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kewlpinguino's review against another edition
2.0
Okay, I understand why this is important and I even admire Boccaccio's ideas for writing this, but these stories get quite tiresome after a while. The 2 stars is just a review of the stories as a whole; some of the individual stores were quite good, like the one where Calandrino thinks he's pregnant. (The humorous stories tend to be more interesting here.) It's just that there's so many that one is more likely than not to not enjoy all of them, and I happened to find that it got tedious to read after awhile.
eiramsor11's review against another edition
5.0
This is absolutely my favorite book. Whatever work I claimed to love the most, this tops it today. Although many of the stories' perspectives and disregard for morality and ethics, its copious amount of adultery, and misogynistic beliefs/occurrences truly disappoint me, this book is still fascinating. It is equally intriguing to me with its context and its content. For one, I have always been drawn, mildly obsessed, with The Great Plague of 1348. So right off the bat I am like a bee drawn to a bright flower. But starting with this desire to read stories of people encountering death with this apocalyptic tone I enjoy like when I used to watch The Walking Dead to savor those feelings of doom and survival, I started enjoying the book for other reasons as it actually was intended to stray away from all the sickness and death. This book did other things, went a different route than what I was expecting and hoping for, but I appreciate it even more. Boccaccio. is. an. amazing. storyteller! There is not one story in all the days that have ever left me bored. I can't even tell any story in my life half as good. For one, if you are ever curious of how people were like in the past, read this to see how they are just like anyone you know today. I no longer have this perception that people in the 1300s were weird freaks, these stories could be us today, they could happen today (with modifications obvs). The stories will also guaranteed leave you with some sort of impression. Depending on the theme of the day, you can feel truly sad and moved, you will actually appreciate wit and cleverness, and you will absolutely find some stories hilarious. I have never laughed out loud (literally) from any book ever as I have with the Decameron. Some stories actually leave me too stunned to speak, and I love how you will read a wise story that teaches you something deep and then the next thing you read is some totally scandalous crazy story right off an episode of "Shameless" type thing. I LOVE THIS BOOK.
vannychopiny's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
valeria_morozova's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
amahnu's review against another edition
3.0
Finally! I can't believe I spent a month on this. I think my library will murder me. All in all, it wasn't a bad book, but some stories were really disturbing that I just can't say that I loved it. The concept was great, and the way the stories were delivered was great, but I just didn't like the stories in itselves.
filmsnobforsale's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like I read this the wrong way. It feels like a book that works best when you pick a story here and there to read from time to time rather than a typical novel you'd read from beginning to end. Doing the latter, some stories can feel very repetitive and the framework of the stories themselves start to repeat as well so it becomes a challenge to read on after a few hundred pages or so. That doesn't stop some stories from being great and the excellent translation elevates them further. Next time I read it, it'll probably be in small doses, picking and choosing what to read at any giving time.
averzx0's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A lot of versatile information on different outcomes of Christianity being used as a form of manipulation. Many people of the church in the Decameron are selfish, and desire nothing more but there needs met.
Content Warnings
Minor: Religious bigotry
bill369's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
I read this book for school.
I didn't feel strongly about the characters.
Wealthy Florentines tell stories to each other while others are dying of black death. At the time, I suppose it was revolutionary, funny and gripping. However, I find it incredibly boring. There were only a few stories I liked. The one I liked the most was the story about a „deaf“ peasant who came to a monastery and then had affairs with the nuns.)
Page 352, the best line in the book.
Jdi k šípku.
I strongly dislike this whole book and the end wasn't an exception.
No.
I didn't feel strongly about the characters.
Wealthy Florentines tell stories to each other while others are dying of black death. At the time, I suppose it was revolutionary, funny and gripping. However, I find it incredibly boring. There were only a few stories I liked. The one I liked the most was the story about a „deaf“ peasant who came to a monastery and then had affairs with the nuns.)
Page 352, the best line in the book.
I strongly dislike this whole book and the end wasn't an exception.
No.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Minor: Death, Sexual content, Medical content, Murder, and Pregnancy