Scan barcode
ririsa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
rebb003's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Minor: Death
peyton_honeck's review against another edition
2.0
Moby Dick is basically that episode of SpongeBob where the giant blue lipped clam eats Mr Krab’s 1 millionth dollar and he goes crazy and makes SpongeBob and Squidward hunt the clam to get his dollar back. Except the SpongeBob episode was actually good.
“Wait a minute. This ain’t me 1 millionth dollar! This is an ordinary dollar that’s been crumpled up, torn slightly, soaked in the lagoon, and kissed with coral blue number 2 semi-gloss lipstick!” - “Actually it’s coral blue number 3.”
“Wait a minute. This ain’t me 1 millionth dollar! This is an ordinary dollar that’s been crumpled up, torn slightly, soaked in the lagoon, and kissed with coral blue number 2 semi-gloss lipstick!” - “Actually it’s coral blue number 3.”
halliyana_'s review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
artistmaybe's review against another edition
4.0
Parts of this book sounds like poetry when read outload
cassiakarin's review against another edition
5.0
I finally read The Great American Classic. It is unlike any other novel I have ever read. Most of it I found to be absolutely hilarious, though at times the repetitive style of humor made me chuckle a tad less than at the start, but Melville did continue to surprise me, all the way to the end. And surprise is a key element of humor and delight.
Even more valuable than his humor was his keen perception of what lies in the depth of a human soul. This I found to be frightfully prophetic. Captain Ahab is an outlandish, bizarre, and very funny character throughout the story-- funny because he is so wildly un-relatable...until the end. As the story climaxes, we hear Ahab's heart opens up in internal and external dialogue, and you realize that you too, reader, understand him profoundly...as much as you don't really want to. And what's worse, you even share with him in his madness. All share in his madness. Every soul battles the terrors of revenge after the great leviathan.
And the leviathan--that mighty, frightful, and awe-striking creature, he is not only the one in which we wrestle internally and bodily, but he too is the one whom we admire, respect, and worship... Easy, easy it seems that a whale can be conquered for small earthly riches, but we know not the true form of the true and mighty whale.
I'll give no more away... I will end by saying that this novel is indeed, in my estimation now too, a great and classic work. It can be tedious, but be patient reader. In fact, I will finally end in saying, "Oh, man! admire and model thyself after the whale! Do thou, too, remain warm among ice. Do thou, too, live in this world without being of it....But how easy and how hopeless to teach these fine things!... how few vast as the whale!"
Even more valuable than his humor was his keen perception of what lies in the depth of a human soul. This I found to be frightfully prophetic. Captain Ahab is an outlandish, bizarre, and very funny character throughout the story-- funny because he is so wildly un-relatable...until the end. As the story climaxes, we hear Ahab's heart opens up in internal and external dialogue, and you realize that you too, reader, understand him profoundly...as much as you don't really want to. And what's worse, you even share with him in his madness. All share in his madness. Every soul battles the terrors of revenge after the great leviathan.
And the leviathan--that mighty, frightful, and awe-striking creature, he is not only the one in which we wrestle internally and bodily, but he too is the one whom we admire, respect, and worship... Easy, easy it seems that a whale can be conquered for small earthly riches, but we know not the true form of the true and mighty whale.
I'll give no more away... I will end by saying that this novel is indeed, in my estimation now too, a great and classic work. It can be tedious, but be patient reader. In fact, I will finally end in saying, "Oh, man! admire and model thyself after the whale! Do thou, too, remain warm among ice. Do thou, too, live in this world without being of it....But how easy and how hopeless to teach these fine things!... how few vast as the whale!"
gauriraut's review against another edition
4.0
Did I understand what I read?
Mostly no.
Did I enjoy what I read?
Mostly yes.
Would I reread?
Mostly yes.
ETA:
Herman Melville said a whale's head and tail are like two halves of an apple. Thereby implying that the middle is completely useless.
This book, in the sense of the idea of a 'novel', is indeed much the same. The plot exists only in the first and last couple of chapters. The rest of it, the middle, the flesh of the book is simply Melville going off about absolutely EVERYTHING related to whaling and sometimes if he wants, about other things too. And I LOVED it.
Some of my favourite chapters/ things were:
1. His ridiculously awesome categorisation of whales based on god knows what.
2. Fast-fish and loose-fish
3. Whaling laws.
4. Having a mini euphoric attack on eating excellent chowder.
5. Ishmael being in love with Queequeg.
6. The atmosphere he created making me feel like I was on a whaling adventure too.
7. Schools and Schoolmasters.
8. The contrasted view of the whales' heads.
9. When he said:
"A nose to the whale would have been impertinent"
"Why is almost every robust health boy with a robust healthy soul in him, at some time or other crazy to go to sea?" Girls too.
"I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote"
"For we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending"
"I have no objection to any person's religion, be it what it may, so long as that person does not kill or insult any other person, because that other person don't believe it also. But when a man's religion becomes really frantic; when it is a positive torment to him; and, in fine, makes this earth of ours an uncomfortable inn to lodge in; then I think it high time to take that individual aside and argue the point with him"
"But what is worship?-to do the will of God-THAT is worship. And what is the will of God?-to do to my fellow man what I would have my fellow man to do to me-THAT is the will of God"
Some of my not favourite things:
1. When he said I as a reader and my country both are loose fishes. Idk what to feel about that.
2. Some of the words were way above my reading level (so glad I read an ebook and could use the web dictionary)
3. Most of the references he made went over my head.
4. When that lawyer compared a wife to a whale and a fast and loose fish and won the case. Lawyers being lawyers since forever.
About 30% through I didn't think I would ever want to reread this book, seeing as it wasn't getting over. But now that I know what to expect and I know the end, I think rereading it would be even more delightful. When I do reread some 5-10 years later, I think I will take a good year to read and understand all the references. And also, a physical copy to annotate.
Mostly no.
Did I enjoy what I read?
Mostly yes.
Would I reread?
Mostly yes.
ETA:
Herman Melville said a whale's head and tail are like two halves of an apple. Thereby implying that the middle is completely useless.
This book, in the sense of the idea of a 'novel', is indeed much the same. The plot exists only in the first and last couple of chapters. The rest of it, the middle, the flesh of the book is simply Melville going off about absolutely EVERYTHING related to whaling and sometimes if he wants, about other things too. And I LOVED it.
Some of my favourite chapters/ things were:
1. His ridiculously awesome categorisation of whales based on god knows what.
2. Fast-fish and loose-fish
3. Whaling laws.
4. Having a mini euphoric attack on eating excellent chowder.
5. Ishmael being in love with Queequeg.
6. The atmosphere he created making me feel like I was on a whaling adventure too.
7. Schools and Schoolmasters.
8. The contrasted view of the whales' heads.
9. When he said:
"A nose to the whale would have been impertinent"
"Why is almost every robust health boy with a robust healthy soul in him, at some time or other crazy to go to sea?" Girls too.
"I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote"
"For we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending"
"I have no objection to any person's religion, be it what it may, so long as that person does not kill or insult any other person, because that other person don't believe it also. But when a man's religion becomes really frantic; when it is a positive torment to him; and, in fine, makes this earth of ours an uncomfortable inn to lodge in; then I think it high time to take that individual aside and argue the point with him"
"But what is worship?-to do the will of God-THAT is worship. And what is the will of God?-to do to my fellow man what I would have my fellow man to do to me-THAT is the will of God"
Some of my not favourite things:
1. When he said I as a reader and my country both are loose fishes. Idk what to feel about that.
2. Some of the words were way above my reading level (so glad I read an ebook and could use the web dictionary)
3. Most of the references he made went over my head.
4. When that lawyer compared a wife to a whale and a fast and loose fish and won the case. Lawyers being lawyers since forever.
About 30% through I didn't think I would ever want to reread this book, seeing as it wasn't getting over. But now that I know what to expect and I know the end, I think rereading it would be even more delightful. When I do reread some 5-10 years later, I think I will take a good year to read and understand all the references. And also, a physical copy to annotate.
byejohn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“…to the last gasp of my earthquake life…”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Racism, Violence, and Animal death
goobdiddy's review against another edition
3.0
I can't say much that hasn't been said before about this one. It took me forever to read, due to the fact that it contains so many references to other works and information that I just don't know, even though I was reading a highly annotated edition. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it though...
megobrien81's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Tried again as an adult - this just isn’t my jam. 🤷🏼♀️