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A review by mundinova
Beat to Quarters by C.S. Forester
4.0
A smart and daring hero! Action packed ship battles at sea! Colonial racism, sexism, and classism!
Don't you want to read sentences like this?
Horatio Hornblower blew me away. I was not expecting such an engaging book and would never have read it if it wasn't for book club (thanks Frank!). The pacing of this book is on par with current thrillers. I was never bored, even with all the nautical terminology. On top of a fast paced story, you'll also get a subtle critique of British colonialism, racist bias decision making, sexist and classist assumptions regarding other characters on board the Lydia.
Readers will immediately bond with Hornblower. I wanted him to succeed and cheered this successes. He's harder on himself than anyone else, earns the respect of those around him, and is thankful for his luck. He knows his limits. A character anyone would be honored to know or call a friend.
The cherry on top of this already delightful book is Lady Barbara Wellesley. A woman who challenges Hornblower's assumptions of women and class.
Come for the ship battles that will scratch your Pirates of the Caribbean itch. Stay for the character development and social commentary.
Character Development: 4 stars
Story: 5 stars
Writing/Prose: 4 stars
Don't you want to read sentences like this?
"Hankey the surgeon had died of all the complications of drink and syphilis off the Horn."
Horatio Hornblower blew me away. I was not expecting such an engaging book and would never have read it if it wasn't for book club (thanks Frank!). The pacing of this book is on par with current thrillers. I was never bored, even with all the nautical terminology. On top of a fast paced story, you'll also get a subtle critique of British colonialism, racist bias decision making, sexist and classist assumptions regarding other characters on board the Lydia.
"It was Hornblower's nature to find no pleasure in achieving things he could do; his ambition was always yearning after the impossible, to appear a strong silent capable man, unmoved by emotion."
Readers will immediately bond with Hornblower. I wanted him to succeed and cheered this successes. He's harder on himself than anyone else, earns the respect of those around him, and is thankful for his luck. He knows his limits. A character anyone would be honored to know or call a friend.
The cherry on top of this already delightful book is Lady Barbara Wellesley. A woman who challenges Hornblower's assumptions of women and class.
"Hornblower almost stamped on the deck with rage. He was unused to a woman who could display practical commonsense like this."
Come for the ship battles that will scratch your Pirates of the Caribbean itch. Stay for the character development and social commentary.
Character Development: 4 stars
Story: 5 stars
Writing/Prose: 4 stars