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fullbokad's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
3.0
annettereads's review
3.0
Some irony in that this a book for women and meant to make women laugh, yet many of these stories are so at odds with modern sensibilities (rape, domestic violence). Begs the question if these stories really reflected what women found entertaining or if they reflected what Boccaccio thought women would like (he, after all, includes several stories that emphasize that women are only good for sex and making babies and lack the higher faculties). How much does this reflect actual medieval gender norms and how much does it reflect only the male perspective?
abomine's review
4.0
It's like any other collection of tales, except instead of ending with "and they lived happily ever after," most of them actually end with "and then they had awesome sex."
Trigger warning for some brutal scenes of domestic abuse (obviously unrelated to the previously mentioned 'awesome sex'), but other than that, this is a wonderful assortment of stories, with a vast tonal range that is only comparable with [b:The Golden Ass|80081|The Golden Ass|Apuleius|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327654203s/80081.jpg|1741202] and [b:The Canterbury Tales|2696|The Canterbury Tales|Geoffrey Chaucer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1261208589s/2696.jpg|986234] (which was largely inspired by The Decameron).
And speaking of The Canterbury Tales, if you're always a little disappointed when you get to the end because Chaucer never finished it, don't worry, Boccaccio's got your back. The Decameron is a complete and finished work, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Always a good thing, and definitely a good read.
Trigger warning for some brutal scenes of domestic abuse (obviously unrelated to the previously mentioned 'awesome sex'), but other than that, this is a wonderful assortment of stories, with a vast tonal range that is only comparable with [b:The Golden Ass|80081|The Golden Ass|Apuleius|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327654203s/80081.jpg|1741202] and [b:The Canterbury Tales|2696|The Canterbury Tales|Geoffrey Chaucer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1261208589s/2696.jpg|986234] (which was largely inspired by The Decameron).
And speaking of The Canterbury Tales, if you're always a little disappointed when you get to the end because Chaucer never finished it, don't worry, Boccaccio's got your back. The Decameron is a complete and finished work, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Always a good thing, and definitely a good read.
audz100's review
4.0
gotta be honest, I usually don’t hear “medieval literature” and think “oh, this is gonna be a fun read.” interesting, maybe, but fun is not the word that comes to mind. but this is?? fun?? it’s kind of soapy and ridiculous, with a grim and fascinating prologue about the Black Death, so sign me tf up. i always like a reminder that times change and improve (*definitely* improve), but people have been essentially the same all along.
gracecrandall's review
3.0
Set during the hopelessness and fear of the Black Plague, the Decameron follows a set of ten nobles--seven ladies and three gentlemen--who, in an effort to escape the squalor of the city, decide to go into their estate in the country to pass the time and forget, off only for a while, the dire straits the world has found itself in.
To while away the hours, the young people decide to tell stories to one another. The Decameron consists of the stories that they tell--ten days, one hundred stories.
I have mixed feelings about this book.
On the one hand, it's not often that we're afforded such a vivid and multifaceted glimpse into the past. The pure scale of the Decameron, the vast cast of characters it introduces with their diverse personalities, situations, and notions of honor, is staggering. For that alone, I think it's worth a read. It's a fascinating picture of medieval Italy and it's veiws on the countries surrounding it, sure to add complexity to our notions of the time period.
That said, save for a few exceptions, I really didn't enjoy any of the stories that were told. They were full of snap judgements, bewildering hypocrisy, people generally being unpleasant to one another, and a whole lot of illicit sex, not all of it consensual. It was disturbing. I am disturbed. I would not suggest this book to anyone who isn't ready and willing to wade through a whole bunch of literary muck in order to find the occasional pearl.
There IS the occasional pearl, though. Some of the stories put forth are just as lovely and heartfelt as their companions are ugly--and no matter the story, the imagery and cleverness with which it is told is never anything but lavish and alive.
If you're looking to understand the medieval courtly love genre, medieval people, or humanity as a whole, this is a good read to have on hand; but for anyone who wants to have a good time with some fun stories, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
To while away the hours, the young people decide to tell stories to one another. The Decameron consists of the stories that they tell--ten days, one hundred stories.
I have mixed feelings about this book.
On the one hand, it's not often that we're afforded such a vivid and multifaceted glimpse into the past. The pure scale of the Decameron, the vast cast of characters it introduces with their diverse personalities, situations, and notions of honor, is staggering. For that alone, I think it's worth a read. It's a fascinating picture of medieval Italy and it's veiws on the countries surrounding it, sure to add complexity to our notions of the time period.
That said, save for a few exceptions, I really didn't enjoy any of the stories that were told. They were full of snap judgements, bewildering hypocrisy, people generally being unpleasant to one another, and a whole lot of illicit sex, not all of it consensual. It was disturbing. I am disturbed. I would not suggest this book to anyone who isn't ready and willing to wade through a whole bunch of literary muck in order to find the occasional pearl.
There IS the occasional pearl, though. Some of the stories put forth are just as lovely and heartfelt as their companions are ugly--and no matter the story, the imagery and cleverness with which it is told is never anything but lavish and alive.
If you're looking to understand the medieval courtly love genre, medieval people, or humanity as a whole, this is a good read to have on hand; but for anyone who wants to have a good time with some fun stories, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
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