Reviews

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

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freddyfinch's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

lululewin's review against another edition

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4.0

The writing in this book is dated to say the least, written more like a diary than a book but it is a classic concept and done very well. I really enjoyed it.

almartin's review against another edition

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2.0

via course 15, which I am (very) slowly working my way though.

Pretty thoroughly unimpressed with Robinson Crusoe. Presumably someone, somewhere can explain why this one has been canonized, but I'm at a loss. There is some generally pleasant thematic stuff in there about gratitude and humility before god, but nothing so poetic or profound to balance out the 200-odd pages of monotonous Notes on Island Horticulture. The coda was really the kicker for me - 28 years on an island, and literally no thoughts at all about integrating back into society? Instead we get a dramatic man vs. wolf showdown in the mountains of france? Not impressed.

jonny_buijze's review against another edition

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1.0

My rating system is based entirely on my personal enjoyment of a book, and I know classic literature should not be read through contemporary eyes, but... yeesh. Through the run-on sentences (sometimes over half a page's length), racism, the constant learning, unlearning, and then re-learning of the same three lessons, the arrogance of the main character, the last ~15 pages of the book having nothing to do with the actual plot (Friday fights a bear? ...okay?) and the RACISM this book was the biggest chore to read I've ever had. And yes, racism is to be expected in books that were written this long ago, but in this book said racism was central to the plot.

maceye23's review against another edition

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4.0

I tried to read this book a few years ago, but I couldn't get through it because I thought it was boring. I gave it another go though, and I loved it! I thought it was a pretty amazing book.