Well, my friend (who, by the way, is the one that initiated all the cruise talk) responded to my idea saying she had already read it and it was bleak. But, my daughter said she wanted to read it also. So, I borrowed my friend's copy and started reading. I read the first 50 pages. I disliked it so much I skipped to the end and read the last 20 pages. And I am done. I dislike it very much. I won't say hate, but that is probably what I mean. I just did not enjoy it. I didn't feel it was uplifting in any way (actually, most early 20th century American literature I have read is pretty depressing). I didn't feel I learned anything about WWI. I thought the carefully couched sexual content was disgusting. None of the characters in the first 50 pages seemed heroic or even likable to me. Of course, I only read 70 of the 332 pages. I probably didn't give it a good enough chance.
I guess I am going to have to enjoy some other part of the cruise. Like the weather. Or the company (friends & family). Or the time away from winter in Ohio. Or the food. I could go on and on...