Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
I really don't see why this is considered a classic. Full of anti-Semitism, racism, sexism and classism. it's also pretty dull.
Scottish novelist [a:John Buchan|3073|John Buchan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1551287596p2/3073.jpg]'s 1915 classic, set just before the outbreak of World War One, and where the protagonist Richard Hannay finds himself involved in - and suspected of - a murder of a spy.
Whilst I was aware of this, and that it had been made into films, it's also a novel I'd actually never read before. I didn't even know that Buchan was Scottish - I've only recently found that out - but it is clear to see his love of the country in this, and in how he describes Hannay's game of Cat and Mouse over the Highlands,
Whilst I was aware of this, and that it had been made into films, it's also a novel I'd actually never read before. I didn't even know that Buchan was Scottish - I've only recently found that out - but it is clear to see his love of the country in this, and in how he describes Hannay's game of Cat and Mouse over the Highlands,
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
I am currently working my way through the list of [b:1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die|452208|1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die|Peter Boxall|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320483996s/452208.jpg|814053] and decided to read Buchan's short mystery/spy novel because it seemed like a quick and easy option to take me a step closer to maybe one day completing the list. I never imagined it would be such a painfully boring slog.
Some books made the big list because they are actually good, some because they are (or were) scandalous, some because they are so far away from pretty much everything else that's been written, and some because they kick-started something or opened up a new type of genre and/or storytelling. I believe [b:The Thirty-Nine Steps|147114|The Thirty-Nine Steps|John Buchan|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328011493s/147114.jpg|2422487] falls into this last category. It arguably introduced the world to the "spy" genre and has resulted in many attempted imitations over the years since its publication in 1915. But in terms of plot, writing and characters it just seems to me to have very little to offer. It may be one of the first of its kind, but many other authors have bettered the genre, in my opinion. I would use [a:John le Carré|1411964|John le Carré|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1234571122p2/1411964.jpg] as a prime example.
The novel begins with the bored Richard Hannay who is determined to give London just one more day to hold his interest before he leaves for a more exciting alternative abroad. Richard, however, gets way more than he bargained for when a new American acquaintance is murdered in Hannay's flat just a few days after the pair meet. Realising he is now likely the main target of the group who assassinated his new friend, and realising he will be the police force's main suspect for the murder, Richard takes off on the run around Scotland.
Richard is given very little characterization or development, he has no personality and the novel focuses on what happens to him, instead of who he is, why he acts in a particular way, or what he cares about - apart from the desire to avoid capture by the police or the assassins. Though he is being chased by two groups who either want to kill him or lock him up, I got no sense of his fear, desperation or urgency. The novel lacked emotion and I felt like I could be reading a cold, uncaring police report of events, rather than a first-hand account of them. This whole mess seemed like a little inconvenience in Richard Hannay's life, not something that was a real danger to him.
Most of all, it was boring. The conclusion wasn't satisfying enough to be worth putting up with the sequence of boring events for. I think this review says a lot about the novel's plot: "He runs around in the fields. A lot. He hides in this field. He hides in that field. Some shadowy figures close in, and off he goes, running again." An excellent and accurate summary, in my opinion.
Some books made the big list because they are actually good, some because they are (or were) scandalous, some because they are so far away from pretty much everything else that's been written, and some because they kick-started something or opened up a new type of genre and/or storytelling. I believe [b:The Thirty-Nine Steps|147114|The Thirty-Nine Steps|John Buchan|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328011493s/147114.jpg|2422487] falls into this last category. It arguably introduced the world to the "spy" genre and has resulted in many attempted imitations over the years since its publication in 1915. But in terms of plot, writing and characters it just seems to me to have very little to offer. It may be one of the first of its kind, but many other authors have bettered the genre, in my opinion. I would use [a:John le Carré|1411964|John le Carré|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1234571122p2/1411964.jpg] as a prime example.
The novel begins with the bored Richard Hannay who is determined to give London just one more day to hold his interest before he leaves for a more exciting alternative abroad. Richard, however, gets way more than he bargained for when a new American acquaintance is murdered in Hannay's flat just a few days after the pair meet. Realising he is now likely the main target of the group who assassinated his new friend, and realising he will be the police force's main suspect for the murder, Richard takes off on the run around Scotland.
Richard is given very little characterization or development, he has no personality and the novel focuses on what happens to him, instead of who he is, why he acts in a particular way, or what he cares about - apart from the desire to avoid capture by the police or the assassins. Though he is being chased by two groups who either want to kill him or lock him up, I got no sense of his fear, desperation or urgency. The novel lacked emotion and I felt like I could be reading a cold, uncaring police report of events, rather than a first-hand account of them. This whole mess seemed like a little inconvenience in Richard Hannay's life, not something that was a real danger to him.
Most of all, it was boring. The conclusion wasn't satisfying enough to be worth putting up with the sequence of boring events for. I think this review says a lot about the novel's plot: "He runs around in the fields. A lot. He hides in this field. He hides in that field. Some shadowy figures close in, and off he goes, running again." An excellent and accurate summary, in my opinion.
Close to the birth of the spy genre. Doesn't really stand up to modern lit, but fun as a quick read.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced