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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
Huom (itselleni), luin tästä 2 osaa kirjallisuushistorian kurssia varten. Ei siis kokonaan luettu, vaan puolet
Gulliver's Travels was my slowest read this year by a large margin. I spent much more time thinking about and bemoaning continuation than I did traveling with Gulliver and his tedium. The driest most bleak sections, roughly the entire novel up until his last adventure, contained still-relevant satire but were difficult to appreciate. I regretted not having read this book in English class years ago, or at least purchasing a copy with footnotes.
Upon introducing the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos in Gulliver's last adventure, the story transforms from boring yet historically significant to excellent. The satire becomes more thinly veiled which nicely accompanies the powerful themes saved for part IV. One could argue that perhaps the entire book is great and I was just too stupid to fully engage the early chapters but it's really the last part and the final chapter that stopped me from burning it out of sheer frustration.
Upon introducing the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos in Gulliver's last adventure, the story transforms from boring yet historically significant to excellent. The satire becomes more thinly veiled which nicely accompanies the powerful themes saved for part IV. One could argue that perhaps the entire book is great and I was just too stupid to fully engage the early chapters but it's really the last part and the final chapter that stopped me from burning it out of sheer frustration.
2.5
I mean it's problematic. Swift is a horrible problematic know-it-all of a man. But if you can get beyond the insufferable academically superior undertones, it is a very fun satire. Gullible is so unlikeable it's almost hard to read at times - the Lilliputian section was impossible for me because there was not a likable character in sight! But then you get to the Brobdignagian section and it is really pretty lovely. The little nurse is a sweet addition, the King is wise and curious and makes me laugh with his inability to be fully polite once he learns of Gulliver's ideology. The scene with the monkey is a bit disturbing and it's awful to hear Swift (through Gulliver) talk about women's bodies... but other than that, part II was a lovely read. The rest of it lost me a bit, as Gulliver became more cynical, and the section with the horses is just downright them-shit.
I mean it's problematic. Swift is a horrible problematic know-it-all of a man. But if you can get beyond the insufferable academically superior undertones, it is a very fun satire. Gullible is so unlikeable it's almost hard to read at times - the Lilliputian section was impossible for me because there was not a likable character in sight! But then you get to the Brobdignagian section and it is really pretty lovely. The little nurse is a sweet addition, the King is wise and curious and makes me laugh with his inability to be fully polite once he learns of Gulliver's ideology. The scene with the monkey is a bit disturbing and it's awful to hear Swift (through Gulliver) talk about women's bodies... but other than that, part II was a lovely read. The rest of it lost me a bit, as Gulliver became more cynical, and the section with the horses is just downright them-shit.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
AITA for leaving my husband who thinks he's a horse???
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
What? I gave it to chapter 3 and then decided to abandon. What a dull and tedious book. I'm not sure why this book gained such notoriety outside of the unusual story line - of a grown man in a "smurf" world. When I gave up in chapter 3 I skimmed ahead and quickly saw that the whole of the book was just as dull as what I was reading. Oh my.
Swift gives the reader details that one could care less about. And he is so wordy, and they aren't very interesting words so that makes it even more tedious to get through. Wow. So boring. I'm moving on to more interesting reads.
Swift gives the reader details that one could care less about. And he is so wordy, and they aren't very interesting words so that makes it even more tedious to get through. Wow. So boring. I'm moving on to more interesting reads.
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A