Catch-22 is one of those books that's kind of satiric and realistic at the same time, in that the writing-style is intended to be humorous, but you can identify with the stuggles of the characters at the same time. The stories about Yossarian and his fellow soldiers can be quite entertaining, but there are places where the author jerks you into what seems like a frightening reality of war (McWatt's death, for example).

While not really a Tarantino-esque effort, the storyline is not exactly linear; it seems like almost every chapter focuses on a different character, highlighting the different individuals who are sent to war, and what the experience does to them/how they deal with it. If you're looking for a linear storyline that's easy to follow looks elsewhere; it's kind of helpful at some points to think of each chapter as a type of extended character sketch if you start to get annoyed with the writing style.

I'm no english major, but I'm pretty sure the main message of the book is to show how war contains none of the glamour and glory that it is commonly assoicated with, and that it's really just a bunch of people who would rather be at home doing what they're told so they can try to survive long enough to get home. I think it also hints at how the different sides really don't "hate" each other on a personal level.

That's pretty much what I got: Catch-22 is kind of the opposite approach that "Platoon" takes towards showing the evil of war. Let me know if this helps. :)