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lemon_cheesecakes's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
siraels's review against another edition
2.0
I give the extra star for the unusual setting. Otherwise, still boring.
kndllcr's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
has aged very poorly.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Racism
thomasawriter's review against another edition
2.0
This wasn't my cup of tea. This was too... xenophoby. It's of it's time but the time was horrible with how they viewed foreigners as a society. I suppose the author was trying to get this message across but his prejudices still shine through somewhat. :') I had to read this for a university essay.
kay247's review against another edition
2.0
After my third attempt, I finally finished this book. Sadly, I really didn’t enjoy it. The descriptions of the island were beautiful, but I just couldn’t connect with Stevenson’s characters or style.
lacywolfe's review against another edition
2.0
This was the first work by Stevenson that I've ever read. It was a dark tale of British colonization. I think I'd like to try Treasure Island next.
readtoramble's review against another edition
4.0
I don't usually read classics, and I haven't ever read a Robert Louis Stevenson book I don't think, I was really expecting it to be boring and to drag on, but I really did enjoy it. I had no problems understanding what was happening, the language wasn't ancient or too posh to know what was going on, I was really engrossed in it and read it super fast.
The story follows a man who goes to an island near Polynesia as a trader and the first night he married one of the island women and soon learns that he is tabooed. This is his quest to find out why and to reverse the curse.
I found it funny and although it is a colonialist book with a somewhat colonialist and imperialist stance, it was really enjoyable and it made me want to read a lot more of his books!
The story follows a man who goes to an island near Polynesia as a trader and the first night he married one of the island women and soon learns that he is tabooed. This is his quest to find out why and to reverse the curse.
I found it funny and although it is a colonialist book with a somewhat colonialist and imperialist stance, it was really enjoyable and it made me want to read a lot more of his books!
isiahreads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
jfaroy's review against another edition
3.0
Since I’m apathetic to adventure, nature — sylvan, fertile, abundant — was the only pleasurable player in this novella, contrasting and balancing an abrasive narrator. Running from romanticism, Uma and the colonialist love story are cringingly romanticized into authenticity. In his shift to realism, RLS shows the devil, created in the image of man.
A loyal companion (and predecessor!) to Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
A loyal companion (and predecessor!) to Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.