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bookishevy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As stated in my previous post, I was in the mood for a thriller. What's a bigger summer thriller than Jaws? I listened to the entire book in one go.
I don't have enough space to discuss how many ways the book differs from the film, but I'll draw some comparisons. Chief Brody is not former NYPD who settles in Amity. He's actually a local. His wife, Ellen, comes from a well-off family who vacationed there. After marrying Brody and settling in Amity, she drifted away from the high life. Now, she yearns to be among the more cultured. When marine biologist Matt Hooper resurfaces from her past, Ellen sees him as a chance to recapture what she's lost. Brody takes an immediate dislike to Matt, who represents everything Brody hates about the upper class.
Life for the 1000 residents of Amity depends on the money that the 9000 summer vacationers bring in. The pressure Brody is under to keep the beaches open is more felt in the book because the mayor is mixed up with dangerous people and trying to save his own neck. Matt's a snob, Brody isn't the kindest husband, Ellen's flirting with other men. In the book, the shark isn't the only villain. I now understand why Spielberg initially rooted for the shark and decided to make the characters more likable to moviegoers.
But I loved that the book's characters are flawed. There's more at stake, and the tension between Brody and Hooper adds to the suspense on the boat while they hunt for the maneater with Quint. The attacks are more graphic. A key character in the film dies, leaving me stunned, and the shark's death isn't as explosive as in the film. Spielberg, again, giving moviegoers what they want. To me, the book's ending is more haunting. Erik Steele does a great job with the characters, especially Quint, who, unlike in the film, doesn't have a reason to hate sharks. He just thinks they're dumb. Until he meets this one.
I don't have enough space to discuss how many ways the book differs from the film, but I'll draw some comparisons. Chief Brody is not former NYPD who settles in Amity. He's actually a local. His wife, Ellen, comes from a well-off family who vacationed there. After marrying Brody and settling in Amity, she drifted away from the high life. Now, she yearns to be among the more cultured. When marine biologist Matt Hooper resurfaces from her past, Ellen sees him as a chance to recapture what she's lost. Brody takes an immediate dislike to Matt, who represents everything Brody hates about the upper class.
Life for the 1000 residents of Amity depends on the money that the 9000 summer vacationers bring in. The pressure Brody is under to keep the beaches open is more felt in the book because the mayor is mixed up with dangerous people and trying to save his own neck. Matt's a snob, Brody isn't the kindest husband, Ellen's flirting with other men. In the book, the shark isn't the only villain. I now understand why Spielberg initially rooted for the shark and decided to make the characters more likable to moviegoers.
But I loved that the book's characters are flawed. There's more at stake, and the tension between Brody and Hooper adds to the suspense on the boat while they hunt for the maneater with Quint. The attacks are more graphic. A key character in the film dies, leaving me stunned, and the shark's death isn't as explosive as in the film. Spielberg, again, giving moviegoers what they want. To me, the book's ending is more haunting. Erik Steele does a great job with the characters, especially Quint, who, unlike in the film, doesn't have a reason to hate sharks. He just thinks they're dumb. Until he meets this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity
jpolito's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Sexism, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Antisemitism
msorendreads's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I don’t have words to describe how bizarre of an experience this book was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual content, and Violence
alicesayshi's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
A fun read that unfortunately suffers from being a product of its time re attitudes to women and POC.
Ellen Brody is a great example of r/menwritingwomen.
Ellen Brody is a great example of r/menwritingwomen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Racism
thebearnest's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
my_forest_library's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexism, and Violence
celisabeth's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
This book held some really problematic pieces for me - such as racism, uncomfortable infidelity, sexism in the fact that Ellen (Brody's wife) serves almost no purpose in the story whatsoever except as a product of anger and other issues, and that's not to mention the apparent rape fantasy "all women have."
We can also talk about the endless fact that this novel sparked so many fears of sharks, who mostly don't attack people (seriously, it's supposedly more likely to get struck by lightning than to get attacked by a shark) and aren't truly attracted to women's menstrual cycles. (I will note Benchley wrote an introduction to the edition I read retracting a lot of those issues and problems faced in the book.)
But even through the problems, the book was an easy read with strong writing and an engaging storyline. The characters could have been developed more and I wished for more tense reactions when the shark did appear. Nonetheless, this book is finely written, but I would say (in this case), you could really just watch the movie and forego the book.
We can also talk about the endless fact that this novel sparked so many fears of sharks, who mostly don't attack people (seriously, it's supposedly more likely to get struck by lightning than to get attacked by a shark) and aren't truly attracted to women's menstrual cycles. (I will note Benchley wrote an introduction to the edition I read retracting a lot of those issues and problems faced in the book.)
But even through the problems, the book was an easy read with strong writing and an engaging storyline. The characters could have been developed more and I wished for more tense reactions when the shark did appear. Nonetheless, this book is finely written, but I would say (in this case), you could really just watch the movie and forego the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Grief
walenchao's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall a great version of the classic movie you know and love, with a well-executed if a bit underbaked subplot about infidelity, class and insecurity in vacation towns. There’s a whole segment that isn’t in the movie regarding Hopper and Brody’s wife that makes the bizarre dinner sequence from the movie make a lot more sense.
Overall fantastic - less explosive than the movie but a bit more compelling from a pacing perspective.
Overall fantastic - less explosive than the movie but a bit more compelling from a pacing perspective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
mgm9816's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I hate to say the movie’s better, but the movie’s better. I wanted more shark attack and less marital issues .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Rape
perthalus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Fashioning a mean grin like a knife, Jaws is a jagged toothed beast that carves through each page with ease. It perfectly balances character driven drama with its unforgivingly gory horror. Each page feels grimy and dirty with peak summer heat, so much so that you’d think you could smell the fish guts coming from the words. I can see why this is a classic, and why Spielberg chose to adapt it to screen, I would too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Vomit
Minor: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Police brutality