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gabyyinz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ashleydavies's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ghostofwhenever's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
This book is a massive slog and I am happy to be finished with it. I do want to see how some adaptations deal with this massive book about a man who lost his mind almost completely. This is not a book I would recommend to just read, however I would happily have taken a whole class that only focused on Don Quixote.
sams84's review against another edition
2.0
Well my main feeling about this is that I finished it. It was a bit of a slog, I say a bit, it was epic but sadly not because it was gripping or the aadventure carried me away but because it was a hard to keep motivated (especially as some of the paragraphs ran over three pages...THREE!). I also found the style of writing, especially in book one, rather disjointed as each chapter or two was a different story/adventure and not always involving Quixote himself. There was a lot of storytelling from those he met on his travels, which in turn meant there were a huge number of new and changing characters to get your head around (some of whom seemed to have really similar names despite being wholly unrelated). Don't get me wrong some of the chapters/adventures were really good and I really enjoyed them, the library chapter to the start of the book was good (despite it being a booklovers nightmare) but a good proportion didn't seem to serve any purpose which meant there was a bit of skim reading going on (sorry Saavedra). On the whole I can neither recommend nor discourage reading this as many others may well love it (and have the patience to plough their way through it...and I admire those people) but for me it was a bit of a disappointment interspersed with moments of superb story-telling.
colofj's review against another edition
4.0
As a writer, definitely five stars. Incredible. As a reader, four stars. There were times when the antics grew tiresome, but other times when they turned back to utterly enchanting. If Sancho’s term as governor had lasted longer, the reading could have been five stars, as well! Feels like an accomplishment just to have finished it.
calimie's review against another edition
They keep getting beat. I don't find it fun to read. It's a classic but I can't.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
oceanwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
After years of feeling intimidated by this book, I finally felt I was in a place where I wanted to pick up this book and give it a try. My grandmother loved this book and toward the end of her life, we connected a bit through books. I regret not picking up Don Quixote in her lifetime, but I’m glad I didn’t just say ‘oh well’ and move on.
His mind having been taken over by the many worlds of literature, Don Quixote deems himself knight-errant and sets off in search of quests of his own. Sancho Panza, his loyal squire, accompanies him. The two of them embark on many adventures.
I realized very quickly that Don Quixote is not the dueling epic I assumed it to be. What I found, I enjoyed far more. It’s a story of madness, shall we say, and disillusion, but there is something very relatable in that in the modern day. Haven’t most of us picked up a book as a form of escapism? Don’t readers at some point wish they could get lost in a literary world? In that regard, I found Cervantes to be ahead of his time. That said, it’s also very much a classic, and a wordy one at that.
Though I took my time with this book, I often felt that the scenes were dragging on much longer than they needed to, but I suppose that’s the curse of being used to modern books. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and soaked in so many of the passages. I also cherished getting to experience a piece of my grandmother in a way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual assault, Slavery, and Deportation
moodini's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
bayohazard's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5