mmk4725's review against another edition
4.0
We started to watch the Mosquito Coast on Apple TV. I remembered I didn't read the book, so thought it was time to read the book.
NOTE: I did audible the newest addition, it isn't in the selection list. Great reader. I think I hadn't been listening I would have quit. The dad is soooo annoying. Stop listening & believing him. He is a jerk. ARRRRGGGG. I guess it is a good writing that I was annoyed by the character. Could picture where they were and what they were doing. If you like the Poisionwood bible, you will like this book - annoying, stubborn, .... father
The author & actor talk at the end were very interesting. From the authors perspective I got a better idea of the character perspective and reasoning behind the main character telling the story. I never noticed that the mother never had a name - just 'mother'. I noticed that the TV show was different from the book (only watched the first episode) and that issue was also discussed.
NOTE: I did audible the newest addition, it isn't in the selection list. Great reader. I think I hadn't been listening I would have quit. The dad is soooo annoying. Stop listening & believing him. He is a jerk. ARRRRGGGG. I guess it is a good writing that I was annoyed by the character. Could picture where they were and what they were doing. If you like the Poisionwood bible, you will like this book - annoying, stubborn, .... father
The author & actor talk at the end were very interesting. From the authors perspective I got a better idea of the character perspective and reasoning behind the main character telling the story. I never noticed that the mother never had a name - just 'mother'. I noticed that the TV show was different from the book (only watched the first episode) and that issue was also discussed.
ojoh's review
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Not well written, not interesting, not relevant, not good!
greatlibraryofalexandra's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Hard to contextualize how I'd feel about this book if I hadn't already seen the movie twice before reading it. It's an atheistic parallels to the Poisonwood Bible/Things Fall Apart type story of colonization, following a white savior type who values science/purity of culture/"noble savage" imagery rather than evangelism, and I like the concepts it explores. The final imagery (with the vultures) of this book is just splendid and eerie, and the introspection of the narrative and the viewing of Allie Fox's ideology through his eldest son's survivalists coming of age is really interesting.
It's dense, slow, and difficult to read, though, and either by virtue of it being written in the 80s OR because it's written in the voice of a brainwashed child, the language can be severely racist, with non-white folk referred to consistently as savages, monkeys, etc. It's very heavy handed. Also, I've read so so so many books written in and about the 80s, and I found the terminology and the dialogue in this book amongst the kids to be just deranged and ludicrous - words like "crappo" and "crummo" as insults, people saying "Gaw" constantly - ??? I just kept thinking - people from Massachusetts don't talk like this.
Long and short of it is: I can't assess how I feel about this since I've seen the movie several times and the movie is a faithful adaptation, but I enjoy the commentary in this book even if I don't think its a scintillating read in prose or action alone.
It's dense, slow, and difficult to read, though, and either by virtue of it being written in the 80s OR because it's written in the voice of a brainwashed child, the language can be severely racist, with non-white folk referred to consistently as savages, monkeys, etc. It's very heavy handed. Also, I've read so so so many books written in and about the 80s, and I found the terminology and the dialogue in this book amongst the kids to be just deranged and ludicrous - words like "crappo" and "crummo" as insults, people saying "Gaw" constantly - ??? I just kept thinking - people from Massachusetts don't talk like this.
Long and short of it is: I can't assess how I feel about this since I've seen the movie several times and the movie is a faithful adaptation, but I enjoy the commentary in this book even if I don't think its a scintillating read in prose or action alone.
messyreader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
qualitamatic's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
chaddah's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
4.0
tinnytree's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely Brilliant! Reminded me a bit of "The Beach" but whereas the main character of "The Beach" was the beach, the main character of "The Mosquito Coast" was the genius, arrogant, strong and harsh father Allie Fox.
It is amazing how much he achieves in the middle of the jungle but it's also amazing and a disturbing how bad he treats his family and what he makes them endure.
After reading this, I don't have any intention to visit the Honduras jungle, sounds like a tough place to live.
It is amazing how much he achieves in the middle of the jungle but it's also amazing and a disturbing how bad he treats his family and what he makes them endure.
After reading this, I don't have any intention to visit the Honduras jungle, sounds like a tough place to live.
drewanabri's review against another edition
2.0
Did not finish. It's not necessarily a bad book, just not really what I wanted in a novel. I was reading this because I'd been told it was an excellent adventure/survivalist novel, but I was a quarter of the way through, and it was still just "kid follows crazy man around while he rants." Overall, too much talk (on topics I really didn't care for) and not enough action or nature for me.