chchcheeeey's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ipb1's review against another edition
5.0
A great sprawling episodic mess of a novel, or rather two novels written a decade apart, the latter being a frame-breaking metafiction repeatedly referencing the first. Having finally read it I now understand why the most famous episode is our hero 'tilting at windmills' - it is a passage that happens near the beginning and is, I suspect, as far as many get with this doorstop of a book. But it is worth persevering further. This is less a novel than a mini-library, running the gamut from scatalogical slapstick to philosophy, literary criticism, social satire, and on (...and on). Bewildering, and justifiably viewed as a landmark in the development of the novel.
haruchan's review against another edition
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
ferris_mx's review against another edition
3.0
Second half was significantly better than the first. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could.
prodigalbeta's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
bookscatsandjazz's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
fiona_claffey_kelly's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
woolfen's review against another edition
5.0
5 Stars.
I loved this book, so much. Long books make you take a different approach to reading, which requires you to shift gears, but it is so rewarding. A book that is over a 1,000 pages, is not going to be fast-paced. When you get the chance to spend so much time with characters, you really get to feel them, watch them stretch, and live in their story. The book is more akin to a tapestry, it is so rich, with a loose focus that allows you to take in so much at once, with each scene.
Part I:
Introduced to our characters, I was surprised at how short-lived the windmill scene was, and really how every adventure in this book could be as famous or sum up the structure and themes of this book. Also genuinely spent a lot of time laughing out loud.
It took a lull in the middle, but as soon as Don Quixote and Sancho Panza enter the Sierra Morena and meet Cardenio I understood the essence of the book and had much more faith in it. Part IV was the best of this, with all that occurs in the Inn being a perfect microcosm of interactions.
Part II:
Cervantes really dogs Avellaneda here, it is so funny to read, the malice he must have felt for him. The drive for much of the conflict of this second book is with people who have read the first book(!) and is not self-referential, but self-indulgent. It is so novel (even now) that the second part of a book references the first part published before and acknowledges its existence.
Don Quixote and Sancho's relationship is much more interesting and fun here, with their interactions always leaving you guessing who is the greater fool. It's incredible; Don Quixote is sweet and heartfelt and Sancho is witty and loyal. I truly loved these characters and it comes back to what I said about reading larger books; how alive and textured they are. Sancho stuffing himself from his wallet or talking about his love of Dapple is not exciting in isolation from these people.
Part II also had so many more adventures that I found were more interesting than in Part I; Don Quixote no longer had to drive the conflict, the Knight of the Mirrors and the Knight of the Moon, the Duke and Duchess, Sancho's dryland island, the time in Barcelona were all caused by those who had read the first part. But also classic adventures, such as the lions, Altisidora, the bizarre backstage adventures of Riqote, mirroring the story of Maria Zoraida and Ruy Perez.
Language:
Whilst all this is unfolding, the language is exquisite. The 'theese' and 'thous' do not hold it back and the language employed is so rich and engaging. I personally really enjoyed it, but I could understand how this would detract from many people's experience.
I love this book. I raced at the end and then had to put the book down 30 pages off the end as I did not want to be done with it. The ending was very bittersweet, as
I loved this book, so much. Long books make you take a different approach to reading, which requires you to shift gears, but it is so rewarding. A book that is over a 1,000 pages, is not going to be fast-paced. When you get the chance to spend so much time with characters, you really get to feel them, watch them stretch, and live in their story. The book is more akin to a tapestry, it is so rich, with a loose focus that allows you to take in so much at once, with each scene.
Part I:
Introduced to our characters, I was surprised at how short-lived the windmill scene was, and really how every adventure in this book could be as famous or sum up the structure and themes of this book. Also genuinely spent a lot of time laughing out loud.
It took a lull in the middle, but as soon as Don Quixote and Sancho Panza enter the Sierra Morena and meet Cardenio I understood the essence of the book and had much more faith in it. Part IV was the best of this, with all that occurs in the Inn being a perfect microcosm of interactions.
Part II:
Cervantes really dogs Avellaneda here, it is so funny to read, the malice he must have felt for him. The drive for much of the conflict of this second book is with people who have read the first book(!) and is not self-referential, but self-indulgent. It is so novel (even now) that the second part of a book references the first part published before and acknowledges its existence.
Don Quixote and Sancho's relationship is much more interesting and fun here, with their interactions always leaving you guessing who is the greater fool. It's incredible; Don Quixote is sweet and heartfelt and Sancho is witty and loyal. I truly loved these characters and it comes back to what I said about reading larger books; how alive and textured they are. Sancho stuffing himself from his wallet or talking about his love of Dapple is not exciting in isolation from these people.
Part II also had so many more adventures that I found were more interesting than in Part I; Don Quixote no longer had to drive the conflict, the Knight of the Mirrors and the Knight of the Moon, the Duke and Duchess, Sancho's dryland island, the time in Barcelona were all caused by those who had read the first part. But also classic adventures, such as the lions, Altisidora, the bizarre backstage adventures of Riqote, mirroring the story of Maria Zoraida and Ruy Perez.
Language:
Whilst all this is unfolding, the language is exquisite. The 'theese' and 'thous' do not hold it back and the language employed is so rich and engaging. I personally really enjoyed it, but I could understand how this would detract from many people's experience.
I love this book. I raced at the end and then had to put the book down 30 pages off the end as I did not want to be done with it. The ending was very bittersweet, as