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53 pages 1 hour read

Revolutionary Road

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1961

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Book Brief

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Richard Yates

Revolutionary Road

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1961
Book Details
Pages

355

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Connecticut • 1950s

Publication Year

1961

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Richard Yates's Revolutionary Road explores the lives of Frank and April Wheeler, a young couple with two children who move to a Connecticut suburb. Discontent with their mundane existence, they plan to move to France for a fresh start. However, their relationship unravels due to professional and personal conflicts, ultimately leading to tragic consequences. The story critiques the conformist pressures of 1950s American society. The narrative addresses themes of abortion and mental health.

Melancholic

Contemplative

Dark

Emotional

Unnerving

Reviews & Readership

4.1

92,592 ratings

71%

Loved it

21%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates masterfully dissects suburban malaise and the struggle for authentic self-identity. Praised for its unflinching realism and rich character development, critics laud its piercing insights into marital turmoil. However, some find its bleak outlook overly pessimistic and the prose occasionally dense. Overall, a compelling but somber read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Revolutionary Road?

A reader who appreciates complex character studies and critiques of suburban life will relish Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. Fans of Richard Ford's Independence Day or John Updike's Rabbit, Run will find similar themes of existential dissatisfaction and the search for meaning.

4.1

92,592 ratings

71%

Loved it

21%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

355

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Connecticut • 1950s

Publication Year

1961

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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