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Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut is a novel that tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, a US POW who is being held prisoner in a slaughter-house in Dresden, Germany during the end of WWII. During his time in the POW camp, Billy becomes "unstuck" in time and travels to different moments in his life, (marriage, traumatic events, etc). Billy is also taken by a flying saucer to the planet Tralfamadore, where the Tralfamadorians give him their philosophy on life and death and also time and what we perceive as a fixed moment. Due to Billy's time traveling, the story is told from a non-linear perspective.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book as it was written in a very colorful and descriptive language. Its use of dark humor makes it easier to process all of the horrible things the book describes. I also liked all of its metaphors and allegories, which help emphasize its anti- war point of view. I thought that Slaughterhouse-Five also gives a very interesting take on life and death and our perception of existence and the process of and passage of time. I would recommend Slaughterhouse-Five to anyone looking for an entertaining, insightful, and thought provoking read.

Reviewed by Alex, Grade 12.
Montrose Library
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Teen Speak said…
In Slaughterhouse-5 by Kurt Vonnengut, Billy Pilgrim is introduced as a veteran soldier of World War II. His experiences in the army, more specifically in the bombing of Dresden, Germany, haunt him throughout his life. War in general (especially at the time) is seen as this sort of "heroic" feat, but Vonnengut contradicts this view with the character Billy Pilgrim. Billy is left emotionally unstable and mentally incapable of accepting the horror he had experienced, and is left to deal with this trauma in other ways.

This is honestly one of my favorite books. What I find truly intriguing is the fact that Vonnengut took attention to relate the main character in the book to the actual way the book itself is written. Billy is confused, disorganized, and his thoughts are jumbled and warped. The book itself jumps from one time period to the next and it's plot is not clearly discernible. Vonnengut's humor and ironic writing give this book it's appeal. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a witty and satiric story.

Reviewed by: Nelli, grade 11
Glendale Central Library
March 27, 2014 at 11:59 AM
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