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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I understand that this book is a "classic" - a book of historical importance for the field of children's literature. For that reason, I am glad I read the book (while listening to the audio). The language and vocabulary are beautiful!!! But, the storyline is painful. Defoe tends to get hung up on details of little importance at the expense of moving the plot along. I appreciate its importance, and as I said I love the language and vocabulary, but not an enjoyable read for me.
Golly this was hard to get through. It's realism writing, so Crusoe describes every single little detail of what he does. For example, I'll flip to a random page and there will be a quote like "I was surprised, and yet very well pleased, to see the young trees grow; and I pruned them, and led them up to grow as much alike as I could; and it is scarce credible how beautiful a figure they grew into in three years; so that though the hedge made a circle of about 25 yards in diameter, yet the trees, for such I might now call them, soon covered it, and it was a complete shade, sufficient to lodge under all dry season." AND THAT WAS ONE SENTENCE. The book is like Walden but with less social commentary. Crusoe is also a huge arsehole. He was a slave for 2 years and is so so sad about it, and then as soon as he escapes he joins a slaving ship destined for Africa. I would never have finished even the first chapter of this book if I didn't have to write an in-class essay on it.
adventurous
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
Long story short: the man should’ve died at least 92 times but somehow, always managed to survived.
3,5 stars
3,5 stars
Known as one of the first English novels, Robinson Crusoe contained one adventure after the other. Told as an autobiography, this book was riveting and had non-stop action. I loved the way the story progressed and the expeditions Crusoe went on during his 30+ years deserted on the island. It's incredible what one man can do with little resources and the wealth he can make for himself without any help!
I thought this was a masterpiece and can definitely understand why it's gotten so much rave. Daniel Defoe sure did start the English novel with a BANG! He set the standard high from the very beginning!
I thought this was a masterpiece and can definitely understand why it's gotten so much rave. Daniel Defoe sure did start the English novel with a BANG! He set the standard high from the very beginning!
3.5 stars. This book does get more interesting every time I read it. It's no wonder Defoe was mostly a failed satirist -- it is so impossible to tell where he is being serious and where he's trying to be ironic. I can't say I love it, but I also couldn't say that I'd understand the history of the novel without it.