The "genius" vs The Heart Goes Last: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Couples mariés, Married people, Romance & Relationships, Fiction
The "genius"
Dreiser's semi-autobiographical novel about a young man's unhappy marriage, adulterous relationships, and struggle to retain his artistic integrity.
vs
The Heart Goes Last
"Stan and Charmaine are a married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse. Job loss has forced them to live in their car, leaving them vulnerable to roving gangs. They desperately…
The verdict
- Readers rate The "genius" highest: The "genius" 4.2 · The Heart Goes Last 3.4.
- The Heart Goes Last is the quickest read — about 5 hours vs 14 for The "genius".
- The Heart Goes Last has the widest readership — 76509 ratings behind its score.
- The Heart Goes Last runs the darker storyline; The "genius" stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Want a one-evening read?
The Heart Goes Last
≈ 5h vs 14h for The "genius"
Want the crowd-tested pick?
The Heart Goes Last
76509 ratings vs 1537 for The "genius"
Just want the better-reviewed one?
The "genius"
4.2 vs 3.4 from readers
New to the genre?
The Heart Goes Last
Light vs Demanding for The "genius"
In the mood for something dark?
The Heart Goes Last
a darker storyline than The "genius"
Scores by source
| The "genius" | The Heart Goes Last | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.2 (1537) | 3.4 (76509) |
| Hardcover | — | 3.3 (156) |
| Google Books | — | 3.0 (3) |
| Apple Books | 3.5 (6) | 3.5 (342) |
Reception
| The "genius" | The Heart Goes Last | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 1537 | 76509 |
| Editions | 164 | 14 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 1758 | 65343 |
| Reading it now | 164 | 3662 |
| Written reviews | 79 | 8299 |
| Wikipedia attention | 382 | 1095 |
| Pages | 802 | 308 |