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flutterbye_5 's review for:
Dune
by Frank Herbert
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is considered a classic for a reason. The world building is clean -- nothing is explained without in-world reason. The characters are interesting and dynamic, and the plot is compelling.
My favorite thing about this book is how the author gives Paul a feminine quality that I think is interesting and engaging. So often in modern fantasy, the traits and position Paul is given in the narrative would be given to a woman. He was supposed to be a woman in the narrative itself! That's absolutely fascinating to me. It's only mentioned in the beginning, but it was so noteworthy to me that I never forgot.
This book started strong, but ultimately tapered off in what felt like a concerted effort to advance the plot. The beginning was rife with political intrigue and world building. Once Paul enters the desert, things begin to be strange. Time skips happened in places and ways that didn't feel organic to me, like the author wanted to skip past the boring foundation so that Paul could reach the meat of the story. I think this was a mistake. While the Fremen are interesting, it feels as if the narrative views them merely as a stepping stone to a larger story. I'll make the effort to follow through on the rest of the series, in the hopes that the next books will rediscover the intrigue of the first half of this story.
My favorite thing about this book is how the author gives Paul a feminine quality that I think is interesting and engaging. So often in modern fantasy, the traits and position Paul is given in the narrative would be given to a woman. He was supposed to be a woman in the narrative itself! That's absolutely fascinating to me. It's only mentioned in the beginning, but it was so noteworthy to me that I never forgot.
This book started strong, but ultimately tapered off in what felt like a concerted effort to advance the plot. The beginning was rife with political intrigue and world building. Once Paul enters the desert, things begin to be strange. Time skips happened in places and ways that didn't feel organic to me, like the author wanted to skip past the boring foundation so that Paul could reach the meat of the story. I think this was a mistake. While the Fremen are interesting, it feels as if the narrative views them merely as a stepping stone to a larger story. I'll make the effort to follow through on the rest of the series, in the hopes that the next books will rediscover the intrigue of the first half of this story.