Take a photo of a barcode or cover
reflective
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think this was overall good and enjoyable but man the memes about the anatomy of the whale were not kidding, I thought it would be one chapter, like the battle of Waterloo in Les Mis but nope, Ishmael keeps coming back to it. I appreciate what it was doing, this next chapter he really was gonna fully get it, if he can just understand the whale he can surely understand the incomprehensiblity of nature/the universe. I did still prefer chapters with the actual characters, especially Ishmael. It surprised me for being an anti-racist (for it's time) and critical of christianity text given it's title as one of if not the great American novel
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What I wouldn't give for someone to make an intense, emotional Moby Dick HBO drama that takes this premise and characters and pulls more out of it. Melville creates a diverse, fascinating crew of whalers - and does very little with them. I wanted much more out of this book to match its reputation, and instead understood why abridged versions exist.
Melville's writing - I can only assume he was paid by the word - is at times quite difficult to get through, and the filler chapters on whale art and terminology don't help. Other than the first several chapters (of Ishmael and Queequeg in Massachusetts) and the last few chapters (where the book's reputation actually comes to fruition), there's really not much of a plot and the book is very episodic. If you're looking for a "masterpiece of American literature" that is going to open your mind and blow you away, I don't think this is it.
However - I was surprised to see the amount of diversity in the crew, and there were several scenes with beautiful descriptions of ocean and whaling life. The themes Melville introduces here (of obsession, of mass mania, of race relations and the destructiveness of "whiteness") are tantalizing and I would LOVE to see an adaptation dive deeper into these, with the participation of voices of color and modern, more accessible language.
Melville's writing - I can only assume he was paid by the word - is at times quite difficult to get through, and the filler chapters on whale art and terminology don't help. Other than the first several chapters (of Ishmael and Queequeg in Massachusetts) and the last few chapters (where the book's reputation actually comes to fruition), there's really not much of a plot and the book is very episodic. If you're looking for a "masterpiece of American literature" that is going to open your mind and blow you away, I don't think this is it.
However - I was surprised to see the amount of diversity in the crew, and there were several scenes with beautiful descriptions of ocean and whaling life. The themes Melville introduces here (of obsession, of mass mania, of race relations and the destructiveness of "whiteness") are tantalizing and I would LOVE to see an adaptation dive deeper into these, with the participation of voices of color and modern, more accessible language.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is easily the best book I’ve ever read. The depth of the characters and the adventure is amazing. The writing is so beautiful and hilarious. So much fun.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racism
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Cannibalism, Colonisation
Minor: Child death, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism
challenging
dark
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:
Yes
Herman Melville sure liked to write. He also wants you to know that he read the Bible and all of the philosophers (all of them!) and he understood what they meant to say. A book written by a man, and you can feel it. So graphic about killing and gutting these whales, between getting tangled in all the philosophy crammed into it and being blatantly racist. When there's plot happening it's actually fast paced and interesting, but the other 250 pages draaaaaaaagged on forever. And did he already mention he read philosophy books? This made me understand why people don't like reading classics. If this discouraged you, please give one of the Brontës or Austen a go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood
Minor: Death, Religious bigotry
adventurous
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ishmael my depressed ADHD friend.. he's just like me for real. I loved this book, but I could have done without a few of his whale tangents. Melville was so ahead of his time.
I initially read the Oxford Worlds Classics edition edited by Hester Blum but I found the end notes quite lacking. I ended up ordering the Penguin Deluxe Classics edition which has no notes but a lovely map, diagram of whales, the ship, and labelling whaling tools that really enhanced my read. And I finished off reading this book by swapping between the OWC, Penguin and Norton Critical editions. I would recommend looking to Norton Critical for more thorough notes on the text.
I initially read the Oxford Worlds Classics edition edited by Hester Blum but I found the end notes quite lacking. I ended up ordering the Penguin Deluxe Classics edition which has no notes but a lovely map, diagram of whales, the ship, and labelling whaling tools that really enhanced my read. And I finished off reading this book by swapping between the OWC, Penguin and Norton Critical editions. I would recommend looking to Norton Critical for more thorough notes on the text.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Racism
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Moby Dick has a reputation with just about anyone who grew up in the US. It's that book you read in English class that's long, boring, and full of whale facts, and that's what I was expecting going in.
What I didn't realize, however, was that this book was also relatively easy to read, surprisingly funny, and full of dick jokes. While it was certainly not a breeze to get through, the prose was relatively modern and uncomplicated and is often written in a dialogue-heavy, almost script-like style that makes it feel fast paced.
So what's the book actually about? A schoolteacher takes a break from teaching to satisfy his wanderlust by joining a whaling crew (as one does). He signs onboard the Pequod, captained by the mysterious Ahab, who seems bent on capturing Moby Dick, the mysterious white whale, at all costs. Vengeance, he claims, for the leg that Moby Dick took from him years ago. What follows is an epic tale (over seven hundred pages!) of vignettes, character studies and, yes, whale facts, all building toward the confrontation at the heart of this quest.
Although I started this review by talking up how much easier this book was than I thought it would be, that doesn't mean it was painless to get through. Moby Dick is heavy on the literary references, allusions, and implications, meaning that it's hardly turn-your-brain-off literature. While I do enjoy something to sink my teeth into, at some point it just got to be way too much, as the endless stream of prose didn't seem to be going anywhere or building to anything, to the point that when the white whale did finally show his face, my reaction wasn't awe so much as an exasperated "finally!".
Was the book worth a read? Absolutely, both from a historical and literature standpoint and as an exercise in appreciating this style of writing. Will I ever read it again? Probably not. I had more fun with Moby Dick than I expected, but ultimately it's just too much of a good thing.
What I didn't realize, however, was that this book was also relatively easy to read, surprisingly funny, and full of dick jokes. While it was certainly not a breeze to get through, the prose was relatively modern and uncomplicated and is often written in a dialogue-heavy, almost script-like style that makes it feel fast paced.
So what's the book actually about? A schoolteacher takes a break from teaching to satisfy his wanderlust by joining a whaling crew (as one does). He signs onboard the Pequod, captained by the mysterious Ahab, who seems bent on capturing Moby Dick, the mysterious white whale, at all costs. Vengeance, he claims, for the leg that Moby Dick took from him years ago. What follows is an epic tale (over seven hundred pages!) of vignettes, character studies and, yes, whale facts, all building toward the confrontation at the heart of this quest.
Although I started this review by talking up how much easier this book was than I thought it would be, that doesn't mean it was painless to get through. Moby Dick is heavy on the literary references, allusions, and implications, meaning that it's hardly turn-your-brain-off literature. While I do enjoy something to sink my teeth into, at some point it just got to be way too much, as the endless stream of prose didn't seem to be going anywhere or building to anything, to the point that when the white whale did finally show his face, my reaction wasn't awe so much as an exasperated "finally!".
Was the book worth a read? Absolutely, both from a historical and literature standpoint and as an exercise in appreciating this style of writing. Will I ever read it again? Probably not. I had more fun with Moby Dick than I expected, but ultimately it's just too much of a good thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Blood
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Racism
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Terminal illness
There are lots of descriptions of and references to drowning in this book.
challenging
dark
slow-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:
Complicated
This book made me realize that I don't care about whaling the slightest bit.
It is drawn out, mostly very boring, and jumps from genre to genre. The language is so archaic it desperately needs modernization.
It is drawn out, mostly very boring, and jumps from genre to genre. The language is so archaic it desperately needs modernization.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Gore