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A review by pkm48
Dune by Frank Herbert
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I can see why this book gets the praise it does, because it has a well constructed plot with great world-building and elegant writing. However, this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea, and perhaps I also missed the bigger picture of the novel as it extends to the real world which I felt the author was trying to convey.
In general, my biggest struggle was that it was difficult to find a character I could relate to and root for (even Paul). Everyone is pretty much painted as cold and calculating, with fairly little emotional depth to make them more human. The only exceptions to this seemed to be the characters of Lady Jessica and Gurney Halleck (and thus they ended up being my favorite characters). The overall story was gritty, dark, and violent which also added to the struggle of getting through the book. I'm grateful for the glossary at the end of the book because while the writing was easy to follow, the terminology as it relates to the fictional world of Dune was complex and often without any context.
In general, my biggest struggle was that it was difficult to find a character I could relate to and root for (even Paul). Everyone is pretty much painted as cold and calculating, with fairly little emotional depth to make them more human. The only exceptions to this seemed to be the characters of Lady Jessica and Gurney Halleck (and thus they ended up being my favorite characters). The overall story was gritty, dark, and violent which also added to the struggle of getting through the book. I'm grateful for the glossary at the end of the book because while the writing was easy to follow, the terminology as it relates to the fictional world of Dune was complex and often without any context.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, War, Death, Addiction, Torture, and Murder
Minor: Rape