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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I finally read Robinson Crusoe, which may be the first ever English-language novel. That alone is impressive, so the uneveness of the pacing is forgivable. Crusoe is quite the daredevil, for, no matter how many times he is shipwrecked, he keeps getting back on a boat. This book is so interesting as a sort of time capsule of English thought in the late 1600s. It gets much more philosophical than I expected, particularly on the subject of God, but I really enjoyed those parts. The ending teased about a sequel; I wonder what ever came of that.
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This guy thinks he was punished for being on a boat too much, but it was probably all the slavery
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Why did I wait so long to read Daniel Defoe's classic "Robinson Crusoe?" The book, which follows the story of Crusoe who is marooned on a tropical island for decades is well-paced and thoroughly engrossing. Not only does Defoe detail what it takes to survive on a lonely island, he includes plenty of musing about religion and the craving for companionship and "stuff." There is a reason this book is considered a classic.
I was hoping this book would be better than the disappointing Swiss Family Robinson.... not so. Of course the story was written in an old style, which I can get used to. However, despite all the potential for excitement and "edge of your seat" moments, the story was told in such a detached manner that all the suspense was lost and it was often a struggle to maintain interest. The last 20 pages were probably the best where he seemed to finally be able to draw me in A LITTLE.
This is the story of the original survivor, Robinson Crusoe, but it's so much more as the castaway adventure involves a bit less than the first half of the book even though it involves 27 years. Defoe wrote this with such detail that Rob Crusoe is vividly brought to life with all of his strengths and faults (to our changed 21st century world). I did not admire the prose, but I was caught up in Crusoe's story and how Defoe made Crusoe believable. Needless to say a lot has changed from the late 1600s such as we no longer have slavery (no problem for Crusoe unless he himself was the slave - it happened), the Spanish Inquisition, or the opium trade as legal options. I also cringed when finally after over 20 years, Crusoe rescues a native (South American) from other cannibal natives and teaches him that his (Crusoe's) name is Master. Crusoe also has no problem claiming almost everything he touches as his. So why did I like this so much? Most of the novel is about Crusoe's adventures. Perhaps Crusoe was unlucky, but this novel really describes how hazardous sea travel was with violent storms and times of no wind at all when ships were stranded for days and weeks. Crusoe also relied on his previous experiences, although he was young at the time, when he was shipwrecked on his island to survive. That part of the story is pretty well known. What amazed me is the second half of the book in his early 60s, he decides to go adventuring again going back to his island (and believe me, he thinks of it as his little domain) and on. This also presents numerous challenges and he makes a cross land journey much later on back. I think this book is well worth 5 stars and shows why classics are classics even if this is only one entitled white man's story who assumes that Christian English ways are best.