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A review by skyler_c
Erewhon by Samuel Butler
2.0
Victorian era read, hard to get through. Most things are supposed to be critique on the Victorian times, but some of it went over my head (the machines and Ydgrunites specifically). It takes time, but several chapters were worth it.
Animals and Vegetables chapters were a wonderful comparison to moral issues. I found it a literary delight in the very heavy handed book. The sick vs crime comparison made its point, but it wasn't very interestingly made. He also struggled to remain in character as a religious person. It was funny to find him arguing against his own religion when he was supposed to be proselyting to the foreigners.
While he was critiquing the unborn and unreason concepts, I find them interesting perspectives that are worth our time thinking about (and the way he talked about them made me side with them over him many times).
Overall a dense book I pushed myself to finish while reading various utopian novels. Not worth it unless you are really interested in Victorian ideals and politics as critiqued by this one man.
Animals and Vegetables chapters were a wonderful comparison to moral issues. I found it a literary delight in the very heavy handed book. The sick vs crime comparison made its point, but it wasn't very interestingly made. He also struggled to remain in character as a religious person. It was funny to find him arguing against his own religion when he was supposed to be proselyting to the foreigners.
While he was critiquing the unborn and unreason concepts, I find them interesting perspectives that are worth our time thinking about (and the way he talked about them made me side with them over him many times).
Overall a dense book I pushed myself to finish while reading various utopian novels. Not worth it unless you are really interested in Victorian ideals and politics as critiqued by this one man.