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taxideadaisy's review against another edition
1.0
[The version I read is in fact part of The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe (Random House 1938), a book I've been reading from since childhood.]
Let's just say if this was my first taste of Poe there never would have been a second. I chose it because of references in notes to the HPL book I just read, and they're part of the same cultural eddy, sure. A noxious backwater it is, though, to continue the metaphor.
That the seagoing part goes on and on I can forgive. Some stories wax long on description. The racist stuff though is outdated and disappointing... All that "savages" stuff, ugh. It started out in such a promising manner: dated but entertaining.
If you like Poe generally, and don't need to read this for research or studies, I'd definitely give it a pass. It did not age well!
Let's just say if this was my first taste of Poe there never would have been a second. I chose it because of references in notes to the HPL book I just read, and they're part of the same cultural eddy, sure. A noxious backwater it is, though, to continue the metaphor.
That the seagoing part goes on and on I can forgive. Some stories wax long on description. The racist stuff though is outdated and disappointing... All that "savages" stuff, ugh. It started out in such a promising manner: dated but entertaining.
If you like Poe generally, and don't need to read this for research or studies, I'd definitely give it a pass. It did not age well!
carlylottsofbookz's review against another edition
3.0
Growing up, Poe was an athor I really liked--while I can't say that I have read ALL of his works, I am happy to report reading most of his short stories, and of course some of his poetry. Throughout school, whenever we studied Poe, those two genres were mentioned: poetry and short stories. It wasn't until a few weeks ago when I was told Poe had written a novel--this one. I was shocked! How had I never learned of this?!
Better late than never and I am happy to report my local library had a copy.
The plot of this novel is pretty interesting: a boy hides out on a boat becuase his family won't let him leave, but then the boy suffers from a mutany (maybe his family was right?) and eventually only 4 people remain on the boat...next problem, food and water. It gets so bad that the four draw straws to see who will make the ultimate sacrifice so others may eat him. After barely hanging on for weeks, they are finally seen and rescued by a boat. Only to be taken on another adventure to find the south pole...where savages await them.
Poor Pym...I think he really might have been better off listening to his grandpa.
Better late than never and I am happy to report my local library had a copy.
The plot of this novel is pretty interesting: a boy hides out on a boat becuase his family won't let him leave, but then the boy suffers from a mutany (maybe his family was right?) and eventually only 4 people remain on the boat...next problem, food and water. It gets so bad that the four draw straws to see who will make the ultimate sacrifice so others may eat him. After barely hanging on for weeks, they are finally seen and rescued by a boat. Only to be taken on another adventure to find the south pole...where savages await them.
Poor Pym...I think he really might have been better off listening to his grandpa.
musicdeepdive's review against another edition
3.25
A shipwreck novel that touches all the expected plot points without adding much apart from a bit of Poe's darker imagery. The long-form narrative is not Edgar's strength and it shows - pretty clear why he only attempted the one novel.
briandice's review against another edition
4.0
Shipwrecks! Cannibalism! Wiley natives!
This is a quintessential ripping yarn, a page turner of the most classic kind - a book that inspired Melville and caused Auden to gush. It's Poe's only novel, and perhaps given his master of the short form it's best that he only gave us one to savor. And that ending! I wish I hadn't read the appendix; the end to the main narrative was so shocking and unexpected, so good.
Yes, yes, there are those long passages about rookeries and longitudinal markings, but don't skim those beauties. Poe writes in such precise language; the reader comes away from each sentence with the impression that the brush strokes couldn't be improved.
I'm reading Poe as a prelude to reading Arno Schmidt's "Bottom's Dream" and I'm very happy that it led me to finally reading something I've always meant to get to.
This is a quintessential ripping yarn, a page turner of the most classic kind - a book that inspired Melville and caused Auden to gush. It's Poe's only novel, and perhaps given his master of the short form it's best that he only gave us one to savor. And that ending! I wish I hadn't read the appendix; the end to the main narrative was so shocking and unexpected, so good.
Yes, yes, there are those long passages about rookeries and longitudinal markings, but don't skim those beauties. Poe writes in such precise language; the reader comes away from each sentence with the impression that the brush strokes couldn't be improved.
I'm reading Poe as a prelude to reading Arno Schmidt's "Bottom's Dream" and I'm very happy that it led me to finally reading something I've always meant to get to.
wdbooks's review against another edition
5.0
This is my third reading of the book. The story is just as weird, horrifying and fantastical as before. Truly a unique book.
emmy80g's review against another edition
1.0
I had to read this book for class and honestly tried so hard, but could not finish..
weyburn13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0