Reviews

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

ingagotyofinga's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

maggicat13's review against another edition

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4.0

Perhaps it’s because I’ve loved the movie so much, but I was a bit disappointed in the book. Hammond is a first-class asshole, so any love of the grandfatherly, want-to-have-fun has personality of a main character that seeps into the rest of the story is lost. However, Lex is (surprisingly) even more annoying than in the film with her c o n s t a n t questions and, really, no point of the book at all except to make me thankful that I am childfree. Overall, a joy to listen to if you ignore Lex (good luck) and expect Hammond to be another money-grubbing white man.

somekramers's review against another edition

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4.0

I haven't read this book in a couple of decades, but after watching the movie as a family, I decided to revisit it - as usual, the book is better than the movie. I can't really comment on the science itself, but it is presented well. Not as cheerful and no happy ending here, I am interested to read The Lost World (which I have never read before) just to see what happens in that book.

manuser21's review against another edition

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4.0

Unlike the movie, the book has significant deviations from characterization and even plot. Though, I feel this is better, as the book delves into some deep moral questions. All in all, very good book.

kutestkiwi's review against another edition

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adventurous informative tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

jstufft28's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved the movie and I loved the book. I loved how similar and how different they were from each other.

jamiestu's review against another edition

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4.0

Would have been five stars if the child, Lex, wasn’t so annoying.

kkretzinger12's review against another edition

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5.0

Of course this gets 5 stars. It’s one of my favorite movies and the book is obviously even better. Many more things happen and it’s a lot darker and there’s so much commentary on for-profit science it’s AWESOME. It makes you feel so uneasy and empty inside at the end and normally I avoid that at all costs but it’s the perfect end feeling to this book of horrors man I loved this so much. I just want to sit and digest it for hours and hours brb gonna go watch the movie now and look for plot holes

sarah_tellesbo's review against another edition

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3.0

I’ve only read one other Michael Crichton book (State of Fear), and I really wasn’t a big fan. Like many authors, Michael Crichton tends to use his writing platform as a conduit for his political beliefs. He has every right to do so, and I absolutely don’t hold it against him that he does. And while I don’t disagree with everything he has to say, I do take issue with a fair amount of the content of his beliefs– or at least the way he writes about them.

In State of Fear, his message was explicit and obnoxiously loud. Overkill. He definitely had it toned down in Jurassic Park (written about 14 years earlier in his career), and I was grateful for that. Instead of designing the entire plot of the story to fit a particular agenda, he wrote an entertaining story and used one particular character (Malcolm) as the occasional spokesperson for his message. It was much more subtle and skillful; it created an accessibility to his writing that allows for reader enjoyment whether or not there is political agreement.

I also found it interesting to experience the differences between Jurassic Park the book and Jurassic Park the movie. There were many! The book was far more graphic than the movie (which makes sense given the age difference between target audiences), and there were some fairly major character differences as well. Some characters were more or less present in the book’s storyline, while other characters had completely different personalities and demeanors altogether.

I hardly ever say this, but I actually think I like the movie better than the book in this case. I can’t exactly pinpoint why… My hunch is that it has something to do with the fact that I watched Jurassic Park the movie as a kid and there’s a pretty strong nostalgic component to it.

Regardless, it’s a well written book and obviously well loved by many.

enter_thev0id's review against another edition

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adventurous informative tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0