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sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
4.0
From very first line, Ishmail sounds like a salesperson selling you the idea how great a whaleman's job is. He praises in that order - water, sea, sailor's job, whale, the job of whaling and Mobi dick. He would manipulate the facts to suit himself - finding most lame parts of his jobs as divine; he details on all divine connections he could manipulate in showing how great an animal a whale is. He lectures you on whale's body parts, measurements, its habitations assuming that you are too interested to find that boring and these lectures have whole chapters devoted to them which either makes you doubt if you were reading non-fiction, or remember that geek who being fan of some particular animal (anaconda, sharks or diansaurs) is always sharing trivia regarding same. Think Ross Geller. At times one can't help feeling a bit bored when, for example the telling you about different types of ropes that whalemen use but still the uniqueness of the style of the book makes it worth the trouble.
He is strangest of all narrators. He regularly quotes Bible, is a teacher by profession but who also goes sailing routinely and also has obsession for whaling - he also ends up being a cast away and an author. You may find it hard to believe that one man would do that all but the author Herman Melville was in fact all these things with sole exception of being a cast away.
Ishmail uses language in his own style - uses sailor's words, uses existing words in his own way and creates some of his own.
His obssession could be compared to that of his captain Ahab who feels 'destined' to have a fight to death with Mobi dick - a single whale from whom he wished to take revenge from. Unlike Ishmail he is not calculting but fully commited. He is aware of what catastrophe he might be bringing and the very needlessness of it and yet he can't help it. Ahab reminds you of some Shakespearian character with a tragedy in store for him.
The story takes back seat in between these Ishqmail's ramblings and is mostly contained in first and last 1/6 th parts (rest is full of Ishmail's lectures on whales and whaling) - the few experiences of whaling life narrated in between these ramblings are mostly redundent.
It is big, boring and very simple story but with its writing style and narrations, it gives a unique reading experince.
He is strangest of all narrators. He regularly quotes Bible, is a teacher by profession but who also goes sailing routinely and also has obsession for whaling - he also ends up being a cast away and an author. You may find it hard to believe that one man would do that all but the author Herman Melville was in fact all these things with sole exception of being a cast away.
Ishmail uses language in his own style - uses sailor's words, uses existing words in his own way and creates some of his own.
His obssession could be compared to that of his captain Ahab who feels 'destined' to have a fight to death with Mobi dick - a single whale from whom he wished to take revenge from. Unlike Ishmail he is not calculting but fully commited. He is aware of what catastrophe he might be bringing and the very needlessness of it and yet he can't help it. Ahab reminds you of some Shakespearian character with a tragedy in store for him.
The story takes back seat in between these Ishqmail's ramblings and is mostly contained in first and last 1/6 th parts (rest is full of Ishmail's lectures on whales and whaling) - the few experiences of whaling life narrated in between these ramblings are mostly redundent.
It is big, boring and very simple story but with its writing style and narrations, it gives a unique reading experince.
asgard224's review against another edition
5.0
O călătorie atemporală, condusă de muritori împotriva unei creaturi primordiale.
Am apreciat prezicerile deznodământului încă din primele pagini (tabloul), referințele biblice (Iona, Solomon, Elijah-Ilie, Ahab), scenele presărate cu umor(întâlnirea cu canibalul Queequeg, cuvântarea adresată rechinilor) și capitolele despre cetologie.
Am apreciat prezicerile deznodământului încă din primele pagini (tabloul), referințele biblice (Iona, Solomon, Elijah-Ilie, Ahab), scenele presărate cu umor(întâlnirea cu canibalul Queequeg, cuvântarea adresată rechinilor) și capitolele despre cetologie.
jessicakate14's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Finally done!
If this book was more about the hunt and a man’s crazed expedition and less about the anatomy of the whale, I would have loved it.
If this book was more about the hunt and a man’s crazed expedition and less about the anatomy of the whale, I would have loved it.
daizie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Definitely worth diving into.
seagul's review against another edition
4.0
While tedious at times, Melville weaves together an ocean epic many have been unable to match since. Offering a wide range of ideas, this was a good read
brody_manquen's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
couuboy's review against another edition
5.0
A book about a whale, about the pursuit of a whale, about the monomaniac pursuit by a man. What is Moby-Dick?
This novel can be about anything you want it to be. It can be about the hubris of man, the limitations of perception, monomania versus meditation, the necessity of collective harmony, or what the inside of a whale looks like.
There are two main* characters/narrators in Moby-Dick: Ishmael, our contemplative, truth-seeking, digressive oarsman; and Captain Ahab, our monomaniac, revenge-fuelled, delimbed Captain. The narrative takes place between these two oscillations. With Ishmael we move horizontallly, scoping out whaling technique, customs, cetology and epistemology. With Captain Ahab we are propelled towards the white whale, recurrent portents brushed aside all the while.
Moby-Dick is a book that will live as long as there are trees left from which to strip the pages, and if you ask me, deservedly so.
This novel can be about anything you want it to be. It can be about the hubris of man, the limitations of perception, monomania versus meditation, the necessity of collective harmony, or what the inside of a whale looks like.
There are two main* characters/narrators in Moby-Dick: Ishmael, our contemplative, truth-seeking, digressive oarsman; and Captain Ahab, our monomaniac, revenge-fuelled, delimbed Captain. The narrative takes place between these two oscillations. With Ishmael we move horizontallly, scoping out whaling technique, customs, cetology and epistemology. With Captain Ahab we are propelled towards the white whale, recurrent portents brushed aside all the while.
Moby-Dick is a book that will live as long as there are trees left from which to strip the pages, and if you ask me, deservedly so.
mavis_lampshade's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ririsa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25