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millennial_dandy's review against another edition
funny
medium-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? No
3.0
I like the Gogol-esque absurdity of the satire in this one. Very on the nose, some might say, but still very funny. I read somewhere that this was a piece he hadn't polished fully before publication, and that definitely shows in the abruptness of the ending, but nevertheless it's a fun little entry from a great writer.
His xenophobia was definitely showing though, and I really wish he hadn't chosen to tie his anti-capitalist leanings to that because it wasn't necessary and feels lazy.
A much, much better satire of his was 'A Nasty Story', which I'd recommend far before I'd recommend this.
All in all, even if the central image of a man living inside a crocodile is memorable and, with a bit of a re-write, 'The Crocodile' could have been quite good, it's largely a big 'meh' from me.
I did chuckle once or twice, for what it's worth.
His xenophobia was definitely showing though, and I really wish he hadn't chosen to tie his anti-capitalist leanings to that because it wasn't necessary and feels lazy.
A much, much better satire of his was 'A Nasty Story', which I'd recommend far before I'd recommend this.
All in all, even if the central image of a man living inside a crocodile is memorable and, with a bit of a re-write, 'The Crocodile' could have been quite good, it's largely a big 'meh' from me.
I did chuckle once or twice, for what it's worth.
revilsky's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
aliciammara's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
jen_richardson19's review against another edition
4.0
Buying this tiny book was a no-brainer, considering my love for Dostoevsky and for fun book covers. My two favorites - Russian satire and Latin American magical realism - together and complementing each other in one adorable little book! Yay. The two "The Crocodile" stories are very different, but both are absurd and critical in their own ways. While these may not be game-changing pieces of literature, they are a lot of fun to read. I will definitely be on the lookout for more work by Hernandez.
lancakes's review against another edition
4.0
This collection deserves a high rating for its gorgeous cover alone. I greatly enjoyed Dostoyevsky's novella and found its satire to be sharp and funny. Felisberto's short story was less to my taste, but I already feel the pull to reread it and get more from it. I would rate it 5 stars but there were more than a few typos and copy editing issues in both stories.
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