breannemattea 's review for:

Moby-Dick: Or, the Whale by Herman Melville

4.25

adventurous funny informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Every decade or so I find myself itching to once again board the Pequod. The pacing is slow, with the actual hunt for the white whale taking up just a handful of chapters. Melville instead uses the majority of the book to fully immerse the reader in whaling. It’s a commentary on faith, industry, race, politics and obsession. Parts of it make you cringe, parts make you cackle and others leave you staring at the wall deep in thought. If you’re the type of reader that enjoys Tolkien’s intricate descriptions of trees or Hugo’s meticulous narration on the sewers then you’ll love Melville’s fascination with whales. Otherwise… maybe skip this one.