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A review by thebookboy
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
2.0
Sorry James Fenimore Cooper but this was simply not the one for me. I can't deny that there is a good, adventurous story hidden in here somewhere, but as the description is as dense as the forest that so much of the book is set in (and which, incidentally, I probably know what every leaf looks like in due to the endless description) I just found very little joy in wading through.
I found Hawkeye as a character problematic too. he consistently states that he is basically of the natives and has adopted their way of life etc. but he just can't stop talking about how white he is at every given opportunity! I also found Cora and Alice essentially dull portrayals of femininity with nothing else to recommend them - In fact I just felt I didn't really get a feel for any of the characters much, which in a book of around 500 pages isn't really acceptable.
Regardless, some of the action sequences were rather good, and here is where Cooper's writing is considerably better - there were brief sections I very much enjoyed and i wish the pace of the novel remained a bit faster throughout. It's just a shame that in the end this novel is definitely one that hasn't quite lasted the test of time, at least not for me.
I have heard the film is fab though, so I will be giving that a watch!
I found Hawkeye as a character problematic too. he consistently states that he is basically of the natives and has adopted their way of life etc. but he just can't stop talking about how white he is at every given opportunity! I also found Cora and Alice essentially dull portrayals of femininity with nothing else to recommend them - In fact I just felt I didn't really get a feel for any of the characters much, which in a book of around 500 pages isn't really acceptable.
Regardless, some of the action sequences were rather good, and here is where Cooper's writing is considerably better - there were brief sections I very much enjoyed and i wish the pace of the novel remained a bit faster throughout. It's just a shame that in the end this novel is definitely one that hasn't quite lasted the test of time, at least not for me.
I have heard the film is fab though, so I will be giving that a watch!