gaelstorm 's review for:

Moby-Dick: Or, the Whale by Herman Melville

5.0

adventurous challenging funny informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book is beyond ratings. So confusing and hard to get through at times, but also hilarious, strange, weird, emotional, intriguing, action-packed, and full of satire! I went into this hating the book but pushed through for the sake of a book club, and came out the other end a Moby lover. Buddy reading it with friends REALLY helped because I could get clarification on things that confused me, or even parts I totally missed because I was zoning out. We could read out quotes to each other that we found interesting or funny and gain new appreciation for the unique language in this. And importantly, we could complain about it to each other and make fun of Ishmael for going on and on and on....

I was also constantly thinking about Moby Dick as I consumed other pieces of media and kept seeing references to it (some on purpose, some my own comparisons). e.g. the book Sky Daddy by Kate Folk and ship-based films such as Jaws, Muppet Treasure Island, Hook, and Ghost in the Noonday Sun (all with crazy captains who have a singular obsession! Monomaniacs!).

5 stars but the 5 stars is really for the full experience. Your mileage may vary.