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adorkablesmile's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
For a novel that's more than a century old now, it's clearly a product of its time. The story is rife with the xenophobia and paranoia typical to a world in the midst of war, and there's some early-20th-century antisemitism which mars a first reading of the book in the modern age.
However for all of that, when the adventure gets going it's easy to lose yourself in the chase. There are twists and turns, and protagonist Richard Hannay always feels one foul step away from death or disaster. John Buchan knows his craft and he puts together a superb mystery thriller - it's outdated, but it's a classic for a reason.
However for all of that, when the adventure gets going it's easy to lose yourself in the chase. There are twists and turns, and protagonist Richard Hannay always feels one foul step away from death or disaster. John Buchan knows his craft and he puts together a superb mystery thriller - it's outdated, but it's a classic for a reason.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
Moderate: Xenophobia
carolinebl's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
A fool tries to look different: a clever man looks the same and is different.
This was my first audio novel (free from Apple) and I really enjoyed it. I’m not sure I would have read the book otherwise, but it turned out to be interesting and far more believable than any modern crime/detective/spy stories I have read. It is plot-heavy, and Hannay receives negative points for colonialism and the Boer War, but I enjoyed following his escapades.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Antisemitism, and Murder
bloomingpear's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racism, Antisemitism, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
flawedamythyst's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism
erebus53's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Written in 1915, this is a story of a rich man on the run, galivanting about the countryside as a self-styled spy, after a chance encounter with an earnest conspiracy theorist. Originally published as a magazine serial it is quite the adventure story. I hazard to suppose that the author had no interest or talent in writing female characters, as he has none in his story, even going so far as to make some of the characters widowers. As far as fantasies go, a world where women are only the "downstairs" maids is a little flat.
The backdrop of the action is picturesque and botanical. Richard Hannay steals expensive motorcars, sleeps rough in Scotland, impersonates wealthy businessmen and lowly workers, wears disguises and fakes accents to carry off his Method acting, solves puzzles and discovers secret bases, and even sets bombs.. all in a mad dash to escape nefarious Germans and the confused local constabulary. He claims to be able to rub shoulders with both the working-man and the upper-class, but is terrified and mystified by the middle-class.
Some of the older language was a little confusing for me. This is in part due to it being an audiobook so I could not see the spelling of some things. Some descriptions felt hilarious in their absurdity.
The backdrop of the action is picturesque and botanical. Richard Hannay steals expensive motorcars, sleeps rough in Scotland, impersonates wealthy businessmen and lowly workers, wears disguises and fakes accents to carry off his Method acting, solves puzzles and discovers secret bases, and even sets bombs.. all in a mad dash to escape nefarious Germans and the confused local constabulary. He claims to be able to rub shoulders with both the working-man and the upper-class, but is terrified and mystified by the middle-class.
Some of the older language was a little confusing for me. This is in part due to it being an audiobook so I could not see the spelling of some things. Some descriptions felt hilarious in their absurdity.
A pink and blue June morning found me at Bradgate, looking from the Griffon Hotel over a smooth sea to the light ship on the cock sands which seemed the size of a bell-boy.
The archaic setting was also probably the reason for some of the obvious anti-semitism, and the fanciful tales from far-off lands, such as a man recounting how his horse was eaten by a lion in Senegal. It's probably literary device that has rich men in urgent meetings discussing important matters, while also indulging digressive but exotic anecdotes... or maybe that is just the wont of the Upper-Class .. I wouldn't know.
I find it interesting that one of the recurring themes is the omnipresent boredom of the Rich, but I don't know if this is an observation that the author is self-describing, or an off-hand criticism of his "betters".
I felt myself imagining how this tale would differ if it was portrayed on screen, as much of the tension is carried off by men who are dressed in disguises. Only after the book was finished did I look it up and discover that Alfred Hitchcock had made the film, but I haven't seen his rendition. I can see how it could form the bones of an interesting film, but the book was not much to my taste, so I won't be chasing down any more of these serial adventures any time soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Antisemitism, and Car accident
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
cbt00004's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
An enjoyable book to listen to, certainly of its time, but the story was entertaining and engaging.
I loved listening to the section set in Dumfries and Galloway, I grew up there and it was fun to hear place names I knew in a book.
I loved listening to the section set in Dumfries and Galloway, I grew up there and it was fun to hear place names I knew in a book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism and Colonisation
sophiefreeman's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism
dhughes10's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Antisemitism
noonjinx's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Totally ludicrous "boys own" adventure. The writing style flows nicely but the characters are all stereotypes, none of them have any common sense, and the plot is full of holes.
If a stranger comes to you and says, "I've disfigured a corpse and left it in my room so everyone will think I'm dead. Can I stay with you for a while?" What do you do? Of course you invite him in and become firm friends. After that things start to get less believable.
The new friend gets murdered so the hero goes on the run to scotland. There he happens to walk into the home of one of the murderers. Well I guess there were only 3 million people in scotland when this was written so the odds of that happening were shorter back then.
The baddy is no smarter than the hero. He locks him up in a store room full of explosives so he' able to blow his way out.
All the way through the novel, the hero gets helped by people who trust him even though he's being hunted by the police. Finally, at the end of the book, the authorities seem perfectly happy to let him take charge of their anti terrorist operation even though he's just a civilian.
Nice and short. A flowing style. But completely daft and of it's time.
If a stranger comes to you and says, "I've disfigured a corpse and left it in my room so everyone will think I'm dead. Can I stay with you for a while?" What do you do? Of course you invite him in and become firm friends. After that things start to get less believable.
The new friend gets murdered so the hero goes on the run to scotland. There he happens to walk into the home of one of the murderers. Well I guess there were only 3 million people in scotland when this was written so the odds of that happening were shorter back then.
The baddy is no smarter than the hero. He locks him up in a store room full of explosives so he' able to blow his way out.
All the way through the novel, the hero gets helped by people who trust him even though he's being hunted by the police. Finally, at the end of the book, the authorities seem perfectly happy to let him take charge of their anti terrorist operation even though he's just a civilian.
Nice and short. A flowing style. But completely daft and of it's time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Antisemitism
michichigo's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism