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lukesullivan013 's review for:
Don Quixote
by Miguel de Cervantes
The first modern novel most definitely, but definitely not the greatest of all time. The first can never be the greatest. Frankly it makes me question when we developed the modern concept of "character development," because it certainly wasn't in here, though all of the flaws of novels that would follow for centuries after most certainly are (extended cutaways for no reason, somewhat unnecessary details that get massive diatribes, etc). Cervantes thought that you needed something for everyone in order to write a great book, and I heartily disagree. Cervantes also LOVED to comment directly on things like bad translations and other authors through the Priest, which was rather... intrusive?
That being said, the book is funny. I'll give it that. And Grossman's translation is brilliant, giving just enough footnotes and making it incredibly readable.
Still, the greatest novels of this particular type are probably something from Hugo or Dumas, even with the similar flaws they suffer from, simply because they have incredible, three-dimensions characters that DQ doesn't really have.
That being said, the book is funny. I'll give it that. And Grossman's translation is brilliant, giving just enough footnotes and making it incredibly readable.
Still, the greatest novels of this particular type are probably something from Hugo or Dumas, even with the similar flaws they suffer from, simply because they have incredible, three-dimensions characters that DQ doesn't really have.