The Great Santini

The character of Santini is so commanding and complex—did readers see him as a hero, a villain, or something in between? I'm curious how others interpreted his influence on his son.

The tension between duty to family and individual identity felt so palpable. Did anyone else feel torn about sympathizing with or condemning Santini?

I wondered if that was intentional to mirror the emotional distance or if it just slowed the story for me. Would love to hear how others experienced it.