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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I realize I’m likely poisoned against this book for this very reason, but I adored the Disney animated feature while growing up and was surprised how different it was from the source material. Burroughs take feels a little too contrived—two mutinies where the merciful mutineers spare the passengers and give them a generous supply of resources from their own stores? In the same exact spot?
I loved the character Jane in the movie and wanted to be a science girl like her; studying gorillas was so much more of a compelling reason for her and her father to be in the jungle. In the book, Jane is just sort of silly and annoying, really only good for being a damsel in distress. She doesn’t get to bond with Tarzan over learning to read and speak; instead he teaches himself to read because he’s just that amazing, and learns to speak from a French rando who’s there for some reason.
I actually think the Disney movie did a lot to give depth to this story working with Burroughs’ base elements, but in the end this is a classic pulp fiction novel where the characters aren’t very dynamic but the excitement is in the crazy, violent encounters that can be counted on at least once a chapter.
I loved the character Jane in the movie and wanted to be a science girl like her; studying gorillas was so much more of a compelling reason for her and her father to be in the jungle. In the book, Jane is just sort of silly and annoying, really only good for being a damsel in distress. She doesn’t get to bond with Tarzan over learning to read and speak; instead he teaches himself to read because he’s just that amazing, and learns to speak from a French rando who’s there for some reason.
I actually think the Disney movie did a lot to give depth to this story working with Burroughs’ base elements, but in the end this is a classic pulp fiction novel where the characters aren’t very dynamic but the excitement is in the crazy, violent encounters that can be counted on at least once a chapter.
Of course it's sexist, racist, appallingly dated, but it's got to be a good yarn, a well-made adventure that tells us something about the human condition or whatever, right? No. It's very bad, both technically and morally.
I read it as a prelude to [b:Tarzan Was an Eco-Tourist: ...and Other Tales in the Anthropology of Adventure|828245|Tarzan Was an Eco-Tourist ...and Other Tales in the Anthropology of Adventure|Luis A. Vivanco|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347477316l/828245._SY75_.jpg|813943] which is up soon.
I read it as a prelude to [b:Tarzan Was an Eco-Tourist: ...and Other Tales in the Anthropology of Adventure|828245|Tarzan Was an Eco-Tourist ...and Other Tales in the Anthropology of Adventure|Luis A. Vivanco|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347477316l/828245._SY75_.jpg|813943] which is up soon.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
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:
No
I read this book with a real skeptical opinion going in, but was completely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I adore this adventure book now completely and will read it again.
One thing when I got to the last page, I wanted to hurl the book with that ending! So early this morning, I download on my mobile the second book.
This is really a wonderful adventure novel.
One thing when I got to the last page, I wanted to hurl the book with that ending! So early this morning, I download on my mobile the second book.
This is really a wonderful adventure novel.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
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:
Complicated
Interesting to read the book behind the movie, however racist af.
Well first thing, this novel is very...Victorian. It is written with a very Euro-American point of view where Africans are savages, funny ideas about superiority of Europeans and the such. However the writing is engaging and the first half of the book is very entertaining reading Tarzan grow up. The main character ends up being a wild superman of sorts but is completely literate by somehow teaching himself how to read. The fact that he can write and read a language he cannot speak leads to some awkward situations for him in the plot. Unfortunately it also features the most droll of romance types where, the woman, seeing his dense rippling physique and getting her life saved falls instantly in love. Considering who he was writing for and when this was written I can see how it got popular. However it seems very dated now. Still worth reading but don't expect to find it very amazing.
Well-written, well-plotted, basic characters, horribly racist. That’s all there is to say here, really.
adventurous
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism