Ben, in the World vs Of time and the river: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Young men, Bildungsromans, Fiction
Ben, in the World
“This card had afflicted Ben with such a despair of rage that he took it from his mother, and ran out of the house.”
"Ben Lovatt can never fit in. To those he meets, he seems awkward: too big, too strong, inhumanly made. He baffles and he terrifies: those who do not understand him want him locked up.". "His own mother locked him up;…
vs
Of time and the river
This book continues the story of Eugene Gant, the protagonist in Look Homeward Angel. If you have read and liked Angel you should definitely follow through and read this(vol 1 and 2). Autobiographical in nature..
The verdict
- Readers rate Of time and the river highest: Of time and the river 4.2 · Ben, in the World 3.3.
- Ben, in the World is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 16 for Of time and the river.
- Ben, in the World has the widest readership — 2353 ratings behind its score.
How to choose
Scores by source
| Ben, in the World | Of time and the river | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.3 (2353) | 4.2 (1351) |
| Hardcover | 3.8 (2) | 4.8 (4) |
| Apple Books | — | 3.5 (8) |
Reception
| Ben, in the World | Of time and the river | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 2353 | 1351 |
| Editions | 25 | 44 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 1772 | 5637 |
| Reading it now | 78 | 575 |
| Written reviews | 280 | 122 |
| Wikipedia attention | 429 | 1084 |
| Pages | 192 | 912 |