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Reviews tagging 'Cannibalism'
Die seltsamen und erstaunlichen Abenteuer des Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
37 reviews
nikolas_kolinski's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.25
- Robinson Crusoe - review
"Robinson Crusoe" is, according to the opinion of many academics and experts, the 1st English novel and an important archetype for both travel and adventure literature. This is certainly true; however, the novel results completely ineffective in entertaining the modern reader and is a classic that has aged incredibly poorly.
The introduction to the book is beautifully written and noteworthy, but at the same time feels a bit misleading, because it is definitely far more enjoyable than the book itself.
Defoe's writing style is completely terrible: the language used is not only old, but definitely boring, repetitive and at times even annoying. The long description of the main character's actions and of the places he visits (especially when he is not into the island, so not for the majority of the story) could be enjoyable, but end up being tedious as well, or at least surely not entertaining, mainly because of their excessive longevity; not to talk about everything that happens on the island, which always looks incredibly dull, monotonous and insufferable. The huge space given to religion and the lack of emotion and pathos for most of the time inside the narrative, also contribute to make the writing style dull and uninteresting.
Nevertheless, it is still a little bit interesting to see how the book embodies, as the founding father of the genre, the typical structure that adventure/travel novels used during the centuries and that is still often used nowadays within the genre. Everything does also look completely realistic and the writing still is at least effective under this aspect (even if it is maybe too realistic for a novel).
Apart from that though, Defoe does not seem to ever write anything else really notable.
And again, all in all there is really too much (too much) repetition.
Nevertheless, it is still a little bit interesting to see how the book embodies, as the founding father of the genre, the typical structure that adventure/travel novels used during the centuries and that is still often used nowadays within the genre. Everything does also look completely realistic and the writing still is at least effective under this aspect (even if it is maybe too realistic for a novel).
Apart from that though, Defoe does not seem to ever write anything else really notable.
And again, all in all there is really too much (too much) repetition.
The main themes are those listed in the introduction to the book: religion, search for god; empirical and rational (outer and inner) exploration of the world; human need for order and search for meaning vs. nature's changeability and randomness; development of an imperialistic, colonialist and individualist personality, self-growth and learning.
There's not much to say about them, Defoe does make a few attempts to expose some moral reflections on God and on colonialism and imperialism, yet he never gives satisfying arguments and everything ends up being pretty bland.
There's not much to say about them, Defoe does make a few attempts to expose some moral reflections on God and on colonialism and imperialism, yet he never gives satisfying arguments and everything ends up being pretty bland.
One of the most insufferable elements of the whole narrative though is the protagonist himself, Robinson Crusoe.
He always behaves like a narcissist, egocentric, racist, utilitarian man, acting like a colonialist, an imperialist (and displaying many times cultural appropriation, racism and religious bigotry) just because he is the one lucky enough to carry some weapons. Apart from that, however, not any reason is given to enforce his terrible personality.
You can make a protagonist with evil traits (even if probably DeFoe didn't think at all of Crusoe as "evil"), but please give him at least some reasons to behave in that way or at least don't make the fact that he thinks he's better than everyone else the only trait of his personality.
If it is true that other books from centuries ago contain offensive or retrograde elements, it is equally true that in Robinson Crusoe these are an integral part of the plot and the only characterizing cornerstone of the protagonist (whose only traits are literally colonialism, imperialism, racism and the belief that he is superior to others just because he is a Christian); this makes the protagonist utterly disgusting and unbearable and it seems impossible for the reader to emphatise with him.
He always behaves like a narcissist, egocentric, racist, utilitarian man, acting like a colonialist, an imperialist (and displaying many times cultural appropriation, racism and religious bigotry) just because he is the one lucky enough to carry some weapons. Apart from that, however, not any reason is given to enforce his terrible personality.
You can make a protagonist with evil traits (even if probably DeFoe didn't think at all of Crusoe as "evil"), but please give him at least some reasons to behave in that way or at least don't make the fact that he thinks he's better than everyone else the only trait of his personality.
If it is true that other books from centuries ago contain offensive or retrograde elements, it is equally true that in Robinson Crusoe these are an integral part of the plot and the only characterizing cornerstone of the protagonist (whose only traits are literally colonialism, imperialism, racism and the belief that he is superior to others just because he is a Christian); this makes the protagonist utterly disgusting and unbearable and it seems impossible for the reader to emphatise with him.
In the end, "Robinson Crusoe" is a classic just because it represents the 1st English novel, but apart from that it does not have anything special. Defoe presents himself as a terrible writer (with many biases) and his literary work results uninteresting, passionless and monotonous, both in the style and the content. Had it been published in more recent times probably very few people would have read it; it is a book worth to be remembered only as an historical testimony but, from a literary point of view, it is surely a bad novel, that I would not ever recommend to anyone.
It is certainly hard to write a book like this, but it is likewise a terrible fatigue going through it and reading it.
It is certainly hard to write a book like this, but it is likewise a terrible fatigue going through it and reading it.
Thus we never see the true state of our condition till it is illustrated to us by its contraries, nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, and Colonisation
Minor: Misogyny, Cannibalism, and Alcohol
Boringremuslibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Cannibalism, Murder, and Colonisation
Minor: Animal death and Alcohol
caseymac's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Religious bigotry, and Colonisation
Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Islamophobia, and Cannibalism
joey1914's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Racial slurs, Slavery, Cannibalism, and Colonisation
arobotunicorn's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, and Colonisation
Moderate: Animal death
cas_peru's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Alcohol
chloe_hazel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Cannibalism
teabond007's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, and Cannibalism
poirot's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Cannibalism, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Death of parent
madmadmaddymad's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I know it’s from another time in human history but I squirm at how outright racist Robinson is, you’d think that a man living on a desert island would be relieved for any human contact. He never even asked Friday what his name was. Just called him Friday because that’s the day they met and had Friday calling him “Master” like…. Are you kidding? You taught the PARROT your name, for the pleasure of having someone to talk to.
Also, I think it’s strange that he doesn’t meet Friday until more than halfway through. The book is so agonizingly slow before that, because we are alone with Robinson and his thoughts, and I can only be interested for so long in his description of the island and the various chores he takes up to survive alone. It’s like watching the film Cast Away with Tom Hanks (but boring.)
Honestly I only read it because I had a lot of guilt for skipping this one during my literature class in college. I’m not surprised it didn’t hold my interest, back then. I don’t know how I found the attention span to suffer through it, right now.
It’s good, especially for such an old book. I do respect the narrative, and the reflective themes of the prose, but I certainly didn’t enjoy it, and I don’t think it’s groundbreaking or anything.
Also, I think it’s strange that he doesn’t meet Friday until more than halfway through. The book is so agonizingly slow before that, because we are alone with Robinson and his thoughts, and I can only be interested for so long in his description of the island and the various chores he takes up to survive alone. It’s like watching the film Cast Away with Tom Hanks (but boring.)
Honestly I only read it because I had a lot of guilt for skipping this one during my literature class in college. I’m not surprised it didn’t hold my interest, back then. I don’t know how I found the attention span to suffer through it, right now.
It’s good, especially for such an old book. I do respect the narrative, and the reflective themes of the prose, but I certainly didn’t enjoy it, and I don’t think it’s groundbreaking or anything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, and Racism
Moderate: Cannibalism and Colonisation