Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Gulliver's Travels: A Classic of English Literature by Jonathan Swift

4 reviews

water_and_shade's review against another edition

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adventurous funny reflective 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

4.0

Gulliver's Travels is almost 300 years old, but Swifts satirical commentary on humankind still reigns alarmingly true. I laughed out loud at some passages and screenshotted innumerable sections which were particularly pertinent to today's political climate. I agree with other readers that the 4th part definitely descended into fairly brutal cynicism, but I still enjoyed it. Really liked the whimsy of the first two parts, something very enjoyable about hearing a comb described by someone who has never seen one. And the ridiculous experiments in part 3 were a fun imaginative touch. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think it has aged well for a classic - I think Jonathan Swift would've been an interesting dinner party guest! 
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m4rtt4's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging funny reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Surprisingly good and funny, though at times it was very difficult to differentiate between satire and Swift's/Gulliver's own opinions, e.g. the sexist and racist stuff. Definitely not a children's book, but one to be read and enjoyed by adults — it really made me think about the concept of humanity, and how so little has changed since the 1700s — some things have even become worse. I really love to read fake scientific texts, with this one being no exception, though Swift could have taken it easy with all the precise numbers and other measurements. So many unnecessarily complicated details along with the old-ish language made the story boring at times, but all in all, it definitely was not a bad read.
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hughesie's review against another edition

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1.0

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jessgreads's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

Rating: ⭐⬜⬜⬜⬜
Title: Gulliver's Travels
Author: Jonathan Swift
Genre: Classics / Fiction
Setting: Lilliput / Brobdingnag / England
Month Read: April 2022
Book Type: Paperback
Publication: Original: 1726
Publisher:  Barnes and Noble Classics
Pages: 317
*PBS Great American Reads Pick



TRIGGER WARNING- 
Abandonement / Sexual Content / Violence / Outdated References / Maybe Bestiality?




"Every man desires to live long, but no man wishes to be old."







No Spoiler Summary:
Gulliver's Travels is a book about a Doctor and Sailor, and his adventures to several places. He writes detailed entries about the locations, people, and his life while on his travels. 







Review:
I did a buddy read with @Reading_and_Wrighting and we did not have as good of a time as we did with Gone with the Wind. Most of our back and forth was about how we haven't read the book in a few days, or can this be over with, or how there were a few good things about the book, but it gets so old so fast. 


This entire book is like being in a conversation of jokes that you don't get the references to. I just absolutely hated it. I'm also fine saying I just didn't understand the book, or the purpose of the book. At the end of the day I read it, and it can go be retired to a bookshelf now. I am surprised, that 4 books into the 'classics' I'm doing off the Great American Reads list, this was the first one that I really didn't like at all. I've been pretty lucky, and hoping my next few reads are great. 






"Of so little weight are the greatest services to princes, when put into the balance with a refusal to gratify their passions."


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