Hangsaman vs The Catcher in the Rye: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Adolescence, Interpersonal relations, Fiction
Hangsaman
Seventeen-year-old Natalie Waite longs to escape home for college. Her father is a domineering and egotistical writer who keeps a tight rein on Natalie and her long-suffering mother. When Natalie finally does get away,…
vs
The Catcher in the Rye
Story of Holden Caufield with his idiosyncrasies, penetrating insight, confusion, sensitivity and negativism. Holden, knowing he is to be expelled from school, decides to leave early. He spends three days in New York…
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Catcher in the Rye has the widest readership — 4000723 ratings behind its score.
- The Catcher in the Rye runs the darker storyline; Hangsaman stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Scores by source
| Hangsaman | The Catcher in the Rye | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | — | 3.8 (4000723) |
| Hardcover | 3.8 (48) | 3.6 (3821) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (32) | 4.0 (1901) |
Reception
| Hangsaman | The Catcher in the Rye | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 48 | 4000723 |
| Editions | 14 | 204 |
| Film adaptations | — | 1 |
| Want to read | — | 1746505 |
| Pages | 280 | 255 |