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2.84 AVERAGE
2.84 AVERAGE
It's Tristan and Isolde meets 17th Century Caribbean slave trade Roots.
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"No, I would not kill my self, even after a whipping, but be content to live with that infamy, and be pointed at by every grinning slave, till I have compleated my revenge; and then you shall see, that Oroonoko scorns to live with the indignity that was put on Caesar."
-Oroonoko, Aphra Behn
Surprisingly, I actually really liked this. Aside from the stuff that was...very understandably Way Racist Even For It's Time, this story was a fantastic 18th century Greek tragedy about a man who had only known suffering, and his gradual descent into rage and suicidal ideation.
I'm not surprised if it inspired a lot of modernist Black authors (i.e. Ralph Ellison) to write stories of Black alienation and suicidal rage like Invisible Man, and yet that same fierceness, that same "wanting to die but willing to live for spite until the ultimate day of revenge comes" is very present in a lot of modernist movement Black authors like Ellison. Perhaps that what drew me to it when most others did not like this book.
-Oroonoko, Aphra Behn
Surprisingly, I actually really liked this. Aside from the stuff that was...very understandably Way Racist Even For It's Time, this story was a fantastic 18th century Greek tragedy about a man who had only known suffering, and his gradual descent into rage and suicidal ideation.
I'm not surprised if it inspired a lot of modernist Black authors (i.e. Ralph Ellison) to write stories of Black alienation and suicidal rage like Invisible Man, and yet that same fierceness, that same "wanting to die but willing to live for spite until the ultimate day of revenge comes" is very present in a lot of modernist movement Black authors like Ellison. Perhaps that what drew me to it when most others did not like this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
This book was very boring with some minor thought-provoking events. Definitely a classic.
reading this for a second time but with ✨secondary text knowledge ✨
Regardless of issues of racism and whatnot, this was a tiresome read.
[1.5/5] i had to read this book for college and it was just a time waist. it was not the most horrible book i had to read but almost. the story is important, i know it, it as different important messages that i understood (don’t worry) but god, i hated the way it was written. i thought that i was never going to finish it.
This book was horrible for so many reasons. The writing itself wasn’t bad but the story, themes, and atrocities that occur are absolutely horrible. I had to read this for one of my British Literature classes and I honestly hope that I never have to read it again. I really hope that Aphra Behn was just making up stuff or at least fictionalized most of and that this isn’t a true story because if it is then some people in humanity are even worse than I thought they could be.
Why did the feminists of the 90s dig this up?
Why did the feminists of the 90s dig this up?
Very very blood thirsty at the end. And I don't know how I feel about any of the characters. But a good read.