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2.85 AVERAGE
2.85 AVERAGE
I read this because I will attend the Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd this Saturday and wanted to know the book before the opera. The work does feel stitched together. Budd reminds me more of Steinbeck's Lennie, big and stupidly naive, and less of Christ. Claggart had some subtlety, but not much. His end did surprise me. I kept waiting for Vere to do or be something more. If given the time and chance, I have to wonder what Melville would have made of the book. It's got some very brilliant parts, but there isn't much to its whole.
Melville has managed to pack so much into this novella. There is a battle between good and evil, law and order, crime and punishment, and civility and rights. He was definitely critiquing the many ideas of the time, but where the story challenges us as readers and as human beings is in the angelic character that is Billy Budd. Billy is a simple and hard working mizzentop man with a stammer who is drafted into the royal naval service against his will. It is onboard this ship that he meets characters that forever change his life.
Should you read this book? Definately. Is the prose stretched out and boring? That is Melville for you. Will you get all of the references? Not without doing research. But in the end, the human elements of this story shine through and make is question our own societies.
Should you read this book? Definately. Is the prose stretched out and boring? That is Melville for you. Will you get all of the references? Not without doing research. But in the end, the human elements of this story shine through and make is question our own societies.
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I found this book boring. Melville spends so much time on back story that I just gave up (even on Audible) after about an hour, which is 1/3 way through.
The movie is actually better than the book this one time.
adventurous
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated