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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Super quick read (does this qualify as a novella?) and interestingly enough, my first foray into Jack London (I'm not sure how I've made it this long without getting through The Call of the Wild). I think my rating reflects the fact that there's just so much apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic fiction nowadays that this novel doesn't really present anything "new". I thought the almost total regression of civilization part was really interesting (although not entirely believable that we would have completely descended into caveman-like behavior/speech within three generations) as was the discussion of the biology of the plague. I wasn't really sure what the point of the story was, however, because it felt like the old man was simply recounting his experience of the plague without an end goal- his grandsons didn't really seem to have any intention of taking any nuggets of wisdom from his tale?
It's really cool that Jack London almost exactly predicted the population of the world today almost a hundred years ago, though!!
It's really cool that Jack London almost exactly predicted the population of the world today almost a hundred years ago, though!!
Jack London writes about his idea of a post-apocalyptic California. His media is a grandfather, telling about the pre-plague to a group of children that only know a caveman life.
As much as I wanted to like it it's just too short to sink my teeth in. It raises many question but I suggest you to find a buddy-reader to discuss all the hints about the good and the bad of our society that London rolls in front of our eyes.
As much as I wanted to like it it's just too short to sink my teeth in. It raises many question but I suggest you to find a buddy-reader to discuss all the hints about the good and the bad of our society that London rolls in front of our eyes.
La historia es muy buena, pero justo en esta edición las ilustraciones son UNA PINCHE BELLEZA.
I've commited to reading some plague themed books after this coronavirus thing (possibly regrettable decision, I'm not a fan of post-apocalypse novels) and I think this is fantastic.
Anyway, the pacing of the story is fantastic, all the more so for its brevity. It's gripping without being tedious, and there is something to the way Jack London composes a phrase that makes it intriguing.
Also crazy to think that this book came out about six years before the Spanish Flu really got going.
Anyway, the pacing of the story is fantastic, all the more so for its brevity. It's gripping without being tedious, and there is something to the way Jack London composes a phrase that makes it intriguing.
Also crazy to think that this book came out about six years before the Spanish Flu really got going.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
There was a tone similar to "Logan's Run" about this, if we singled out the life outside the dome in the story. I found it very interesting how the narrative from so long ago is very modern with today's issues (COVID19). I gave it three stars for the story it conveyed about the deterioration of life, but I would have liked to see more about the world and less of the small dwelling they had created. I also gave it a little more extra points because the three grandsons view points are sort of the divide we are currently seeing in modern america. Would have liked more showing and not as much telling. But, I understand the stories is focused on this one mans life, rather than the overall world considering the sudden lack of communication means outside California.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
5 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ
"The Scarlet Plague" by Jack London
This is a haunting and unsettling story that portrays the aftermath of a devastating pandemic that wipes out most of humanity. Written in 1912, the novel's themes of disease, isolation, and survival are eerily prescient in the context of the current global pandemic.
London's vivid and descriptive writing immerses the reader in the desolate world of the protagonist, a survivor of the plague named James Howard Smith. The story paints a bleak picture of a world where civilization has crumbled, and humanity is reduced to a primitive state, struggling for survival in a world overrun by disease and violence.
What makes it particularly chilling is how London's depiction of the collapse of society seems all too plausible in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fear and uncertainty that pervades the story are reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic, when people were struggling to adapt to a new reality and trying to make sense of the chaos around them.
Despite its bleak subject matter, it is a compelling read, thanks to London's evocative prose and his portrayal of the complex relationships between the characters. As a reader, you are drawn into the lives of these survivors and their struggles to make sense of a world that has been turned upside down.
Overall, it is a chilling and thought-provoking story that remains relevant today, more than a century after it was written. It is a testament to Jack London's skill as a writer that he was able to create a work that is both a haunting warning of what could happen and a powerful exploration of what it means to be human in the face of adversity.
I read this one this month because it was the April pick for the "Apocalypse Whenever" Goodreads group.
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Puanım 3/5 (%58/100)
Tek oturuşta bitirilecek güzel bir hikaye. Kızıl Veba adında bir virüs/mikrop çok kısa bir sürede (15 dakikada bir insanı öldürebilecek kadar hızlı) neredeyse bütün insanlığı yok ediyor. O zamanlara bizzat tanıklık etmiş tek kişi James Howard Smith adında yaşlı ve ciddiye alınmayan bir adam. Smith'in o zamanlarda hayatın nasıl olduğunu anlattığı distopik bir öykü. Özellikle şu Covid günlerinde gerçekten insanı tedirgin eden güzel bir hikayeydi. Fakat bazı yerleri çok klişe ve sıkıcı bulmadım da değil. Güzeldi fakat abartılacak kadar iyi değil diyebilirim. Yine de London'ın bu türde hikayeler yazdığını da bilmiyordum. Kitabın içerisinde Kızıl Veba'dan daha da kısa olan Görülmemiş İstila adında Çin'in süpergüç haline geldiği bir başka distopik hikaye daha yer alıyor. Ben bu hikayeyi daha çok beğendim bile diyebilirim. Çerez gibi tek oturuşta bitirmelik bir kitap, tavsiye ediyorum fakat çok büyük umutlarla başlamayın hayal kırıklığına uğrayabilirsiniz.
Tek oturuşta bitirilecek güzel bir hikaye. Kızıl Veba adında bir virüs/mikrop çok kısa bir sürede (15 dakikada bir insanı öldürebilecek kadar hızlı) neredeyse bütün insanlığı yok ediyor. O zamanlara bizzat tanıklık etmiş tek kişi James Howard Smith adında yaşlı ve ciddiye alınmayan bir adam. Smith'in o zamanlarda hayatın nasıl olduğunu anlattığı distopik bir öykü. Özellikle şu Covid günlerinde gerçekten insanı tedirgin eden güzel bir hikayeydi. Fakat bazı yerleri çok klişe ve sıkıcı bulmadım da değil. Güzeldi fakat abartılacak kadar iyi değil diyebilirim. Yine de London'ın bu türde hikayeler yazdığını da bilmiyordum. Kitabın içerisinde Kızıl Veba'dan daha da kısa olan Görülmemiş İstila adında Çin'in süpergüç haline geldiği bir başka distopik hikaye daha yer alıyor. Ben bu hikayeyi daha çok beğendim bile diyebilirim. Çerez gibi tek oturuşta bitirmelik bir kitap, tavsiye ediyorum fakat çok büyük umutlarla başlamayın hayal kırıklığına uğrayabilirsiniz.