Reviews tagging 'Death'

Benito Cereno by Herman Melville, Wyn Kelley

3 reviews

marthadude's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Captain Delano really is just a dude from Duxbury Massachusetts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Torture, Confinement, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Violence

saraaaa's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A rich and complex short novel, I'd say equally informative and adventurous.
It touches some delicate issues – namely, black slavery in South America, and the extents to which violence is justifiable – that would require some historical and theoretical background to be understood fully.
Plot-wise, it's well executed, and a pleasure to read – I personally love the complexity of Melville's style.
However, it felt like a much lengthier and time-consuming read than it should've been, for the ultra-specialised nautical terminology that repeatedly required me to stop and check out the various meanings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, Racism, Death, Deportation, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Cannibalism

h0lland's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Colonisation, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, and Slavery