Revolutionary RoadRevolutionary Road
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1955, Frank and April Wheeler live in a pleasant Connecticut suburb with two children and a dull job for him in the city. They always believed they were special, too good for the suburbs, so April proposes they move to Paris and start again. As the plan takes shape, and then starts to fall apart, their marriage turns on itself.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. It's a devastating portrait of a marriage and of the American dream gone stale, and the 2008 film reunited Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's bleak, with a tragic ending involving an abortion.
By the numbers
- Readers34 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller51 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #155 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #390 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1327 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
The Color Purple
The Caine Mutiny
East of Eden
I, Claudius
A Room of One's Own
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Quick answers
Is Revolutionary Road worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. It ranks #1,327 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Revolutionary Road about?
In 1955, Frank and April Wheeler live in a pleasant Connecticut suburb with two children and a dull job for him in the city. They always believed they were special, too good for the suburbs, so April proposes they move to Paris and start again. As the plan takes shape, and then starts to fall apart, their marriage turns on itself.
How long does it take to read Revolutionary Road?
About 8 hours (337 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Revolutionary Road?
If you liked it, try The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald or American Pastoral by Philip Roth.