Plot Summary

Rabbit Redux

John Updike
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Rabbit Redux

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1971

Book Brief

John Updike

Rabbit Redux

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1971
Book Details
Pages

448

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Brewer, Pennsylvania • 1960s

Publication Year

1971

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

In Rabbit Redux, former high school basketball star Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom is a disillusioned, middle-aged man as his marriage to Janice crumbles. Amid the backdrop of the late 1960s, Rabbit turns to drugs and encounters with countercultural figures like Jill, a runaway hippie, and Skeeter, a Black Vietnam veteran, which challenge and change his views on society, race, and freedom. Themes include substance abuse, infidelity, and racial tension.

Contemplative

Melancholic

Gritty

Mysterious

Dark

Reviews & Readership

4.0

16,483 ratings

66%

Loved it

25%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

John Updike's Rabbit Redux receives praise for its deep exploration of American life and the nuanced portrayal of its protagonist, Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom. Critics commend Updike's sharp social commentary and vivid prose, though some find the narrative meandering and its treatment of sensitive themes controversial. Overall, it remains a thought-provoking sequel to Rabbit, Run.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Rabbit Redux?

Readers who favor intricate character studies and evocative prose would enjoy Rabbit Redux by John Updike. Fans of Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates and American Pastoral by Philip Roth will appreciate its exploration of mid-century American life and personal discontent. Suitable for those interested in the human condition and societal shifts.

4.0

16,483 ratings

66%

Loved it

25%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

448

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Brewer, Pennsylvania • 1960s

Publication Year

1971

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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