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bluestarfish 's review for:
Robinson Crusoe
by Daniel Defoe
adventurous
medium-paced
The classic adventure story that launched so many imitators and reinterpreters. Interesting to actually read it and it is an exciting adventure story (with added bits). Crusoe only seems to eat meat and bread though on that island of his, it's a wonder he didn't get scurvy or something.
The edition I read had a useful introduction written by Doreen Roberts that I enjoyed reading after the novel. (Why are introductions so rarely worth reading before you've read the book and why do they keep putting them at the front of books?) She discusses some of the context and themes of Defoe's writing that aren't that apparent for this modern reader and I was interested to read about his Dissenting background and the discussion about allegory vs realism in novels. It is a little odd that Crusoe can exalt the religious freedoms on his island and never even notice the imperialism and slavery.
The edition I read had a useful introduction written by Doreen Roberts that I enjoyed reading after the novel. (Why are introductions so rarely worth reading before you've read the book and why do they keep putting them at the front of books?) She discusses some of the context and themes of Defoe's writing that aren't that apparent for this modern reader and I was interested to read about his Dissenting background and the discussion about allegory vs realism in novels. It is a little odd that Crusoe can exalt the religious freedoms on his island and never even notice the imperialism and slavery.