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adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. I wanted to read Rasselas by Samuel Johnson, but as that was a response to this book I thought I'd read that first. This book is, of course, a satirical response to Leibnitz's theories. These, as far as I can tell, are a kind of militant optimism in the face of the world's good and bad.
Apparently the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 made Voltaire question this Leibnitzian view. He writes about it in a poem too.
So, this is a comedy-philosophy novel. Candide is a young man living a good life and is taught Leibnitz's view by his tutor, Professor Pangloss. Things start to go amiss when he falls in love with Cunégonde, who is the beautiful daughter of the Baron Thunder-ten-Tronckh. The Baron doesn't approve of the young man and boots him out of the castle and into the streets. Thus begins a series of ridiculous adventures which see our all sorts of terrible things happen to all of the characters in the book: Cunégonde is raped, nearly murdered, sold into slavery, raped etc. They are conned, robbed and whipped.
Good things will happen to them, then bad things. Then good things, then bad things. They meet people who tell them stories, which are also full of bad things. It's almost as if the foolish optimism of Leibnitz fails to take in the real world at all.
I mean it is a ridiculous series of events, as opposed to a plot. There are wild coincidences, people who we think are dead turn out not to be and then are and then aren't again. But all of this is just an excuse for Voltaire to give Leibnitz a good kicking (as well as several other people who he despises.) The writing is crisp, witty and brisk. You don't really have time to get bored as something is always happening and there are some genuinely funny lines scattered throughout. It is here that Voltaire's line about the British executing an Admiral now and then to 'encourage the others' comes from.
This is, of course, a translation. By Sander Berg whose name Alma Books can't find room for on the front cover even thought they can find room for New Translation. Sort it out Alma. It has no introduction but it does have useful notes.
It reminded me of Gulliver's Travels (which I haven't read since I read an abridged edition as a kid) but it has that kind of satirical and cynical take on the world.
That's it. Done.
Apparently the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 made Voltaire question this Leibnitzian view. He writes about it in a poem too.
So, this is a comedy-philosophy novel. Candide is a young man living a good life and is taught Leibnitz's view by his tutor, Professor Pangloss. Things start to go amiss when he falls in love with Cunégonde, who is the beautiful daughter of the Baron Thunder-ten-Tronckh. The Baron doesn't approve of the young man and boots him out of the castle and into the streets. Thus begins a series of ridiculous adventures which see our all sorts of terrible things happen to all of the characters in the book: Cunégonde is raped, nearly murdered, sold into slavery, raped etc. They are conned, robbed and whipped.
Good things will happen to them, then bad things. Then good things, then bad things. They meet people who tell them stories, which are also full of bad things. It's almost as if the foolish optimism of Leibnitz fails to take in the real world at all.
I mean it is a ridiculous series of events, as opposed to a plot. There are wild coincidences, people who we think are dead turn out not to be and then are and then aren't again. But all of this is just an excuse for Voltaire to give Leibnitz a good kicking (as well as several other people who he despises.) The writing is crisp, witty and brisk. You don't really have time to get bored as something is always happening and there are some genuinely funny lines scattered throughout. It is here that Voltaire's line about the British executing an Admiral now and then to 'encourage the others' comes from.
This is, of course, a translation. By Sander Berg whose name Alma Books can't find room for on the front cover even thought they can find room for New Translation. Sort it out Alma. It has no introduction but it does have useful notes.
It reminded me of Gulliver's Travels (which I haven't read since I read an abridged edition as a kid) but it has that kind of satirical and cynical take on the world.
That's it. Done.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
funny
informative
fast-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
Je l'avais lu en seconde si je me souviens bien. A ce moment la,j'aivais pas specialement aime. Comment comprendre l'ironie quand on a pas encore compris le sujet de l'ironie.
Lu en 2015, il est tres tres drole et piquant!
Lu en 2015, il est tres tres drole et piquant!
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I didn't particularly enjoy this and kind of put me in a reading slump. 2 stars for the funny and interesting moments it had but this was overshadowed by the racism and antisemitism present.
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reading this book for my history class and it's surprisingly humorous.