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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
oh boy this do be long but i enjoyed it overall i learned a lot about whales which didn't help my irrational fear of them
This book is approximately 650 pages long, of which about 150, mostly at the beginning at the end, actually advance the story. The other 500 are ✨Cool Whale Facts✨ that Melville really, really, really wanted to share. These whale facts range from detailed descriptions of various whale species, whale painting, Biblical and mythological references to whales, whale recipes, how to extract ambergris, and most baffling of all, musings about whale phrenology. Among many others. So many others. There are also several very detailed descriptions of whale butchering.
You see, the thing is that if I had any confidence in Melville's accuracy I would have enjoyed this book if it had been an actual book about whales. I love whale facts. However, the fact that he decided to pick a fight with Linnaeus about whether whales are fish makes me suspicious. That and the phrenology.
It felt like once in a while Melville remembered he was supposed to be telling us a story and chimed back in with a little bit of actual plot, but even then it sometimes consisted of weird, rambling passages, like a long argument with the 90-year-old cook about whether the whale steak is cooked properly or not. There was also an entire section about the colour white and its symbolism, and how it's usually a symbol for good unless it's too white, because then it borders into unnatural and creepy. Because albino whale.
I found it extraordinarily difficult to care about any of the characters or anything happening to them because I have ADHD and after not hearing from them for a while, I forgot they existed. I have tried reading up on this book and find out what exactly Melville was going on about. Some scholars think he was being critical of Ralph Waldo Emerson's ideas about self-reliance. I guess? Got lost in the whale fact soup, honestly.
You see, the thing is that if I had any confidence in Melville's accuracy I would have enjoyed this book if it had been an actual book about whales. I love whale facts. However, the fact that he decided to pick a fight with Linnaeus about whether whales are fish makes me suspicious. That and the phrenology.
It felt like once in a while Melville remembered he was supposed to be telling us a story and chimed back in with a little bit of actual plot, but even then it sometimes consisted of weird, rambling passages, like a long argument with the 90-year-old cook about whether the whale steak is cooked properly or not. There was also an entire section about the colour white and its symbolism, and how it's usually a symbol for good unless it's too white, because then it borders into unnatural and creepy. Because albino whale.
I found it extraordinarily difficult to care about any of the characters or anything happening to them because I have ADHD and after not hearing from them for a while, I forgot they existed. I have tried reading up on this book and find out what exactly Melville was going on about. Some scholars think he was being critical of Ralph Waldo Emerson's ideas about self-reliance. I guess? Got lost in the whale fact soup, honestly.
I had prepared myself for a long slog that could potentially last more than a month, but I enjoyed this novel a lot more than I thought I would. It is not even that long, (at 640 pages or so, it is half the length of War and Peace, for example), and the chapters are totally bite-sized, most of them not exceeding 3-4 pages. There is even a chapter that is only a few lines long. I finished it in around 3 weeks (21 days).
I was prepared for the racism and Orientalism.. After all, it’s written by a white man in the early 19th century. Yet I was totally surprised by how homoerotic this novel is. Ishmael as a white, European man, is both repulsed by and attracted to Queequeeg, the “Savage”, and it is utterly fascinating to see him fall in love with this man who represents ‘the Other’, which is a perfect manifestation of Orientalism, in my opinion.
I was also very surprised by the theatricality of it. A lot of chapters read like a screenplay, or a script, with complete stage instructions in parentheses, as if they were written for the sole purpose of being performed. As a fan of theater, I really loved this. I really loved how Melville plays with different storytelling techniques.
Yes, the chapters on cetology were kind of difficult to get through, but Melville’s language in the narration of the story is so beautiful and poetic that he made up for it in the other chapters. I especially loved it when he used alliteration. Those portions of the book would be great to listen to as an audiobook, too!
The characters are unforgettable. This is, at its core, a story about a deathly obsession and revenge, and for me, Ahab will be one of those fictional characters that will stay with me for a long time. I actually had a dream about the book one night, and I don’t normally dream about the books I am reading.
Overall, I am so glad I read it. The Pequod’s journey took me away from my own life and my problems, and for a few weeks, I got immersed in this sea voyage, along with the crew. I will miss them for sure!
I was prepared for the racism and Orientalism.. After all, it’s written by a white man in the early 19th century. Yet I was totally surprised by how homoerotic this novel is. Ishmael as a white, European man, is both repulsed by and attracted to Queequeeg, the “Savage”, and it is utterly fascinating to see him fall in love with this man who represents ‘the Other’, which is a perfect manifestation of Orientalism, in my opinion.
I was also very surprised by the theatricality of it. A lot of chapters read like a screenplay, or a script, with complete stage instructions in parentheses, as if they were written for the sole purpose of being performed. As a fan of theater, I really loved this. I really loved how Melville plays with different storytelling techniques.
Yes, the chapters on cetology were kind of difficult to get through, but Melville’s language in the narration of the story is so beautiful and poetic that he made up for it in the other chapters. I especially loved it when he used alliteration. Those portions of the book would be great to listen to as an audiobook, too!
The characters are unforgettable. This is, at its core, a story about a deathly obsession and revenge, and for me, Ahab will be one of those fictional characters that will stay with me for a long time. I actually had a dream about the book one night, and I don’t normally dream about the books I am reading.
Overall, I am so glad I read it. The Pequod’s journey took me away from my own life and my problems, and for a few weeks, I got immersed in this sea voyage, along with the crew. I will miss them for sure!
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Only managed to listen to 75% before my library loan ran out so had to read the rest with my eyes. Enjoyed the audiobook experience more.
