Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
I was reminded by my update feed that I finished this book over a month ago without putting in a review.
How does one review a classic written almost 200 years ago? Not only does everyone already know the story, but the writing style of the time was completely different.
First of all, the surprise for me as I read the book was just how wrong I was in my "knowledge" of the story. For example, he spends almost 20 years, nearly three-fourths of the book, alone on the island before ever meeting "Friday." His adventures run the gamut from the mundane scavenging for food to the exciting encounters with cannibals. There is much more to the tale both before and after his time on the island than I ever realized. I could see how some of the details could be boring to many modern readers, but I found it fascinating.
As to the writing style, it does get a little tiresome. There is a lot of repetition, and there were many times I found myself wishing he'd just get on with it. It almost felt as though it were published serially, with each part designed to taunt the readers about future events to keep them hooked. I suppose people could object to some of the language and attitudes regarding the natives of the islands, but Crusoe's own enlightenment on the subject is one of the main ideas of the book.
Overall, I found it a very enjoyable read, but also one I wasn't eager to recommend to others. I really enjoyed fantasizing myself in his situation and wondering how I would fare, so it definitely captured my imagination. However, I could easily see how the same text could seem dreadfully uneventful for modern readers.
How does one review a classic written almost 200 years ago? Not only does everyone already know the story, but the writing style of the time was completely different.
First of all, the surprise for me as I read the book was just how wrong I was in my "knowledge" of the story. For example, he spends almost 20 years, nearly three-fourths of the book, alone on the island before ever meeting "Friday." His adventures run the gamut from the mundane scavenging for food to the exciting encounters with cannibals. There is much more to the tale both before and after his time on the island than I ever realized. I could see how some of the details could be boring to many modern readers, but I found it fascinating.
As to the writing style, it does get a little tiresome. There is a lot of repetition, and there were many times I found myself wishing he'd just get on with it. It almost felt as though it were published serially, with each part designed to taunt the readers about future events to keep them hooked. I suppose people could object to some of the language and attitudes regarding the natives of the islands, but Crusoe's own enlightenment on the subject is one of the main ideas of the book.
Overall, I found it a very enjoyable read, but also one I wasn't eager to recommend to others. I really enjoyed fantasizing myself in his situation and wondering how I would fare, so it definitely captured my imagination. However, I could easily see how the same text could seem dreadfully uneventful for modern readers.
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Just not my type of book. I stopped reading it after the protagonist exhibits gross disregard for wildlife. I get that it’s an adventure novel steeped in history, but it’s too outdated for me to glean anything significant out of it - not even pleasure.
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Il s'agit d'un récit colonial où un colon britannique s'accapare une île, sa nature, ses habitants et prend un autochtone comme esclave, l'objectifiant en l'appelant Vendredi et lui enseignant comment l'appeler Maître. C'était la pensée dominante de l'époque.
I enjoyed this book, definitely of it's time in terms of attitude but good nonetheless
Really just a great story. Defoe's great adventure story of a young sailor doomed to shipwreck and live on a deserted island has been kicking around for the last two hundred years and for good reason. The indefatigable Crusoe is the archetype of the castaway survivor-man and the inspiration for countless other realist classics. I love this kind of stuff and that most people have at least some dim awareness of this famous novel's protagonist is probably the strongest argument for its continued print runs and for actually reading it.
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated