The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera

I'm such an a-hole. The only thing I can think to say at the beginning of this review is that as much as The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a widely acclaimed literary think piece I just didn't "get it." And that's not really true. I did get it. I got it in about the first 50 pages and then after I got it I thought, okay why is the author making me try to re-get it over and over and over again.

Have I become accustomed to smooth plot lines and robust character development? Maybe. Or do I just enjoy using the character and story to draw my own ideas of themes and lessons from the literature? Yes probably that too.

Listen ULB has no true structure. The character and the plot serve as devices for Kundera to wax philosophical on the lessons he has learned from his own life. And I really appreciate his point of view and what he has to say, but it's almost like getting stuck talking to someone at a dinner party where by the time you get to dessert, you've heard about their complete philosophy on life and you are just hungry for a new topic. 

The book only has four characters, Thomas and Theresa, Sabina, and Franz. The plot jumps between and among them and back and forth in time to visit and re-visit points in their lives which tell us more about the author's own philosophies. This is a freshman literature student's dream, all the lessons the author wants you to get from the book are spelled out again and again. You don't have to interpret or internalize anything. It's all write there. That term paper practically writes itself. 

Listen, I did get it but I just got bored. I feel like I've let my pseudo-intellectual self down but this one was just not for me.

2/5 Stars.