Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates (#17, Contemporary Literature)

The family experience, hopeless monotony of the 'burbs, and the bitter irony and disappointment between a couple--all themes you will "happily" find in Revolutionary Road. If you know me at all, you can probably venture a guess about my overall impression of the book. Generally, not my genre, but as I write the post and think about the book it is growing on me--in a very academic/philosophical way.

The book is about a young couple living in the 50s, but wanting to "break the mold" and not be like all those "other people." April and Frank Wheeler were different--they turn their nose at the American Dream, and the suburbs, and the traditional roles of men and women. Or did they?

Revolutionary Road is about the human experience. What I've learned from my "Professor" is that a book of this genre is good if it becomes timeless--meaning can people, over countless generations, continue to relate to the characters. Can I relate to the Wheelers? Yes and no. If you asked me, "how old do you picture this couple?" I would quickly answer--much older than me. Wrong answer--29. They are both 29. So, no, I can't relate to being married, with two kids and living in a house with a picture window. But on the other hand, I can relate because they were 29, with two kids, living in a house with a picture window and wishing that wasn't their life.

The book is sad in one of those utterly depressing, "is this all there is to life" type ways. And it makes you wonder about love and happiness--can these be timeless too?