3.28k reviews for:

Candide

Voltaire

3.56 AVERAGE

adventurous challenging funny informative reflective sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Not going to lie, the first half was entertaining to follow along with but it loses me really fast in most parts. I have not finished it and its probably one of the shortest books I've bought and attempted to read, which says a lot. I understand it has deeper connotations with Voltaire's world view being interweaved within the story, but I stopped being interested. I might want to read one of his essays instead.

Didn't enjoy this book. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

I'm all for criticizing false optimism, but this book is both dated and heavyhanded. Maybe Voltaire was revolutionary at the time, but all the jabs he makes at his contemporaries do come off as rather petty. I think the allegorical storytelling worked well in the beginning, but after a couple chapters, the story does start to feel rather thin.

Anyway, the only thing to really take away from this story is, "We must cultivate our garden."
adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

Review to come.
adventurous funny informative lighthearted fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It was a fun ride that satirically addresses European History of the time. Not sure if I'd read it again. It was really enjoyable and amusing.

5/5!!
adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Given its publication year, I was quite surprised at just how laugh-out-loud funny this book was. That being said—and maybe this is just a factor of me knowing a lot about the book without having read it before—I don't feel like I'm taking away a lot from Candide, the book was less though-provoking than I thought it would be.