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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
It is two parts combined and I only wanted to read part one.
To be honest, I really liked this book a lot. I love John Bunyan's tone.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My favorite book.
I've looking forward to reading this after Dante's Divine Comedy, but I guess I wasn't the target reader.
I found the allegorical names and symbolisms amusing at first, but it got old pretty quickly. I also didn't care that much for Christian as I did for Faithful, and I was wondering why he's so celebrated and reknowned instead of the latter.
The introduction of the other characters in part two were interesting at first (I found the weaker characters like Fearing and Feeble-minded more interesting than the strong and steadfast ones) but I think Bunyan should have stopped with the Feeble and the Honest joining the crew. I also wasn't so happy with how the women were depicted in the book as either dependent or vain or wicked sluts who entice good men. I mean why are women married off so easily and why are the children who must have been young men if they were allowed to have families still so dependent and weak?
I also found how they can be so unconcerned with the 'damned'. I know they are allegorical characters, but it still made me shudder as it reminded me of how people can be unbelievably cruel to those who they deem as 'enemies' of their principles. There were even some tinge of racism in the comment about the Ethiopians. These cringe factors might be one of the things that make non-Christian readers become wary and steer clear of Christianity rather than be moved towards it.
Even if I put aside all this as being the products of their time, the text was utterly bland compared to that of Dante. I guess that it's unfair to compare this to an epic poetry written by a poetic genius, but I couldn't help being overcome with dullness even with the occasional illustrations and the catchy rhymes that seem to be made for a musical chorus. So if I ever become a born-again Christian and am looking for some spiritual peptalk, I would re-read Dante or Milton, not Bunyan.
I found the allegorical names and symbolisms amusing at first, but it got old pretty quickly. I also didn't care that much for Christian as I did for Faithful, and I was wondering why he's so celebrated and reknowned instead of the latter.
The introduction of the other characters in part two were interesting at first (I found the weaker characters like Fearing and Feeble-minded more interesting than the strong and steadfast ones) but I think Bunyan should have stopped with the Feeble and the Honest joining the crew. I also wasn't so happy with how the women were depicted in the book as either dependent or vain or wicked sluts who entice good men. I mean why are women married off so easily and why are the children who must have been young men if they were allowed to have families still so dependent and weak?
I also found how they can be so unconcerned with the 'damned'. I know they are allegorical characters, but it still made me shudder as it reminded me of how people can be unbelievably cruel to those who they deem as 'enemies' of their principles. There were even some tinge of racism in the comment about the Ethiopians. These cringe factors might be one of the things that make non-Christian readers become wary and steer clear of Christianity rather than be moved towards it.
Even if I put aside all this as being the products of their time, the text was utterly bland compared to that of Dante. I guess that it's unfair to compare this to an epic poetry written by a poetic genius, but I couldn't help being overcome with dullness even with the occasional illustrations and the catchy rhymes that seem to be made for a musical chorus. So if I ever become a born-again Christian and am looking for some spiritual peptalk, I would re-read Dante or Milton, not Bunyan.
This book was wiiild
Although I really love the name House Beautiful🥺
Although I really love the name House Beautiful🥺
Pilgrim’s Progress is such a phenomenal book for all Christians to read. Wow. I genuinely could not put this book down. It is so enthralling and Christ exalting. This is one of the best books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. All I can say is— go read this. Now!
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have to confess, this is one of the rare books that's made it onto my 'did not finish' pile... It's not really through any major fault in the book; I just found that as I was reading it I was painfully conscious that I was not getting anything of value out of the experience. With my bookshelves groaning with all the books I've acquired over the years and not yet read, I just couldn't bring myself to commit any more time to finishing this one. The tale is too heavy-handed of an allegory to be enjoyable just for reading's sake, and I'm not interested enough in its evangelical angle to get much from from that aspect of it.