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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
This was a hard book to get through. The language, the translation from russian was not always clear in meaning. I pushed myself to finish this book due to traveling through Ukraine and wanting to know more about the history, however I don't think I accomplished this goal here. It was boring at times, funny, and clever at other times. I would only recommend this if you are a lover if classic literature. Otherwise, there are better options.
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Review of the Vintage Classics English language translation (by [a:Larissa Volokhonsky|3358|Larissa Volokhonsky|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1301560740p2/3358.jpg] & [a:Richard Pevear|3357|Richard Pevear|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1301560792p2/3357.jpg]) paperback (1997) of the Russian language original "Мёртвые души" (1842)
What a parade of despicables.
While reading, I had assumed all the "missing pages" was a deliberate writing choice - shockingly meta for 1842. But no, Books Two and Three are merely what was rescued from Gogol's fireplace. A bitter end.
While reading, I had assumed all the "missing pages" was a deliberate writing choice - shockingly meta for 1842. But no, Books Two and Three are merely what was rescued from Gogol's fireplace. A bitter end.
A very interesting read. I enjoyed this greatly despite its flaws (and missing parts)
I marked this as a fave but only gave it four stars, as there may have been so much of the manuscript missing to affect my understanding of it, but as well, it seems to fall apart at the end and I wasn't quite sure what was going on. nevertheless, an enchanting and entertaining read - so glad to have discovered Gogol.
YES!!!!!!!!!
A hilarious tale, the mirror that Gogol aims at his motherland is somehow terribly bent and true all at the same time and the narrative is as unpredictable as a heart-dropping roller coaster.
A hilarious tale, the mirror that Gogol aims at his motherland is somehow terribly bent and true all at the same time and the narrative is as unpredictable as a heart-dropping roller coaster.
challenging
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very well-done; very depressing. Had I detected any true insights into the human condition, it would have been wonderful. As it was, not so much.
Probabilmente a causa della traduzione, ma magari anche per via della trama, dopo aver sofferto per qualche capitolo ho ceduto e l'ho riportato in biblioteca, magari non era il momento giusto, o magari siamo io e la letteratura russa che abbiamo litigato da piccoli.