teeclecticreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love that there was the inclusion of a period where Siddhartha loses his way on his spiritual journey and gets involved in the world of capitalism, materialism and lust. It just reminded me that he was just as human with human desires as the rest of us, but he also eventually found his way.
Then the latter half I think was the most profound section of the novel. Him meeting the ferryman and gaining such great lessons about life and dealing with change. This is a book I’d recommend to everyone to read.
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
misty_kb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death
grereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Minor: Sexual content, Slavery, Pregnancy, Animal death, Alcoholism, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Death
urlordlorin's review against another edition
- 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
1.5
Şimdi asıl problemim, Siddhartha karakterinin kendisi. En baştan itibaren, hayatını yaşayan insanları, hayattan keyif almayı ayıplayan bir tavır takınıyor.
Spoiler
Fakirlik ve yokluğu güzelliyor ama bulduğu ilk fırsatta paranın tutsağı oluyor. Bu kısım beni o kadar sinir ediyor ki. Zenginlikten gelen bir insan, neden yokluğu över? İnsanların berbat ve zor, açlık ve sefalet içinde geçen hayatının sana çekici gelen ve övülmeye değer görülen tarafı ne? Sanki hayattan zevk almak kötü bir şeymiş gibi davranıyor 168 sayfa boyunca. Bir kadınla yıllar geçiriyor, onu övüyor, birlikte oluyor ve belki de seviyor ama hâlâ "yosma" diye küçümsemeye devam ediyor.Şimdi başka bir konuya, kitaptaki kadın karakterlere geliyorum.
Spoiler
En baştaki ufak "anne" bahsinden sonra kitapta 2 kadın görüyoruz yalnızca. Kamala ve Siddhartha'nın Kamala ile karşılaşmadan önce görüp reddettiği kadın. İkincisinin zaten bir önemi yok. "Asıl" kadına ulaşmak için bir yol ve işaret yalnızca onu reddedişi. Kamala ise başta okuyucuya önemli gibi hissettirilen, sonra en basit şekilde kullanılıp atılan bir kadın. Bence bu kitaptaki en bilge ve ilgi çekici kişi ama sadece ana karakter üzerinden vicdan mastürbasyonu ve acıma pornosu yazılması için bir köprü olarak harcanmış. Karakterin yalvar yakar birlikte olmaya ikna ettiği kadın, sonradan yosma oluyor, yalnızca bir çocuk taşıyıcısı konumuna düşüyor, hiç sevilmediği oraya çıkıyor ve hayat tarzı küçümseniyor. Yazık.Bunların dışında, kitaptaki olayların tümü bence biraz kopuk ve yalnızca bir fikri karşıya geçirmek için birbirine yapıştırılmış parçalar gibi...
Spoiler
Vasudeva ile tanışma ve ona geri dönüş hariç. Bu kısım, bence çok güzelce düşünülmüştü. İlk Siddhartha'yı ırmağın karşısına geçirdiğinde alacağından bahsettiği karşılığın yalnızca maddî olmayışı, tek taraflı değil, iki taraflı fayda sağlaması çok hoştu. Fakat Vasudeva sanki yine fakirlik güzellemesi için yaratılmış bir karakter gibiydi. Hiçbir şeyi yok, hiçbir şey bilmiyor, yalnızca bu ırmak ve kayık, ama bak ne kadar da bilge!Tamamen alakasız, çeviride "çoğunlukla" yerine her seferinde "çokluk" kelimesini kullanmak kimin fikriydi? Çok kötü fikir.
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Pregnancy
poirot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Classism and Misogyny
Minor: Grief
dlrosebyh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Death
maess's review against another edition
2.5
Minor: Death and Death of parent
franzi_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death
maricasement's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Re-read (2021): 3.5 stars
This book is about Hesse taking you on a journey to what he envisions of enlightenment*. It is a book made of cycles and of learning and relearning what the world is all about. In it, we follow Siddhartha on his own journey, and through it Hesse tries to help us holistically understand how the world is made up of cycles and how it is a big interconnected whole.
This is an interesting and reflective book. You become frustrated by Siddhartha (I call him Sidd) and the people around him, you follow his thoughts and learn from them too. Ten years ago, when I first read it, I felt so light when I finished it, like I belonged to the whole world and it belonged to me. I felt calm and accepting of everything going on around me.
Now, my view of the world has changed and the world itself has. I am much more worried about how to change our world for the better, to not accept the devastating effects we all have on the climate. A part of accepting our unity with the world and its cycles is grounded on the idea that these cycles will never end or truly change, but if we keep doing what we've always done and just let our planet get worse, these cycles will not survive its devastation.
Hesse's view of enlightenment* is beautiful and I do think that it is important to reflect upon many things that he does in this book. But I feel that his view also encourages complacency, and that is not something we can afford right now.
*I am aware that Hesse knew a lot about Hinduism and Buddhism and that this book is based on the religions' beliefs. I don't think he reached enlightenment himself, though, and I have no idea how faithful he is to what is taught by those who have reached it. Even if he is close to actual Buddhist teachings, I would rather not assume that his view of enlightenment and ones path to it are anything but that - his view. He does try to show in the book that people's ways of expressing what enlightenment is are different, so I don't think he'd mind me saying that what he writes is merely how he sees it, and not a universal truth. Please do correct me if I'm wrong.
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
kyfrain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death