Reviews

Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne

nemegarcia's review against another edition

Literally bc of that “is there no protestant horror??” tweet. I think i’d read it before

duarshe's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

This was just confusing. Although I'm open to changing my mind after we talk more about it in class, I much prefer other short stories.

maidermor's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced

4.0

j_raugustin's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

3.0

I laughed out loud through parts of this story. I really enjoyed the foreshadowing, analogies and literary components of this classic short story. 

londonreads378's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

I read this book 4 times in a row. After the first time I was going to rate it a 3. After watching a couple analyses on the story, I listened to it on YouTube.  That’s when all of the different intricacies that the author included in this short story made sense to me. Then to get a fresh reading with a lot more context I read it again in a parking lot.  
It’s a sad story but, even as a Christian, I loved it. God and Christianity did not prevail in this tale, but the downward descent in the story that made it get to that point was what fascinated me. Man’s path to living in sin. Let’s just say Satan is a crafty being.

existentialgoth's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

2.0

noranovels's review against another edition

3.0

read for school

dirkgentlys's review against another edition

the devil was in a silly goofy mood

franquie's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

5.0

A short story showing that just because someone appears to be godly, doesn’t mean it is really so. 

alreadyover's review against another edition

to be honest this was giving what is my blud waffling about until the final page or so. I loveeeee the paranoia of it all I love that there will forever be an itch that he can't scratch and he'll just never know. kind of alex browning swag.... what do you even do with that kind of knowledge! but of course the whole idea of devilry and Satanic worship particularly in this early form is so ridiculous I can't really engage earnestly with the story. like no one would do that that you're sooooo silly nathaniel.... 

and of course most importantly... girl. what were YOU doing at the devil's sacrament 👀



Ok I'm editing this to say I was wrong I've thought about it I had a class I was very tired yesterday and I just learnt about hawthorne's family history so it was wrong of me to not give him any benefit of interpretation beyond the surface. like the whole point is we don't know if it was real or his paranoid delusions and it ruins his life... like of course a man like goodman brown would see the world like that. because he's insane. and even if you can interpret the events as if they really happened it's wrong dismiss the possibility of all other readings... but that's not hawthorne's fault. this is my official apology I'm sorry man you're not so bad I shouldn't have called you silly....