Reviews

Erewhon (Annotated) by Samuel Butler

poppygemini's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

maistfu's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.5

the story itself is interesting but the explanation of the erewhonian society is so complex and satirical that I barely understood a thing.

elena_ceuppens's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

casthedragon's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

fallen_adam's review against another edition

adventurous funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

bookishlybeauty's review against another edition

informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

3.5

quirpele's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

bundy23's review against another edition

1.0

DNF. 37%. Very boring, didn't realise it was "satire" until I googled it to see what exactly I was missing. I can't say I even cracked a smile once.

ingamaloy's review against another edition

adventurous reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

3.25

Grei satire som fokuserer mye på religion og religionens dobbelmoral. Derimot er bokens gjennomgående rasisme, kolonialisme og kvinnesyn ubehagelig. Boken er fra 1872, så dette er forventet, men fortsatt ubehagelig. Brukers kritikk mot darwinisme er også morsom. Gøy bok, men er tydelig at den er vanskelig å lese når man mangler de samme samfunnsmessige kontekstene som Butler og hans lesere hadde når boken først ble publisert. Peter Mudfords kommentarer og diskusjon i bokens innledning og fotnoter, hjelper deg til å få mer av denne konteksten, men ikke all.

Forholdet mellom kriminalitet og sykdom er derimot gøy, og var grunnen til at jeg valgte å lese denne boken. Tanken på at tuberkulose kan føre til dødsstraff, mens tyveri fører til en nærmest psykologisk behandling er facinerende.

Alt i alt en interessant klassiker, men det finnes bedre bøker med mindre rasisme.

kingfan30's review against another edition

1.0

The book started of alright with the travels to another land, but once he got there I just got bored and it never picked up again.