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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
The adventure aspect, very interesting. The white savior aspect, less so.
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Less of an adventure story, more a meditation on God, survival, redemption etc. The casual and graphic racism and animal cruelty are obviously products of the time, but they can make grim reading at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Cannibalism, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation
De eerste roman in de ik-vorm is bedoeld als avonturenverhaal maar geeft nu vooral een kijk in het wereldbeeld van een kolonisator uit de 17e eeuw
Another classic I doubted the hype, then rather enjoyed reading. I think this is a default classic as it was one that falls under the general boom of literature becoming a typical leisure activity. I think going into this book was hard because of all the opinions I heard of it before reading.
I don't think this is a must read but I think it still earns a classic label.
I don't think this is a must read but I think it still earns a classic label.
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
Read this for uni. Our professor told us that we can "skip the ending about the Pyrenees". I wanted to give it a try nonetheless and oh my gosh do I understand why we could've skipped it. Such a nonsensical ending. Had the book ended with Crusoe's arrival to Europe, I might have given 3.5, but I was truly fighting for my life in those last 40 pages...
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Very boring
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Defoe's Robinson Crusoe has been called (by no less than James Joyce) the first English novel. I had the pleasure of reading the 300th Anniversary Edition from Restless Books. It opens with Jamaica Kincaid's "Introduction" which first quotes Joyce (who calls the character Robinson Crusoe the "true symbol of British conquest") and then continues as a satiric letter from Kincaid to Crusoe himself: "Dear Mr. Crusoe. Please stay home." The book lays bare 18th century British attitudes towards colonization; race; slavery; religion; and more, but there are also some subtleties and nuances one wouldn't expect. This edition also comes with a Chronology of Defoe's life, and wonderful black ink drawings (and an artist's statement) by Eko.
The story that Defoe tells is a remarkable tale that probably was unheard of in its day. Back then it was a best-seller, and I dread to think of the other books that were written during that time. Defoe uses very long sentences, a metric ton of commas and loves his capitalisation.
The book does have nice moments and the story told is very interesting, but the writing style is dated. It is one of those books that you should read, but I personally did not enjoy it most of the time.
The book does have nice moments and the story told is very interesting, but the writing style is dated. It is one of those books that you should read, but I personally did not enjoy it most of the time.
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced