Catch 22

This book had potential to become one of my favourite novels of all time. It is hilariously written and very clever. However, I'm going to be honest and say that for such a long novel, too little happens. I can cope with length sometimes, if it is full of events and is engaging. Catch-22 on the other hand, has moments that are really gripping but too long sections where nothing happens. For a good section of it I was skimming.

That isn't to say that I don't realise it is totally genius and am glad I have read it, but I wanted more. Or less. Yes, that's it. I wanted all the good stuff without the waffle. So, it was good, but I wanted less of it. Sounds like something someone in Catch-22 would say.

Although, by the end, it really picks up the pace. Once some plot actually starts it became really engaging and my pace of reading multiplied rapidly. I really enjoyed the ending, absolutely fantastic.

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There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane, he had to fly them. If he flew them, he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to, he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

"That's some catch, that Catch-22," he observed.

"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed.

"Of course you're dying. We're all dying. Where the devil else do you think you're heading?"