Take a photo of a barcode or cover
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-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
Classics are not for me. The old world language is confusing to follow and the storyline jumped in time too much for me to enjoy.
Bizar genoeg vond ik dit kort boekje wat te lang aanslepen. In wat bijna als een sprookje aanvoelt, bezoekt Candide werkelijk alle kanten van de wereld, en Voltaire beschrijft dit aan een een zodanig snel tempo dat het uiteindelijk wat repetitief op mij begon over te komen.
Graag gelezen wel, en ik onthou vooral de bijzondere levensles: het kan geen kwaad om optimistisch te zijn, maar wat je écht nodig hebt in het leven zijn groene vingers.
Graag gelezen wel, en ik onthou vooral de bijzondere levensles: het kan geen kwaad om optimistisch te zijn, maar wat je écht nodig hebt in het leven zijn groene vingers.
A young man named Candide is living a simple and easy life in a Baron's castle in Westphalia (born and raised, on the playground is where he spent most of his days). He's caught kissing the Baron's daughter and is thrown out of the castle (Jazzy Jeff style, I assume), and then spends the novel wandering from one adventure to the next. In his youth, he was tutored by the castle's educator, a religious philosopher who taught him the ways of optimistic theodicy, which states that they live in the best of all possible worlds and that everything that happens is for the absolute best, which he repeats to himself often after he's forced from his idyllic life and into the horrors of the world.
I was surprised at how modern this felt for a novel written three and a half centuries ago, particularly with how fast the plot jumped about, but as I type this I realize I've said that quite a few times about old novels now, and I should probably stop being surprised at some point. This is also quite funny throughout, as Voltaire lampoons the theological and philosophical ideas of the time concerning absolute optimism. He walks Candide through horrific event after horrific event and we watch as he tries to somehow fit these in with his optimistic beliefs.
Voltaire really does not hold back in this. Candide encounters the graphic results of war, rape, cold-blooded murder, torture, hangings, sexually transmitted diseases, natural disasters, theft, bestiality, greed, gambling, and a woman with only one buttock. This makes it sound like quite a heavy and serious novel, but it really isn't. The way he injects absurd humour into everything and how the characters act, almost stilted like a Wes Anderson movie, lets the reader see how awful this all is without really becoming emotionally invested in the events themselves. Which I realize also makes this sound shallow, but it's purposefully and expertly done. It's too much to be reacted to in a realistic way, and if he had tried to do so, I think then the novel truly would have felt superficial and disingenuous.
I've said this a few times lately, but this is another one I'll want to re-read soon, as I feel like I wasn't really in the right state of mind when I listened to this. I still really enjoyed it, giving it four stars on Goodreads, but I feel like this could have potentially been a five-starer at the right time.
A Facebook notification popped up yesterday reminding me that our favourite used book sale will be happening again in a couple of months, so I'll look for a physical copy of this while I'm there. I really love the look of the Penguin edition of this, with the comic cover, so maybe the stars will align. I shall remain optimistic.
Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
“Optimism," said Cacambo, "What is that?" "Alas!" replied Candide, "It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst.”
I was surprised at how modern this felt for a novel written three and a half centuries ago, particularly with how fast the plot jumped about, but as I type this I realize I've said that quite a few times about old novels now, and I should probably stop being surprised at some point. This is also quite funny throughout, as Voltaire lampoons the theological and philosophical ideas of the time concerning absolute optimism. He walks Candide through horrific event after horrific event and we watch as he tries to somehow fit these in with his optimistic beliefs.
Voltaire really does not hold back in this. Candide encounters the graphic results of war, rape, cold-blooded murder, torture, hangings, sexually transmitted diseases, natural disasters, theft, bestiality, greed, gambling, and a woman with only one buttock. This makes it sound like quite a heavy and serious novel, but it really isn't. The way he injects absurd humour into everything and how the characters act, almost stilted like a Wes Anderson movie, lets the reader see how awful this all is without really becoming emotionally invested in the events themselves. Which I realize also makes this sound shallow, but it's purposefully and expertly done. It's too much to be reacted to in a realistic way, and if he had tried to do so, I think then the novel truly would have felt superficial and disingenuous.
I've said this a few times lately, but this is another one I'll want to re-read soon, as I feel like I wasn't really in the right state of mind when I listened to this. I still really enjoyed it, giving it four stars on Goodreads, but I feel like this could have potentially been a five-starer at the right time.
A Facebook notification popped up yesterday reminding me that our favourite used book sale will be happening again in a couple of months, so I'll look for a physical copy of this while I'm there. I really love the look of the Penguin edition of this, with the comic cover, so maybe the stars will align. I shall remain optimistic.
Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Had to listen to this since Victor Hugo mentioned Voltaire every other page. This was created during the age of enlightenment. At first I was confused because it seemed like a criticism of religion, and after looking into more of his views and the definition and the ending it does make sense. Since Voltaire was a deist he believed that there was a single God that created the world but doesn't act to influence events. He was opposed to organized religion however. Also from the story it was pretty evident that he believed mankind to be very corrupt.
There was the Hipocracy of the dutch owning and treating slaves the way they did and on sunday turning around and saying they are all son of adam, if they are all related how could you treat your blood like that. I really enjoyed listening to the story. There were a lot of things packed in there and actually now that I think about it Candide was able to morally reason why he should attack with the intent of killing someone, but couldn't lie since he was so "pure of heart". The first thing I thought of was Immanuel Kant believing that it is immoral to lie regardless of the circumstances, which I don't agree with but Candide takes this way of thinking.
Another message I think was interesting was how Everyone thinks they’ve had the most injustices done to them until you heard someone else's backstory, but then you realise that they at least survived and some other people in the story were impaled or burned at the stake so maybe look on the bright side?
I think the part about el dorado was interesting. They liked el dorado better than west phaelia, pretty fair since you don’t have to be feared of being burned at the stake if you have a differing of opinion
Also the part about the old lady being the daughter of the pope and being subjected to everything as if because she was in her position she was exempt from suffering given her position makes sense with his stance on religion.
Also commentary on european imperialism and how they view the americas as “savage” when their customs are different than theirs when they live more peacefully than them. Also it was interesting the part with the natives being talked out of eating them through reason to show that there is natural universal law that all civilizations regardless of race religion can agree to with reason. Also interesting critique of class since after everything Candide did the baron didn’t want him to marry his sister just because he wasn’t a baron.
“Secret griefs are more cruel than public calamities”
“Which is worse, to undergo all the misfortunes we have had or to stay here with nothing to do”
“Man was born to live either in a state of distracting inquietude or of lethargic disgust”
“Man was first placed in garden of eden to cultivatet it” we are not supposed to be idle
PLEASE DON'T SHOW THIS TO THESE BUSINESSES OVERWORKING PEOPLE
but he is for the most part right.
As for Pangloss he did believe that things would work out for the best and maybe for the main characters they did but an earthquake still did a lot of damage, the slave that lost a leg, people burned at the stake, impaled.
There was the Hipocracy of the dutch owning and treating slaves the way they did and on sunday turning around and saying they are all son of adam, if they are all related how could you treat your blood like that. I really enjoyed listening to the story. There were a lot of things packed in there and actually now that I think about it Candide was able to morally reason why he should attack with the intent of killing someone, but couldn't lie since he was so "pure of heart". The first thing I thought of was Immanuel Kant believing that it is immoral to lie regardless of the circumstances, which I don't agree with but Candide takes this way of thinking.
Another message I think was interesting was how Everyone thinks they’ve had the most injustices done to them until you heard someone else's backstory, but then you realise that they at least survived and some other people in the story were impaled or burned at the stake so maybe look on the bright side?
I think the part about el dorado was interesting. They liked el dorado better than west phaelia, pretty fair since you don’t have to be feared of being burned at the stake if you have a differing of opinion
Also the part about the old lady being the daughter of the pope and being subjected to everything as if because she was in her position she was exempt from suffering given her position makes sense with his stance on religion.
Also commentary on european imperialism and how they view the americas as “savage” when their customs are different than theirs when they live more peacefully than them. Also it was interesting the part with the natives being talked out of eating them through reason to show that there is natural universal law that all civilizations regardless of race religion can agree to with reason. Also interesting critique of class since after everything Candide did the baron didn’t want him to marry his sister just because he wasn’t a baron.
“Secret griefs are more cruel than public calamities”
“Which is worse, to undergo all the misfortunes we have had or to stay here with nothing to do”
“Man was born to live either in a state of distracting inquietude or of lethargic disgust”
“Man was first placed in garden of eden to cultivatet it” we are not supposed to be idle
PLEASE DON'T SHOW THIS TO THESE BUSINESSES OVERWORKING PEOPLE
but he is for the most part right.
As for Pangloss he did believe that things would work out for the best and maybe for the main characters they did but an earthquake still did a lot of damage, the slave that lost a leg, people burned at the stake, impaled.
read for school. Voltaire is funny, but the illustrations were a little, uh, French.