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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I remember reading this in the cool basement of our house on Glidden Road during a hot summer. I probably read other books in the series, but I'm not certain. At the age of twelve I had no idea that I would one day reside for a time on a street where Johnny Weissmuller once lived.
I was enjoying Tarzan for about the first half of the story. The overt racism of the first few chapters was put aside and I was able to ignore it. But as Jane is introduced with her black maid Esmerelda, it just became unbearable. Every description of Jane mentions that she is white.
I realise I'm looking with modern eyes, but it is just too hard.
Managed it with Lovecraft, but his writing was so much better and his ideas were "bigger".
I realise I'm looking with modern eyes, but it is just too hard.
Managed it with Lovecraft, but his writing was so much better and his ideas were "bigger".
I decided to read this because we are going to be Tarzan characters for Halloween. I decided I should probably read the book beforehand instead of only having the Disney movie as my reference.
I actually really enjoyed it! I was super bummed by the ending though. It didn't have my happily ever after that the Disney version had. But Disney did do pretty well of keeping a lot of things similar to the book with this one.
I actually really enjoyed it! I was super bummed by the ending though. It didn't have my happily ever after that the Disney version had. But Disney did do pretty well of keeping a lot of things similar to the book with this one.
Tarzan was such an odd story to actually read after only watching the Disney version as a kid. The story itself is enjoyable, but I read it for a class on morality at the end of modernity and let me tell you the racial undertones in this book are...pretty obvious. Especially when Tarzan is contrasted with the dark skin natives on the island.
4 stars.
I really enjoyed most of this book. The ending kind of ticked me off but at the same time I'm interested in reading more of this classic series.
While reading I got attached to these characters. Alice and John Clayton, Tarzan, the beloved Kala, and so many others.
It was cool seeing Tarzan come across the cabin and learn how to read and write English over the years. However it was kind of creepy that he left the skeletons of his parents and Kala's dead baby in the cabin with him. At the same time I understand that he had no concept of what to do with them anyway so what else was he supposed to do.
I seriously didn't like Jane's father, not because of how he treated her, which was fine, but because he kept saying 'Tut, tut.' It was driving me bonkers. There is one chapter where it's there maybe 20 times. Didn't count it but that's what it felt like.
Spoilers for the ending...
However I also don't believe the love story between Tarzan and Jane. Basically he saved her (and the party she's with) a couple times in the jungle. During one particular time she alone is saved and Tarzan feeds her fruits and she instantly think she's in love with him.
Hopefully I'll like more of their story in later books.
Overall I'm really happy I read this, it was a fun adventure story of survival and I look forward to revisiting this world again soon.
I really enjoyed most of this book. The ending kind of ticked me off but at the same time I'm interested in reading more of this classic series.
While reading I got attached to these characters. Alice and John Clayton, Tarzan, the beloved Kala, and so many others.
It was cool seeing Tarzan come across the cabin and learn how to read and write English over the years. However it was kind of creepy that he left the skeletons of his parents and Kala's dead baby in the cabin with him. At the same time I understand that he had no concept of what to do with them anyway so what else was he supposed to do.
I seriously didn't like Jane's father, not because of how he treated her, which was fine, but because he kept saying 'Tut, tut.' It was driving me bonkers. There is one chapter where it's there maybe 20 times. Didn't count it but that's what it felt like.
Spoilers for the ending...
Spoiler
I liked Jane alright, she wasn't amazing but she was a decent character. But I'm after finishing the book I'm annoyed at Jane. Cecil Clayton asks her to marry him, now that she's free from marriage to Canler, free because Tarzan made that possible, and she says she'll marry Cecil. And this is after she's told Tarzan that she loves him and has thought it many times.However I also don't believe the love story between Tarzan and Jane. Basically he saved her (and the party she's with) a couple times in the jungle. During one particular time she alone is saved and Tarzan feeds her fruits and she instantly think she's in love with him.
Hopefully I'll like more of their story in later books.
Overall I'm really happy I read this, it was a fun adventure story of survival and I look forward to revisiting this world again soon.
I really loved Tarzan of the Apes. It was such an enjoyable read from start to finish and I never grew bored or tired of it. I do have one major gripe with the book though and this is why I have lowered my rating to four stars when throughout the reading, my heart was set on five. Basically, the book starts in the first person from this unnamed narrator who just vanishes after the fifth paragraph so that the actual story of Tarzan can take place. Well, the book ends abruptly. I was really expecting the narrator to come back and give a proper conclusion of what happened to Tarzan at the end of the book but nope. There is no synopsis at the end and the narrator never comes back to explain anything. You just get this very abrupt ending that feels extremely lacking and quite disappointing.
I’ll definitely be reading this book many times in the future and perhaps one day I’ll cherish it enough to give it the five stars it probably deserves.
I’ll definitely be reading this book many times in the future and perhaps one day I’ll cherish it enough to give it the five stars it probably deserves.
Classico esempio di "pulp fiction": struttura narrativa estremamente semplice, quasi meccanica nella sua prevedibilità; personaggi tagliati con l’accetta; nessuna attenzione al "politically correct" (e questo è forse l'unico lato positivo).
Un esempio lampante di letteratura "seriale" più che commerciale (Burroughs ne ha scritti altri ventisei solo su Tarzan). Sono libri che non invecchiano bene, in genere, e questo non fa eccezione.
Un esempio lampante di letteratura "seriale" più che commerciale (Burroughs ne ha scritti altri ventisei solo su Tarzan). Sono libri che non invecchiano bene, in genere, e questo non fa eccezione.
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
Having always loved the Disney movies and a few years ago "the Legend of Tarzan" I decided it was time for me to read the original books it was all based on, and wasn't disappointed.
The way Tarzan is described you can believe he could actually survive in the jungle, and it answered some of the questions I always had, about how he could communicate with the humans even though he was raised by the animals of the jungle.
The only thing which was a bit of a hurdle was the language use. I have read Sherlock Holmes with no problem, but although this book was written later than the Sherlock Holmes stories, it uses much more old fashioned English. This was at some point slightly confusing.
The cliffhanger at the end of the book had me exited for the next story, and I'll quickly start on the next book.
The way Tarzan is described you can believe he could actually survive in the jungle, and it answered some of the questions I always had, about how he could communicate with the humans even though he was raised by the animals of the jungle.
The only thing which was a bit of a hurdle was the language use. I have read Sherlock Holmes with no problem, but although this book was written later than the Sherlock Holmes stories, it uses much more old fashioned English. This was at some point slightly confusing.
The cliffhanger at the end of the book had me exited for the next story, and I'll quickly start on the next book.
Great classic. The book is framed and is caged within the thinking of its time and therefore flawed and prejudiced. Overall great story with an ending I could not have predicted.