEW YORK TIMES 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

Winner of the John Gardner Fiction Award

A National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist

A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist

Freedom, by the New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Franzen, is a masterly novel of contemporary love and marriage, a brilliant charting of the temptations and burdens of liberty: the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, and the heavy weight of empire.

Patty and Walter Berglund were the pioneers of old St. Paul-the gentrifiers, the hands-on parents, the avant garde of the Whole Foods generation. But now, in the new millennium, they have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter, once an environmental lawyer, taken a job working with Big Coal? Most startling of all, why has Patty, the perfect neighbor, turned into the local Fury?

Patty and Walter Berglund are indelible characters, and their mistakes and joys, as they struggle to learn how to live in an ever more confusing world, have become touchstones of contemporary American reality.

Ratings (22)

Incredible (5)
Loved It (10)
Liked It (3)
It Was OK (3)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (40):

Read It (22)
Want To Read (15)
Not Interested (3)

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Freedom?

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About the Author:

Jonathan Franzen is the author of novels such as The Corrections (2001), Freedom (2010), and Crossroads (2021), and works of nonfiction, including Farther Away (2012) and The End of the End of the Earth (2018), all published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. He lives in Santa Cruz, California.

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Freedom

Jonathan Franzen