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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
This one is definitely an investment of time, and there's a lot to say about it, so I'll probably forgot some things on my first attempt to jot down my thoughts. If I think of more, I'll come back and edit. Let's split this up into the good parts and the bad parts.
The good:
-It's very funny. It's not laugh-out-loud funny most of the time (though it may have been to 17th century readers), but much of the book was both amusing and entertaining. I looked forward to picking it up again.
-It ends up being quite sweet, especially as you find that both Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are quite wise and level-headed about everything unrelated to chivalry. They have a caring relationship for one another even when they bicker.
-There's a good combination of dramatic irony (where the reader knows what's going on but the characters don't) and suspense or surprise (where the reader doesn't know what's actually going on until later). And just in general, it's hard to predict what is going to happen next. The most notorious adventure of Don Quixote, that with the windmills, happens in the first 10 chapters of the 70+ chapters that make up the book.
-There's a lot of sly commentary about writing, publishing, plagiarism, and translating, as Cervantes claims to be translating from another writer's history of Don Quixote, and then later on claims to be only recording what another person translated from the original writer.
-One of the characters early on, Marcela, delivers a badass defense of her supposed friendzoning of one of the other characters. They're all sitting around bemoaning the fact that he died due to her rejection of him and calling her cruel, and she shows up and is like, "It's not my fault that he loved me. I have zero obligation to return the affections of everyone who loves me, and plus if I did, you'd all say I was promiscuous, so bug off."
The bad:
-There are quite a few inconsistencies, some of which were apparently introduced intentionally (in the Second Part, the characters talk about some of the problems with the First Part of the narrative), but some of which were just confusing. The whole narrative thread about Dulcinea del Toboso hinges on the fact that Don Quixote has never met her and made her up, but it's mentioned twice near the beginning that she's actually a farm girl Don Quixote once had a crush on whom he renamed when he took on his own new name. If you remember that, then much of what comes at the end of the book makes zero sense.
-The whole part with the Duke and the Duchess was WAY too long. I get that we're supposed to like them at first for humoring Don Quixote and then despise them for how they take advantage of his madness, but it just went on and on and on longer than it needed to.
-Parts of the book started to feel repetitive to me in the Second Part, like Cervantes was just reusing the same narratives over again in a slightly different form. I was ready to scream if the "he promised to marry me so I let him sleep with me and I got pregnant and now he won't marry me" plot was used one more time. Also, some parts just seemed pointless, like the sister and brother who snuck out in each other's clothes. Sancho was all, "I want the brother to marry my daughter" and then we literally never hear about it again.
Ultimately I'd come down on the side of it being worth a read, though it's certainly not one of the best books I've ever read. I quite enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Roy McMillan and would recommend it if you have 36 hours to spare!
The good:
-It's very funny. It's not laugh-out-loud funny most of the time (though it may have been to 17th century readers), but much of the book was both amusing and entertaining. I looked forward to picking it up again.
-It ends up being quite sweet, especially as you find that both Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are quite wise and level-headed about everything unrelated to chivalry. They have a caring relationship for one another even when they bicker.
-There's a good combination of dramatic irony (where the reader knows what's going on but the characters don't) and suspense or surprise (where the reader doesn't know what's actually going on until later). And just in general, it's hard to predict what is going to happen next. The most notorious adventure of Don Quixote, that with the windmills, happens in the first 10 chapters of the 70+ chapters that make up the book.
-There's a lot of sly commentary about writing, publishing, plagiarism, and translating, as Cervantes claims to be translating from another writer's history of Don Quixote, and then later on claims to be only recording what another person translated from the original writer.
-One of the characters early on, Marcela, delivers a badass defense of her supposed friendzoning of one of the other characters. They're all sitting around bemoaning the fact that he died due to her rejection of him and calling her cruel, and she shows up and is like, "It's not my fault that he loved me. I have zero obligation to return the affections of everyone who loves me, and plus if I did, you'd all say I was promiscuous, so bug off."
The bad:
-There are quite a few inconsistencies, some of which were apparently introduced intentionally (in the Second Part, the characters talk about some of the problems with the First Part of the narrative), but some of which were just confusing. The whole narrative thread about Dulcinea del Toboso hinges on the fact that Don Quixote has never met her and made her up, but it's mentioned twice near the beginning that she's actually a farm girl Don Quixote once had a crush on whom he renamed when he took on his own new name. If you remember that, then much of what comes at the end of the book makes zero sense.
-The whole part with the Duke and the Duchess was WAY too long. I get that we're supposed to like them at first for humoring Don Quixote and then despise them for how they take advantage of his madness, but it just went on and on and on longer than it needed to.
-Parts of the book started to feel repetitive to me in the Second Part, like Cervantes was just reusing the same narratives over again in a slightly different form. I was ready to scream if the "he promised to marry me so I let him sleep with me and I got pregnant and now he won't marry me" plot was used one more time. Also, some parts just seemed pointless, like the sister and brother who snuck out in each other's clothes. Sancho was all, "I want the brother to marry my daughter" and then we literally never hear about it again.
Ultimately I'd come down on the side of it being worth a read, though it's certainly not one of the best books I've ever read. I quite enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Roy McMillan and would recommend it if you have 36 hours to spare!
slow-paced
It took me over a year to finish....That sort of tells you that although there were some good parts as a whole it did not make me have to read it
adventurous
challenging
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Uma história excelente, uma aventura boa de ler.
O problema é o tipo de escrita, difícil de ler e de entender
O problema é o tipo de escrita, difícil de ler e de entender
Well it took me several months to finish but I got it done.
Mainly it took me so long to finish because I had what I’ve heard is one of the worst translations. The other reason is because it is extremely repetitive. It’s basically like reading the same joke over and over again.
The closest thing I could compare it to is a sitcom because Don Quixote and Sancho remain pretty static while they face episodic misadventures. Don’t get me wrong it is a funny routine, but it didn’t really compel me to keep reading. I think if you start this novel and are really amused from the initial chapters you’ll love it, but if the first couple chapters don’t particularly grab you, the rest won’t either.
For me the highlight was Sancho’s earthly wisdom and humor. I loved his misstatements and the myriad of sayings and phrases he employs. I also loved how deliciously petty the second volume is. Which is a reminder that this book’s humor has stood the test of time. It’s not just funny for stuffy classics readers, it will bring mirth to a huge variety of readers.
Also, the satirization of the chivalric romances of the time is well executed and doesn’t necessitate much prior knowledge of the genre. What Cervantes says about the genre could apply to any work that values melodrama and flash over substance.
Overall a humorous classic that quickly overstayed its welcome for me. I would recommend giving it a shot though because if you appreciate the beginning you’ll enjoy the rest.
Mainly it took me so long to finish because I had what I’ve heard is one of the worst translations. The other reason is because it is extremely repetitive. It’s basically like reading the same joke over and over again.
The closest thing I could compare it to is a sitcom because Don Quixote and Sancho remain pretty static while they face episodic misadventures. Don’t get me wrong it is a funny routine, but it didn’t really compel me to keep reading. I think if you start this novel and are really amused from the initial chapters you’ll love it, but if the first couple chapters don’t particularly grab you, the rest won’t either.
For me the highlight was Sancho’s earthly wisdom and humor. I loved his misstatements and the myriad of sayings and phrases he employs. I also loved how deliciously petty the second volume is. Which is a reminder that this book’s humor has stood the test of time. It’s not just funny for stuffy classics readers, it will bring mirth to a huge variety of readers.
Also, the satirization of the chivalric romances of the time is well executed and doesn’t necessitate much prior knowledge of the genre. What Cervantes says about the genre could apply to any work that values melodrama and flash over substance.
Overall a humorous classic that quickly overstayed its welcome for me. I would recommend giving it a shot though because if you appreciate the beginning you’ll enjoy the rest.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So much rambling! I just couldn't pay attention to it.