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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
I was reading an abridged copy of "The Count of Monte Christo" and I got frustrated with it and just stopped reading it. It was only a third as long as the actual book and lacked a certain charm I'd have guessed the actual book had. It also seemed a little simple for a book so beloved for so long. I was talking with an acquaintance about my frustration with the book lack of layers. When I said it was missing 2/3rds of the original text she cried, "There's your layers!"
Anyways, I put "The Count" down and decided to read something still by Dumas, but shorter than the 1200 pages in the original "Count" text. As I have a love for tulips and some sense of the Dutch tulip mania of the 17th century, I thought it might be an easier and more engrossing read.
The story starts with a rather gory and depressing account of the lynching of two Dutch statesmen. Frankly, the chapters surrounding this (actual, historical) moment almost killed the book for me. Fortunately, the book takes a quick turn in tone and becomes significantly jauntier as it follows Cornelius van Baerle's mission to grow a black tulip. Van Baerle gets wrongly imprisoned and falls in love with the jailer's daughter, Rosa. Meanwhile, van Baerle's jealous neighbor, another tulip aficionado, has machinations of his own to steal the black tulip.
I found Dumas's style kind of fun to read. He frequently references obscure names from ancient history, mythology, and his contemporaries of mid-19th century France. Thankfully there were footnotes to the book that explained some of the odder nods to Cicero and the like.
The book also was incredibly melodramatic, which at first annoyed me, but eventually charmed me. No doubt the original readers of Dumas expected some of the contrivances the book relies on.
But the thing I think I enjoyed the most was the split in van Baerle's heart between his precious black tulip and Rosa. Most of the middle of the book focuses on his inability to decide which is most important to him (which frustrates and angers Rosa). In some ways, this is a book about love and obsession, which made for the uncovering of some nice layers.
Anyways, I put "The Count" down and decided to read something still by Dumas, but shorter than the 1200 pages in the original "Count" text. As I have a love for tulips and some sense of the Dutch tulip mania of the 17th century, I thought it might be an easier and more engrossing read.
The story starts with a rather gory and depressing account of the lynching of two Dutch statesmen. Frankly, the chapters surrounding this (actual, historical) moment almost killed the book for me. Fortunately, the book takes a quick turn in tone and becomes significantly jauntier as it follows Cornelius van Baerle's mission to grow a black tulip. Van Baerle gets wrongly imprisoned and falls in love with the jailer's daughter, Rosa. Meanwhile, van Baerle's jealous neighbor, another tulip aficionado, has machinations of his own to steal the black tulip.
I found Dumas's style kind of fun to read. He frequently references obscure names from ancient history, mythology, and his contemporaries of mid-19th century France. Thankfully there were footnotes to the book that explained some of the odder nods to Cicero and the like.
The book also was incredibly melodramatic, which at first annoyed me, but eventually charmed me. No doubt the original readers of Dumas expected some of the contrivances the book relies on.
But the thing I think I enjoyed the most was the split in van Baerle's heart between his precious black tulip and Rosa. Most of the middle of the book focuses on his inability to decide which is most important to him (which frustrates and angers Rosa). In some ways, this is a book about love and obsession, which made for the uncovering of some nice layers.
I laughed way more than I probably should have at The Black Tulip.
Now, from the description on my personal copy, I expected an adventure filled with murder and epic noble deeds and dramatized everyday occurrences. And then yeah, something about a flower and how it stands for justice. Instead, the first twenty pages feature gruesome murder, and the rest of the novel is about an overly dramatic love triangle between a man, a woman, and an actual tulip. That's right, the title isn't just symbolic. There is an actual tulip that not only exists but also steals the show with its incredible tulip-ness.
I think the over-the-top everything of The Black Tulip actually made it better. It's sappy and corny and, dare I repeat myself, overly dramatic, and that's kind of what makes it work. The overall ridiculousness of a story that revolves around a freaking tulip of all things lends to the ridiculous love story and the ridiculous actions of the villain of the novel, who is so eevveeeelll that he might as well be a James Bond bad guy with a tulip fetish.
I enjoyed The Black Tulip immensely, probably for all the wrong reasons. However, because I find it in the "so bad it's good category," I can't exactly give it five stars. On the other hand, I totally recommend this to anyone who can appreciate the cheesiness of classic romantic novels. Also, I suggest the Oxford World's Classics edition. The snarky explanatory notes made everything even better.
3/5 stars
Now, from the description on my personal copy, I expected an adventure filled with murder and epic noble deeds and dramatized everyday occurrences. And then yeah, something about a flower and how it stands for justice. Instead, the first twenty pages feature gruesome murder, and the rest of the novel is about an overly dramatic love triangle between a man, a woman, and an actual tulip. That's right, the title isn't just symbolic. There is an actual tulip that not only exists but also steals the show with its incredible tulip-ness.
I think the over-the-top everything of The Black Tulip actually made it better. It's sappy and corny and, dare I repeat myself, overly dramatic, and that's kind of what makes it work. The overall ridiculousness of a story that revolves around a freaking tulip of all things lends to the ridiculous love story and the ridiculous actions of the villain of the novel, who is so eevveeeelll that he might as well be a James Bond bad guy with a tulip fetish.
I enjoyed The Black Tulip immensely, probably for all the wrong reasons. However, because I find it in the "so bad it's good category," I can't exactly give it five stars. On the other hand, I totally recommend this to anyone who can appreciate the cheesiness of classic romantic novels. Also, I suggest the Oxford World's Classics edition. The snarky explanatory notes made everything even better.
3/5 stars
There is something about Alexandre Dumas' writing that greatly appeals to me, and with the Black Tulip I cannot quite figure out the appeal. This is a very good book, but most certainly not good in the sense of a modern book. By that I mean, this is not a fast paced story, and on the surface it seems rather lame. Still, this is a very good book even with its steady and slow pace filled with stupid characters and good characters and a plot centering around a black tulip which all amazingly flowed together and captured my attention in a way that I cannot quite put into words. It captured me in a way that a modern day story simply cannot.
I just finished this book, I feel the need to let it percolate in my mind so that maybe I can figure out this sense of ease and great feeling of being fabulously entertained. I do believe Alexandre Dumas may become an author who will rank as a favorite of mine, I would like to read a third book before I make that claim. With the two books that I've read of Dumas', I have walked away from each with great pleasure from experiencing his storytelling treasures.
I just finished this book, I feel the need to let it percolate in my mind so that maybe I can figure out this sense of ease and great feeling of being fabulously entertained. I do believe Alexandre Dumas may become an author who will rank as a favorite of mine, I would like to read a third book before I make that claim. With the two books that I've read of Dumas', I have walked away from each with great pleasure from experiencing his storytelling treasures.
Audiobook version.
This was really just ok. I listened to it at 2x speed because I wanted to get through it faster. Dumas has a tendency to drag things a bit too much. It was charming enough though for what it was.
The narrator though should be smacked upside the head for his terrible voicing of the girl's dialogue. Has he ever talked to a woman??
This was really just ok. I listened to it at 2x speed because I wanted to get through it faster. Dumas has a tendency to drag things a bit too much. It was charming enough though for what it was.
The narrator though should be smacked upside the head for his terrible voicing of the girl's dialogue. Has he ever talked to a woman??
2.5
"The Black Tulip," is a historical novel by Dumas which mixes fiction into real events. It focus around fictional events set up by the real mod murder of the political de Witte borthers in 1672, and Holland's real tulip mania in which prized tulip bulbs sold for outrageous amounts.
"The Black Tulip" is not Dumas' strongest work -- the plot isn't as engaging as his others (in fact, it is quite predictable), nor are the characters terribly developed. The only character who seems fully rounded is William of Orange, who is both sinister and sympathetic. Everyone else is quite one-note. There is a also a hint of antisemitism in the book; the antagonist is a jealous man names Isaac who, while in disguise, calls himself Jacob. It doesn't go further than giving the antagonist a Jewish name, and the sentiment may have been common for the time, but it is still enough that it feels off-putting.
Overall, "The Black Tulip" certainly has some flaws, but may interest those who like historical fiction, or for fans of Dumas who want to see what he did beyond the Musketeers and Monte Cristo.
Edit: I ended up giving this book away not too long after reading it. It was okay, but didn't merit keeping in comparison with other books.
"The Black Tulip," is a historical novel by Dumas which mixes fiction into real events. It focus around fictional events set up by the real mod murder of the political de Witte borthers in 1672, and Holland's real tulip mania in which prized tulip bulbs sold for outrageous amounts.
"The Black Tulip" is not Dumas' strongest work -- the plot isn't as engaging as his others (in fact, it is quite predictable), nor are the characters terribly developed. The only character who seems fully rounded is William of Orange, who is both sinister and sympathetic. Everyone else is quite one-note. There is a also a hint of antisemitism in the book; the antagonist is a jealous man names Isaac who, while in disguise, calls himself Jacob. It doesn't go further than giving the antagonist a Jewish name, and the sentiment may have been common for the time, but it is still enough that it feels off-putting.
Overall, "The Black Tulip" certainly has some flaws, but may interest those who like historical fiction, or for fans of Dumas who want to see what he did beyond the Musketeers and Monte Cristo.
Edit: I ended up giving this book away not too long after reading it. It was okay, but didn't merit keeping in comparison with other books.
Not a favourite of Dumas's masterpieces, it did intrigue me as to the history of the time. I would recommend The Man in the Iron mask and The Count of Monte Cristo over this.
Really enjoyed this. Political intrigue, imprisoned charecters who were innocent, theft of a precious tulip and a beautiful love story.
Tulips and roses... this makes my heart so full. I have never loved flowers more then I do now.
Tulips and roses... this makes my heart so full. I have never loved flowers more then I do now.