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hjb_128's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Alcohol, Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Child death, Rape, and Animal death
trippyotter's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Next month, February, celebrates the 50th ANNIVERSARY of the book release! *mind blowing*
I'd been wanting to read the book for some time, and I was trying to hold out until the anniversary month, but I had just finished a book and... Let's just say, OMG! It's soooo much better than the movie! And I'm soooo disappointed by what was not incorporated into the movie, too!
But if they ever remake JAWS, which they should never, never, never do... They seriously need to include some of the left-out plot details!
I will say, that I read White Shark last year and thought, "ok, this is good, but it's not amazing..." and was questioning if I should read JAWS. Well, if you've read any of Benchley's other books and you're not sure about JAWS, you should definitely read it!
I'd been wanting to read the book for some time, and I was trying to hold out until the anniversary month, but I had just finished a book and... Let's just say, OMG! It's soooo much better than the movie! And I'm soooo disappointed by what was not incorporated into the movie, too!
But if they ever remake JAWS, which they should never, never, never do... They seriously need to include some of the left-out plot details!
I will say, that I read White Shark last year and thought, "ok, this is good, but it's not amazing..." and was questioning if I should read JAWS. Well, if you've read any of Benchley's other books and you're not sure about JAWS, you should definitely read it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Alcohol, Animal death, and Gore
perthalus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Fashioning a mean grin like a knife, Jaws is a jagged toothed beast that carves through each page with ease. It perfectly balances character driven drama with its unforgivingly gory horror. Each page feels grimy and dirty with peak summer heat, so much so that you’d think you could smell the fish guts coming from the words. I can see why this is a classic, and why Spielberg chose to adapt it to screen, I would too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Vomit and Toxic relationship
Minor: Rape, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racism, and Sexual assault
bearystarry's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
I literally only finished this book so I could rate it because I hated it so much. The only interesting/good parts were the parts about the shark, everything else was a nightmarish mixture of racism, misogyny, homophobia, and weird rape fantasies. And also some copaganda and animal torture/cruelty for fun, I guess.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual violence, Body horror, Gore, Sexual content, Body shaming, Infidelity, Misogyny, Alcohol, Animal death, Classism, Cursing, Death, Racism, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Sexism, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Antisemitism, and Fatphobia
childofmongreldogs's review against another edition
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Wow, another book that's worse than the movie on multiple levels. I felt like I struck gold reading a cult classic (or maybe just classic?) horror with The Stepford Wives. I hoped to do the same here, but no. The movie was just a better overall piece of fiction than this book.
While I don't agree with the assessment that the majority of the book seems tied up in the town instead of the shark (or the fish, as is more commonly used in the book), there's a lot of distracting elements that are pretty much one and done and take up far too much space for what they are.
A brief overview of what I came into reading this book: giant shark terrorizes tourist town by the ocean that's in danger of completely dying off if the shark isn't taken care of. The sheriff, an ichthyologist, and a rough and tumble fisherman/shark killer for hire take on the shark. Subplots includeinfidelity and the mafia involvement.
I definitely disliked this book. It's hella dated all things considered. A lot of random throw-aways when it comes to calling people dykes, faggots, and weird ideas about women as well as some casual racism. I think this sort of stuff probably would fly in the 70s when this was written, but it's just cringey and uncomfortable now. Pretty much every time something like that happens, it's super unnecessary and seems to be humorous? Or tries to be anyways.
There's a line where one of the shop owners says that he "might start a race riot" because he has to choose between two new hires now because he can't justify two. When asked who he will pick, "the black one and thank god the white one isn't a Jew". Jesus fucking Christ.
The wife of the sheriff has around 50 pages where she's fucking the ichthyologist behind her husband's back and they have a lovely conversation where she says that all schoolgirl's have a secret dream of being prostitutes so they can have sex with as many men as possible and she has the very common desire to be raped but don't worry, it's not too crazy! She, and I quote, "some women have fantasies about being raped by black men, but I never have."
Did I mention that the guy she cuckholds her husband with was the baby brother of a guy she used to date and she's a decade older than him, obsessive about him (until she's done with him and realizes she loves her husband, actually, of course), and that she knew him when he was nine years old? Disgusting. I almost believe the author just hated women, considering she's the only woman who says more than a handful of lines and actually has some degree of character development who is a woman.
My main gripe here is that there's a lot in this book that is so totally unnecessary and, most importantly, detracts from the narrative and the tension being built up. This book has three parts. The first is really strong because it introduces the shark and the problems of the town. It introduces the main character and some of the themes that will continue to come up. It offers up a certain mystery and has quite a bit of action and suspense.
The second part is where this truly goes off the rails. It's where we see the adultery plotline which seems to only be around to make sure the readers really enjoythe moment that Hooper, the ichthyologist, is eaten by the shark. Otherwise it's pretty unnecessary and it's written in such a disgusting way. Pretty much all of it was gross on many levels. The mafia plotline justifies why certain characters acted the way they did, but it introduced an idea that essentially goes nowhere and has not much to the plot other than a reason for the sheriff to open up the beach very briefly. Even more so, it added a weirdly cruel animal death that, once again, was just so unnecessary. I get it that this book is gory as hell and you know it as soon as you step in, but it seemed so weird to include it.
The third part is where the plot actually kicks in again and there's character tension, suspense, and action as the three of them actually hunt the shark. I've heard some people say that the ending is a cliffhanger. Well, not really. The resolution of the actual plot is pretty much done. The only thing that's left out is the sheriff getting back home which is implied to be the case, I think. Plus, he already seemed to be nonplussed by the idea that his wife cuckholded him and the mafia plotline should be done with since the beach will reopen.
Were there any strengths here? I think the author is highly readable, definitely. The characters are highly unlikable but that seems to be the point. There was good characterization there and it made them very distinct. Yes, even Ellen, the Sheriff's wife. There was good culture clash as well and in a different book or written in a different way, it might have been interesting. The clash between the summer people and the locals is an interesting concept but it really isn't done much justice because the only vehicle for it was through Ellen. She was made so unsympathetic in every way, from being essentially a harpy, a hypocrite (anyone else want to scream when she said the sheriff didn't love her?), and a degenerate. The action was good, the initial suspense was good, and the overall plot was fine.
While I don't agree with the assessment that the majority of the book seems tied up in the town instead of the shark (or the fish, as is more commonly used in the book), there's a lot of distracting elements that are pretty much one and done and take up far too much space for what they are.
A brief overview of what I came into reading this book: giant shark terrorizes tourist town by the ocean that's in danger of completely dying off if the shark isn't taken care of. The sheriff, an ichthyologist, and a rough and tumble fisherman/shark killer for hire take on the shark. Subplots include
I definitely disliked this book. It's hella dated all things considered. A lot of random throw-aways when it comes to calling people dykes, faggots, and weird ideas about women as well as some casual racism. I think this sort of stuff probably would fly in the 70s when this was written, but it's just cringey and uncomfortable now. Pretty much every time something like that happens, it's super unnecessary and seems to be humorous? Or tries to be anyways.
There's a line where one of the shop owners says that he "might start a race riot" because he has to choose between two new hires now because he can't justify two. When asked who he will pick, "the black one and thank god the white one isn't a Jew". Jesus fucking Christ.
The wife of the sheriff has around 50 pages where she's fucking the ichthyologist behind her husband's back and they have a lovely conversation where she says that all schoolgirl's have a secret dream of being prostitutes so they can have sex with as many men as possible and she has the very common desire to be raped but don't worry, it's not too crazy! She, and I quote, "some women have fantasies about being raped by black men, but I never have."
Did I mention that the guy she cuckholds her husband with was the baby brother of a guy she used to date and she's a decade older than him, obsessive about him (until she's done with him and realizes she loves her husband, actually, of course), and that she knew him when he was nine years old? Disgusting. I almost believe the author just hated women, considering she's the only woman who says more than a handful of lines and actually has some degree of character development who is a woman.
My main gripe here is that there's a lot in this book that is so totally unnecessary and, most importantly, detracts from the narrative and the tension being built up. This book has three parts. The first is really strong because it introduces the shark and the problems of the town. It introduces the main character and some of the themes that will continue to come up. It offers up a certain mystery and has quite a bit of action and suspense.
The second part is where this truly goes off the rails. It's where we see the adultery plotline which seems to only be around to make sure the readers really enjoy
The third part is where the plot actually kicks in again and there's character tension, suspense, and action as the three of them actually hunt the shark. I've heard some people say that the ending is a cliffhanger. Well, not really. The resolution of the actual plot is pretty much done. The only thing that's left out is the sheriff getting back home which is implied to be the case, I think. Plus, he already seemed to be nonplussed by the idea that his wife cuckholded him and the mafia plotline should be done with since the beach will reopen.
Were there any strengths here? I think the author is highly readable, definitely. The characters are highly unlikable but that seems to be the point. There was good characterization there and it made them very distinct. Yes, even Ellen, the Sheriff's wife. There was good culture clash as well and in a different book or written in a different way, it might have been interesting. The clash between the summer people and the locals is an interesting concept but it really isn't done much justice because the only vehicle for it was through Ellen. She was made so unsympathetic in every way, from being essentially a harpy, a hypocrite (anyone else want to scream when she said the sheriff didn't love her?), and a degenerate. The action was good, the initial suspense was good, and the overall plot was fine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexism, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Child death, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Cursing, Drug use, Sexual content, Death, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Antisemitism, Blood, Racism, Classism, Fatphobia, Grief, and Homophobia
connorjdaley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Full disclosure for this one, the movie is my grandfather and father’s favorite movie, I grew up on it, so the movie and its plot line have a very nostalgic pull for me. We used to rent the same house in Lavallette, New Jersey every summer, and watching Jaws on the first night we arrived was always the tradition.
With that being said, the opening of the novel felt like a very straight forward and true adaptation. The shark descriptors and kills were perhaps more gruesome, but the general feel was the same. I was very into it at this point. It was around a quarter in or so, where the differences started to show themselves, where I started to pull away.
To me, it feels like the author said…’well, how do you make a novel about a shark interesting??? You could simply stay out of the water right?’ This is where I feel like the movie simply made them enter the ocean sooner to do away with that point. Instead, the author added strange somewhat mafia-fueled political intrigue. The author also includes a subplot including main characters and adultery, toxic masculinity, and a REAL weird conversation about rape fantasies…seriously wtf.
Part of me still really enjoyed the shark stuff and the nostalgic feels they brought with them. Although they don’t get on the boat until literally 75% through the story, I feel like the Orca, Quint, and the climax salvage the novel somewhat. Sharks are scary. Personally a 3/5* for me still, a very rare ‘the movie is better’ here.
With that being said, the opening of the novel felt like a very straight forward and true adaptation. The shark descriptors and kills were perhaps more gruesome, but the general feel was the same. I was very into it at this point. It was around a quarter in or so, where the differences started to show themselves, where I started to pull away.
To me, it feels like the author said…’well, how do you make a novel about a shark interesting??? You could simply stay out of the water right?’ This is where I feel like the movie simply made them enter the ocean sooner to do away with that point. Instead, the author added strange somewhat mafia-fueled political intrigue. The author also includes a subplot including main characters and adultery, toxic masculinity, and a REAL weird conversation about rape fantasies…seriously wtf.
Part of me still really enjoyed the shark stuff and the nostalgic feels they brought with them. Although they don’t get on the boat until literally 75% through the story, I feel like the Orca, Quint, and the climax salvage the novel somewhat. Sharks are scary. Personally a 3/5* for me still, a very rare ‘the movie is better’ here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Alcohol, Death, Murder, Rape, and Violence
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Child death, and Animal death
Moderate: Classism, Alcohol, and Bullying
lucys_library's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, and Racism
Minor: Stalking, Rape, and Violence
eileenmccoy's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, and Blood
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