Ideal
Rating: 1/2 Nice
Name: Ideal
Author: Ayn Rand
Category: Fiction - Philosophy
Recommender: —
Date read: Oct 10, 2023
Review
It was really interesting to see Rand’s early thinking, (and echoes of what would become her main works) and I had fun picturing the dramatic play sets as the scenes unfold. The drama. The glamor. The romance. Most of all, beautiful, descriptive, psychological, efficient character writing. (Especially on the part of the novel) Many of the characters (George Perkins as one) resonated with me. Some characters (Chuck Fink) made me laugh, others I just put up with. That said…
Spoiler, click to expand
there's not really a plot, and the ending is a bit of a let down. I spent the whole novel wanting to learn what makes Kay tick, wanting to know if she will find love, and wanting to see the world brought to justice, but by the end it seems she was killing time (taking the opportunity to test a slew of men with the dilemma of her flee from the law) until an oil deal was closed, and the one character she finds with a mind she could love is depicted as a hopeless, helpless pariah who immediately kills himself to protect her from a false threat. The implication from Kay then is that she was being kind by letting him die thinking he was helping? If you say so lady...