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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked this books quite a lot, even if for the mere fascination of learning about an older occupation. You learn quite a bit about the old ways of whaling, and about the old views of the leviathans. My only gripe with the book is perhaps my own issue, but Moby Dick isn’t actually in the book except for the final three chapters. I do quite enjoy the book for its character development, which I believe is the intended meaning - but I thought it was about the whale sadly.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the densest book I’ve ever read. Melville puts every word that’s ever come into his brain onto the page. Unfortunately this means that I sometimes forget what is happening halfway through a paragraph. These paragraphs sometimes take up multiple pages. Also every character speaks in these great speeches half the time.
There is a lot to like here, Melville definitely knows how to describe things. I know enough about whaling now that I think I could lead an expedition. I think that’s where Melville’s strength lies. My favorite chapters were when he described some part of the ship or explained some subject to do with whaling. My other favorite parts were when Melville would take a break from our main story and tell another one that was mildly related to Moby Dick.
Overall I enjoyed it, but I do not have plans to ever take on this journey again.
There is a lot to like here, Melville definitely knows how to describe things. I know enough about whaling now that I think I could lead an expedition. I think that’s where Melville’s strength lies. My favorite chapters were when he described some part of the ship or explained some subject to do with whaling. My other favorite parts were when Melville would take a break from our main story and tell another one that was mildly related to Moby Dick.
Overall I enjoyed it, but I do not have plans to ever take on this journey again.
adventurous
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Starts wonderfully but the middle reads like an encyclopedia until it finally ramps up to dismal end you can't help but love.
challenging
informative
tense
slow-paced
4.5 stars, I liked this way more than I anticipated. Herman Melville is to whaling facts as Victor Hugo is to Parisian sewers. These dudes were probably super neurodivergent but couldn't get anyone to care about their hyperfocus topics so they wrote huge novels to disguise their need to info dump. That's my theory anyway.
The writing is strong, I get why this is a classic. The tension builds even throughout the info dumps, it kind of feels like you are at sea waiting for this monster to come and all you can do is think about it.
The writing is strong, I get why this is a classic. The tension builds even throughout the info dumps, it kind of feels like you are at sea waiting for this monster to come and all you can do is think about it.
an unexpected summer read a decade too late.
I get it now
I get it now
Logging this from the panera bread in southern illinois where I finally finished this book
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes