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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
The book really does not have much of a story arc, but still, I don't think that it's a bad story. There is quite a bit of racism and ethnocentrism in the book, but I feel that it is wrong to judge 18th century racist views against those of the 21st century. It all has to be taken in context of the time.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
The narrative is overall more interesting than I had expected (having known mostly nothing about it before I started other than "some guy gets shipwrecked for a long time"), and the artifacts of the time in which it was written are at turns fascinating (the author is apparently horrified by how "the Spanish" went about colonizing the new world) and horrifying (rampant casual racism). I'm glad I read it, and I did find it enjoyable, but I think it's a bit of a slog for most modern tastes.
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
“Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself.”
——————-
I really tried to give this book a chance, but I disliked it so much I knew if I didn’t power through I’d be stuck on it until the year ended and that would be such an annoying way to miss my goal.
The main character gives up wealth, safety, and security for frivolous pursuits in a way only someone who has never known true challenge can. I felt like the writing was just so overdone and almost intentionally difficult to follow out of some weird classist gatekeeping. That might be my projection.
The whole leaving a plantation to find more slaves was just gross. I could barely follow the plot and skimmed a good portion of this text.
I’ve seen Castaway and I feel like it’s an insult to Tom Hanks to remind people it was somewhat inspired by this book. Maybe the only redeeming quality is how beautiful does clothbound edition is and that it’ll look really nice on my shelf. Absolutely not the book for me.
——————-
I really tried to give this book a chance, but I disliked it so much I knew if I didn’t power through I’d be stuck on it until the year ended and that would be such an annoying way to miss my goal.
The main character gives up wealth, safety, and security for frivolous pursuits in a way only someone who has never known true challenge can. I felt like the writing was just so overdone and almost intentionally difficult to follow out of some weird classist gatekeeping. That might be my projection.
The whole leaving a plantation to find more slaves was just gross. I could barely follow the plot and skimmed a good portion of this text.
I’ve seen Castaway and I feel like it’s an insult to Tom Hanks to remind people it was somewhat inspired by this book. Maybe the only redeeming quality is how beautiful does clothbound edition is and that it’ll look really nice on my shelf. Absolutely not the book for me.
A pleasant read, though some aspects are definitely jarring for the modern reader, particularly the cavalier attitude the author/narrator has about slavery. I try not to judge authors or their works harshly for being “of their time” so I decided not to downgrade the rating for that.
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I know I should be rating this differently considering its distinction as the/one of the earliest English novels but my goodness is it ever repetitive. Occasionally, Defoe decides to spare us the tedium of reading about things he's already told us about but it makes me wonder why he couldn't have spared us some more. He also didn't know when to stop. We get it, tale of redemption, yada yada yada, so what's this about bears and wolves?
Defoe could have used an editor, and despite his attempt to draw me in with his synopsis of his further adventures, I will not be seeking them out.
Defoe could have used an editor, and despite his attempt to draw me in with his synopsis of his further adventures, I will not be seeking them out.
Robinson Crusoe was one of the best adventure books written. The book can be read multiple times. It captures the readers attention. You want help robinson rearing goats, bake bread, plant fields, it gives you the idea and hope that anything is possible and home could be any place. Survival depends upon will rather than convenience.
Where is will there is a way!
i do not know whose saying is that but it relates to this book for me. One of the best reads of earlier reading
Where is will there is a way!
i do not know whose saying is that but it relates to this book for me. One of the best reads of earlier reading
