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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
I'd seen the movie starring Robin Wright many many years ago. I really like her anyway, but the story itself was a lot of fun and I'd always looked forward to reading the book to see how it measured up. I wasn't disappointed in the least. I suppose reading about Moll's life pattern could get a bit tedious for some, but although a bit melodramatic, some people are like that in real life. As I said, this is just a fun story in whatever form.
challenging
funny
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Moll is simply an amazing scoundrel/heroine. Defoe must have transcribed conversations with a real person - no one could make this voice up.
One of my all time favorite books. Moll is simply too delightful and delicious to not fall in love with, and her adventures are fascinating to behold.
Slow paced and borderline boring. However, it is often considered the first English novel so it can be an interesting enough read if you remember to keep that in mind.
For every classic's lover who's willing to tackle it and a sad obligatory read for English literature students everywhere.
For every classic's lover who's willing to tackle it and a sad obligatory read for English literature students everywhere.
I just... I really couldn't stand this.
like many of the books i read for uni, it’s not very interesting on the first read. it was difficult to get through, slow at times, sometimes lacking a kind of depth of emotion, but i’m sure once i get properly into it i’ll like it more. beyond children, though, i’m not really sure where to take it. guess we’ll see next term.
adventurous
challenging
tense
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
This story must be judged by the standards of the time it was written. There wasn't a lot of competition for the reader's time, that is, if a person had the time and ability to read (or access to someone who could read to them, because illiteracy or poor eyesight were a factor even for the upper classes in Defoe's time), they didn't have shelves and shelves of fiction to choose from. Long meandering stories were the 17th/18th century's version of today's television series. In that context, Moll Flanders in a damn good story. It's a woman facing every kind of obstacle a female of that era could encounter, some of her own making, some brought on by society. She starts her life over more than once, not always in a better position than the life she left behind. The first person narrative is truer to form than a lot of more current, more well regarded books, and despite the archaic vocabulary, quite funny and easy to understand.
I listened to this book rather than read it for two reasons: 1) I knew I'd never finish it if I read it; 2) Defoe would have written this knowing it was likely to be read aloud, and so I thought it would be a more authentic experience. Virginia Leishman has a lovely voice that fit the story perfectly.
I listened to this book rather than read it for two reasons: 1) I knew I'd never finish it if I read it; 2) Defoe would have written this knowing it was likely to be read aloud, and so I thought it would be a more authentic experience. Virginia Leishman has a lovely voice that fit the story perfectly.
I slogged through this book for a month, alternating between interest and exasperation. I don't find Classics easy to begin with, and I never quite fell in love with Moll. This was written in the style of an autobiography, and her narration at time falls a little flat for me. Despite all the ups and downs she went through, I was never emotionally drawn to her. Which is a shame, because she's a really fascinating, if not quite lovable, woman. She's strong-willed, resilient, and manipulative. She has rather progressive ideas about women's position in a relationship, though we only really saw this once when she helped a friend punish/lure back a suitor. She gave birth to five children (or more, I lost track), but kept none of them. In her time as a criminal, she stole from children and people whose house was burning down. All in all, not a saint, but I couldn't really blame her given she was just trying to survive.
The book covered sixty years of her life, and there was adultery, crime, incest - all sort of scandalous things. There were moments in the book that woke me up - Moll, or rather DeFoe, relates a plot twist in a rather matter-of-fact manner that actually makes the twist more surprising. Nevertheless, I really struggled to maintain interest. Apart from the lack of connection with Moll, it might also be because I love dialogues, and 90% of the interaction in this book is told through reported speeches. There are some things I'd love to discuss about the story, but mostly I'm just glad I got it over and done with.
The book covered sixty years of her life, and there was adultery, crime, incest - all sort of scandalous things. There were moments in the book that woke me up - Moll, or rather DeFoe, relates a plot twist in a rather matter-of-fact manner that actually makes the twist more surprising. Nevertheless, I really struggled to maintain interest. Apart from the lack of connection with Moll, it might also be because I love dialogues, and 90% of the interaction in this book is told through reported speeches. There are some things I'd love to discuss about the story, but mostly I'm just glad I got it over and done with.