The Catcher in the Rye Is One of the Worst Books I’ve Read (7 Reasons Why)

I gave it a shot.

Really, I did.

I went in expecting to be moved. To be shaken. To have my mind opened by this so-called masterpiece.

And when I turned the last page, I felt one thing: nothing.

This book? This was the one? This was the book that turned classrooms into battlefields of literary debate?

The book that made Salinger a mysterious, untouchable legend?

It felt like someone had handed me a cigarette, lit it with great ceremony, and then walked away, leaving me standing there, staring at the smoke, wondering if something was supposed to happen.

Because nothing did.

And now I’ve got to talk about it.

1. Holden Caulfield Is the Most Insufferable Narrator in Literary History

Holden Caulfield is the kind of guy you avoid at a party.

Not because he’s dangerous. Not because he’s dark and brooding in an interesting way.

But because the second you say hello, he’ll launch into a monologue about how the world is full of phonies, how adults are all sellouts, how he gets things on a deeper level than you.

And you’ll stand there, nodding, waiting for a punchline that never comes.

He’s rich, but he hates rich people. He’s lonely, but he pushes everyone away.

He’s obsessed with being real, yet he lies constantly. If he were around today, he’d be that guy who posts deep quotes about society on social media and then immediately Venmos his dad for rent.

2. The Plot Goes Absolutely Nowhere

Here’s what happens:

• Holden gets kicked out of school.
• He takes a train to New York.
• He mopes around, drinks underage, insults people, and fails at talking to women.
• He visits his little sister.
• He thinks about running away but doesn’t.
• The book ends.

That’s it. That’s the ride. If this were a movie, you’d be halfway through your popcorn before realizing the plot left without you.

It’s like someone hit “pause” on life and made you watch a kid pace around his apartment for a weekend.

3. The Writing Style Tries Too Hard to Sound Cool

Salinger knew how to write. That’s clear. But he also knew how to get in your head and make himself comfortable—whether you liked it or not.

Holden’s voice is everywhere.

Everything “kills” him. He “really” does hate this and “really” does love that. He says “and all” like it’s a nervous tic.

You start hearing him in your own thoughts.

By page 50, I was narrating my own life in his voice. That lady at the bus stop really killed me. I really did feel lousy, walking into that store and all.

It’s like having a mosquito in your ear.

4. It Romanticizes Being Aimless

There’s a difference between being lost and being actively against finding a direction.

Holden isn’t just lost. He’s stuck.

And the book acts like that’s beautiful. Like refusing to grow up is some kind of noble rebellion.

But let me tell you something—standing in the rain feeling sorry for yourself isn’t deep. It’s just standing in the rain.

And yet, so many people read this book and think Holden is some misunderstood hero.

If he were around today, he’d be the guy who refuses to get a job because but still lives on his parents’ dime.

5. It’s Overrated Because People Read It at the Right Time

Ask anyone who loves this book when they first read it.

They’ll always say, when I was a teenager.

That’s because this book doesn’t hold up once you’ve had real problems.

When you’re young, Holden feels like a voice in your head. But when you’re older, he feels like a neighbor’s car alarm that won’t shut off.

Life has enough noise. I don’t need Holden Caulfield adding to it.

6. There Are Better Books About Teenage Angst

You want teenage alienation done right? Try The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. Try Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Even Catcher’s own long-lost cousin, Franny and Zooey, does a better job.

Those books explore the pain of growing up without making you feel like you’re stuck in an elevator with a kid who just discovered philosophy.

7. The Ending Is a Letdown of Epic Proportions

You spend the whole book waiting for something—anything—to happen. Some moment of clarity. Some big realization. Some emotional gut punch.

Instead, Holden just… gives up.

He ends up in a mental institution, mumbling about how he misses people he’s spent the entire book hating.

It’s like watching someone throw a fit for hours and then, out of nowhere, sigh and say, I don’t even care anymore.

If you’re going to drag me through that much emotional turmoil, at least give me a payoff.

Summary Table

Point	Why It Sucks
Holden Caulfield	A walking contradiction with no self-awareness.
The Plot	Nothing actually happens.
The Writing Style	Annoying, repetitive, tries too hard.
Romanticizing Being Lost	The book acts like refusing to grow up is deep.
Overrated	It only works if you read it as a teenager.
Better Alternatives	Other books do teenage angst better.
The Ending	No resolution, no payoff.

So, what’s the takeaway?

Some books change you. They open your eyes. They take you apart and put you back together differently.

This isn’t one of them.

This is the book that sits on a high school syllabus, waiting for kids to nod along in class, pretending to relate to Holden so they don’t sound like they missed the point.

But maybe the real trick is realizing there is no point.

Maybe that’s the joke. Maybe Catcher in the Rye is just one big, cosmic prank.

And maybe the biggest phony of all… is the book itself.