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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
A good story, but he's long winded. Goes into a lot of detail that is sometimes unnecessary.
adventurous
funny
relaxing
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:
Complicated
Not giving this a star rating because it’s 200+ years old and rating anything from such a different context with a single number is at best reductionist and at worst misleading.
This is an interesting books, and I can see why it became so popular in the 18th century. It feels as close to science fiction as possible while still being accessible in it’s day - after all, at the time, unknown lands across the sea were just as foreign and exciting as unknown planets are today.
Reading with a modern eye, it’s interesting to see how Swift approached world building at a time when there were few precedents for the idea, and still did a pretty good job of it in how he imagined other peoples being the same - but different. It was just as interesting to see what he changed in imagining these other races, as it was to see what he left the same. Beings one fifteenth our size are believable, but women being leaders of a household are not. Horses exhibiting reason while humans behave as animals is feasible, but denying a natural hierarchical order of nobles and commoners is inconceivable.
This is a powerful look into the ideas of people at the time, and from that perspective it’s a good read. But for a modern leisure reader, it’s also long in the tooth and some topics are covered in excessive depth, just by nature of being written when it was. This is why it’s impossible to give it a star rating - are you reading to hear thrilling stories of adventure? Probably not for you. Are you reading for fantastic tales? There are elements that could be interesting. Are you reading to learn about the politics and philosophy of the time? Definitely take a look.
This is an interesting books, and I can see why it became so popular in the 18th century. It feels as close to science fiction as possible while still being accessible in it’s day - after all, at the time, unknown lands across the sea were just as foreign and exciting as unknown planets are today.
Reading with a modern eye, it’s interesting to see how Swift approached world building at a time when there were few precedents for the idea, and still did a pretty good job of it in how he imagined other peoples being the same - but different. It was just as interesting to see what he changed in imagining these other races, as it was to see what he left the same. Beings one fifteenth our size are believable, but women being leaders of a household are not. Horses exhibiting reason while humans behave as animals is feasible, but denying a natural hierarchical order of nobles and commoners is inconceivable.
This is a powerful look into the ideas of people at the time, and from that perspective it’s a good read. But for a modern leisure reader, it’s also long in the tooth and some topics are covered in excessive depth, just by nature of being written when it was. This is why it’s impossible to give it a star rating - are you reading to hear thrilling stories of adventure? Probably not for you. Are you reading for fantastic tales? There are elements that could be interesting. Are you reading to learn about the politics and philosophy of the time? Definitely take a look.
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Ce roman n'est pas mauvais mais j'ai l'impression d'avoir vraiment manqué quelque chose à cause de mon manque de connaissance des évènements de l'époque en Angleterre. Je sais que Swift critiquait la société de son époque. Si certaines critiques envers les scientifiques et la religion sont évidentes, d'autres le sont beaucoup moins.
Dans le même genre de livre, je préfère Voltaire avec Candide ou Zadig. De plus, il y a certains passages qui sont longs et ennuyants comme le voyage dans le pays des géants. Cependant, j'ai bien aimé la dernière partie avec le monde des Houyhnhnms.
Ça reste que ce livre a été très influent dans le monde anglo-saxon et pour moi, c'est une bonne chose de l'avoir lu pour ma culture générale.
Dans le même genre de livre, je préfère Voltaire avec Candide ou Zadig. De plus, il y a certains passages qui sont longs et ennuyants comme le voyage dans le pays des géants. Cependant, j'ai bien aimé la dernière partie avec le monde des Houyhnhnms.
Ça reste que ce livre a été très influent dans le monde anglo-saxon et pour moi, c'est une bonne chose de l'avoir lu pour ma culture générale.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
Many of the authors during and after Swift's time really hated Swift's writing and perspective on the world. T. S. Eliot called him "a master of disgust". And honestly I can see why, as Gulliver comes from a time and place where people of his country had great pride for their identity on the world stage, regardless of their internal issues, and external adverse impacts on other countries and their people. To be brave enough to write about all the problems in mankind's twisted definition of life, virtue, honor, etc, and find a creative way to do so is, in my opinion, the true definition of satire. Nowadays, satire has become so misused, that even the person or organization that is the topic of satire takes the insults so lightly as to dismiss them in humor. I mean, if Gulliver's Travels did not make a few people mad after reading it, means that Swift didn't do his job properly. A book like this should incite change in us, motivate us to change our condition, improve upon our mindset and ideals and build a better society.
The only reason I gave the book four stars instead of five is not even the book's fault, but the fact that we have reduced this book to a children's book. This is NOT a children's book. Yes, I read the children's version of the story, but there are so many important aspects of this book, themes and symbolism that only adults would understand and even benefit and learn from. I'm sad that, just like all other kids I read the book as a child, because it set me up to think this book was something that it is not. At times, it bored me to read Gulliver's story, because I just expected something else.
The only reason I gave the book four stars instead of five is not even the book's fault, but the fact that we have reduced this book to a children's book. This is NOT a children's book. Yes, I read the children's version of the story, but there are so many important aspects of this book, themes and symbolism that only adults would understand and even benefit and learn from. I'm sad that, just like all other kids I read the book as a child, because it set me up to think this book was something that it is not. At times, it bored me to read Gulliver's story, because I just expected something else.
"...but I rather chose to relate plain matter of fact in the simplest manner and style, because my principal design was to inform, and not to amuse thee."
mission accomplished.
mission accomplished.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Me sorprendió que usualmente lo veo como libro infantil en las librerías pero tiene mucha más temática de crítica social y política de la que esperaba.
Satire, social commentary blah blah blah. The bit with the horses was a bit weird, but when you get right down to it Gulliver is a bit of a dick to his family. Was a mostly enjoyable read despite being a few hundred years old it shows that people really haven't changed much.