erinmandel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The prose was fairly simple, which made it easy to read. Sometimes, it felt like Verne was listing off facts from an encyclopedia, which could get boring. I was especially delighted by his description of a mango (strangest mango I’ve ever heard of) and his insistence that somehow betting was more civilized and respected than gambling.
Obviously, considering the time period, there was racism and white supremacy in this novel, but that was to be expected. While it’s of course horrible to paint Native Americans and some Indian tribes as murderous cannibals, I must confess I found the picture Verne paints of Americans (rash, corrupt, violent daredevils) hilarious. I was suprised he at least seemed to respect the beauty of other countries, and that he added a female character, who not only seemed to have a little influence and more lines than you’d expect, but also was Indian herself (though, only acceptable because of he European education, so yeah, white supremacy).
This book made me laugh on multiple occasions, though sometimes it might’ve not been the writer’s intention but my modern knowledge making some “facts” very funny to read.
It also made me appreciate how much more accessible the world has gotten, and how much we’ve learned from that (and destroyed).
All in all, I believe this truly deserves the title of classic, and what I have learned is: if you’re rich, male and white, anything is possible.
Graphic: Colonisation, Racism, Classism, Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Misogyny
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
davbat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Slavery, Xenophobia, Racism, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Murder, Religious bigotry, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Antisemitism
Remember when it was written, lots of racism from that.Spoiler
a character who becomes important is introduced as the victim of a misogynistic human sacrifice following forced marriageok7a's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Misogyny, Colonisation, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Murder, Classism, and Gun violence
liviamello's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Drug use, and Racism
Moderate: Xenophobia, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Animal death
innastholiel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, and Xenophobia
Minor: Drug use, Animal death, and Violence
alexmill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Colonisation, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Drug use, Kidnapping, Violence, and Xenophobia
ailurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Minor: Racism and Xenophobia
annafdavis's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Xenophobia
iamyourmarigold's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Xenophobia
viivialisa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Moderate: Xenophobia