Scan barcode
jordibal's review against another edition
4.0
Siempre es interesante leer obras antiguas de cifi, sobre todo si siguen vigentes. Se trata de una novela (novela en sentido laxo) con un evidente tono de humor y que ha envejecido bastante bien: un poco caótico el desarrollo capítulo a capítulo, pero el todo acaba siendo coherente. En este caso, un checo en 1936 tenía bastantes cosas que decir de, qué sé yo, los alemanes y los italianos de la época, pero también de otras potencias coloniales, como Francia, Gran Bretaña o Japón (Estados Unidos tampoco se salva). Sí, el colonialismo, el fascismo y el capitalismo son muy relevantes en este libro, que presenta interesantes reflexiones (geo)políticas, económicas, bélicas, religiosas, climáticas, biológicas, etc.
La traducción de Ana Falbrová es de 1969 y, aunque se le notan los años, es perfectamente válida.
La traducción de Ana Falbrová es de 1969 y, aunque se le notan los años, es perfectamente válida.
jonfaith's review against another edition
5.0
Besides, people never regard anything that serves and benefits them as mysterious; only the things which damage or threaten them are mysterious.
This beautiful novel is equally witty and disturbing. It is a mirror to our own horror. I was pushed this to read this as my best friend Joel is going to deliver a paper on it and climate change in Malta later this year. Initially I had assumed I had read 25 years ago, but that wasn't the case. Čapek crafted a novel in pastiche, a collection of diaries, scientific reports and journalistic accounts. It all has a World War Z effect though without polish. There's a delightful satire as a world already poised for self-destruction attempts righteous rationale. Lynching and anti-Semitism linger in the corners of the foreground. Militarism and corruption abound as the apex of civilization. The dark conclusion does lead to a certain level of inquiry.
This beautiful novel is equally witty and disturbing. It is a mirror to our own horror. I was pushed this to read this as my best friend Joel is going to deliver a paper on it and climate change in Malta later this year. Initially I had assumed I had read 25 years ago, but that wasn't the case. Čapek crafted a novel in pastiche, a collection of diaries, scientific reports and journalistic accounts. It all has a World War Z effect though without polish. There's a delightful satire as a world already poised for self-destruction attempts righteous rationale. Lynching and anti-Semitism linger in the corners of the foreground. Militarism and corruption abound as the apex of civilization. The dark conclusion does lead to a certain level of inquiry.
apteryx_borealis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
kendelllwendell's review against another edition
5.0
This book is so genuinely, delightfully WEIRD and the reading experience was often overwhelming, but oh my god it was all worth it -- a prescient picture of the world (past and future) as a chess game:
"It suddenly struck me that every move in chess was old and had already been played by someone. Perhaps our history has already been played too, and we shift our figures with the same moves to the same checks as in times long past" (188-9).
There's so much to this book, and im honestly still processing it all.
"It suddenly struck me that every move in chess was old and had already been played by someone. Perhaps our history has already been played too, and we shift our figures with the same moves to the same checks as in times long past" (188-9).
There's so much to this book, and im honestly still processing it all.
brokensandals's review against another edition
3.0
If we discovered a new intelligent but powerless species capable of doing lots of valuable work, what would our society do? The same thing we do with animals, the environment, and each other: exploit them in cruel, hypocritical, and ultimately shortsighted ways. Čapek wraps this cynical perspective in a fairly witty package, though it feels a bit repetitive at times.
(crosspost)
(crosspost)
cgdppl's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
By all its means it is a great satire. "War with the Newts" attempts to poke at a wide range of topics from slave trade, through capitalism and imperialism ending, to fascism. The introduction of the Newts as the main driving force of it all makes the story more universal and still relevant almost a century later.
Additionally the wide range of writing styles presented in the book show the impressive range of the author.
By all means it is a great read.
Additionally the wide range of writing styles presented in the book show the impressive range of the author.
By all means it is a great read.
veexene's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
april_does_feral_sometimes's review against another edition
5.0
‘War with the Newts’ by Karel Čapek is officially my number one favorite social-political novel of all times! This is a wonderful fantastic hilarious spot-on satirical takedown of everything in human “civilization” that has ever been done in the real world! I’m guffawing and snorting and laughing myself sick! I am simultaneously sick at heart, drowning in tears of sorrow, fearful for our future. Clearly people never change. Insert
isgray's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
5.0