Sophie's Choice by William Styron

I was surprised by this book; it wasn't what I expected. It was less engaging than I anticipated it being and parts of it were rather difficult for me to get through. The 'growing pains' of Stingo were not where my interest was centered. I think he's kind of a pansy to be honest.
I'm also surprised at the sexual content. I'm aware that he's a sexually frustrated young man, but god- get on with it! I'm not offended by sexual content, I just don't need to be drowning in it. I have never heard the word 'phallus' and all it's derivatives used so frequently as I have in the week I read this. And to think- it didn't even come wrapped in black plastic....
I feel like it would be bordering on sacrilegious for me to not like this book, due to the subject but the fact is- I wasn't in love with it. It was long and rambling and often, more focused on the struggling young adulthood of Stingo than on 'Sophie's Choice', as the title indicates. I wouldn't recommend this one. I know the movie made a big splash so I'm going to check it out, mostly to find which parts of the book were found movie worthy by the film makers. I imagine it would have been difficult to try and capture all of Stingo's inner struggles on film so I'm curious to see if Sophie and her struggles in an anti-semitic Poland take more of the center stage.

You will find an official plot line description at:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228560.Sophie_s_Choice