Operation Superhuman Reader: Route 801, #6

So, I finished The Fountainhead, and I wish I could have read it in school for class and spend two weeks of class periods discussing it. Rand gives you a lot to think about—even if you don't agree with her philosophy—and I think I will get the most out of this book by discussing it with other people. This particular review is perhaps a little more rambling than others I've written, but I haven't yet been able to boil down my thoughts to anything too concise!

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


In short, I really, really liked it. I found the character development complex and compelling, and I liked it that the plot wasn't predictable but not outrageous. While definitely a meaty read, it wasn't hard to get through. I enjoyed the pace and found myself completely wrapped up in the story.

Ayn Rand is a philosopher at heart, and that really came through in this book. While often I shy away from philosophy, I found Rand's accessible in this book. The plot was driven but still left room for Rand's philosophizing. The philosophy waxes especially strong toward the end of the book, and by then I was kind of done with the objectivism. A good family friend of ours described Rand's objectivism like this: She has the diagnosis right, but not the prescription. I couldn't agree more. When I was reading this I would be struck with an observation and think, "Yeah! She's right!" But then as the story continued, the way she handled it was not what I necessarily agree with.

Howard was a particularly compelling character, and I admired his complete self-confidence, how he's happy with who he is and honestly doesn't care about others' opinions. But then again, he does have traits that aren't as admirable. Rand's explanation of this is a little off from how I might analyze it, but her thoughts gave me something to mull over.

The other characters—Peter, Dominique, and Gail—were all compelling in their own way. Sometimes they were tragic and other times triumphant, and the full picture of their flaws and admirable traits made for complex relationships. My opinion of any of the relationships in this book isn't one-sided, thanks to the full and thorough character development.

The characters in this book were very real to me, and I admire Rand's writing that way. While I don't agree with every facet of her philosophy I can in many ways respect it.

If you're looking for a more intense summer read, try this one!

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