violet_sky02's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
runia's review against another edition
3.0
Tre stelle perché sono magnanima.
Su 110 pagine, le prime 80 sono una lunga e lenta serie di nulla. ll capitano Delano per tutto il giorno pensa "uhm qui c'è qualcosa di strano, oh ma guarda che comportamento insolito, no dai le mie sono solo pippe mentali", Benito Cereno ha la vitalità e il calore di una statua di ghiaccio, e Babo è un'irritante figura sempre in mezzo ai piedi. La svolta è a pagina 84, finalmente accade qualcosa, le cose iniziano ad avere un senso e la trama si fa interessante. Siamo già a tre quarti della storia e non riesco a dimenticare la noia provata fino a un attimo prima, ma ormai il libro è finito, posso iniziare a leggere qualcosa di meglio.
Su 110 pagine, le prime 80 sono una lunga e lenta serie di nulla. ll capitano Delano per tutto il giorno pensa "uhm qui c'è qualcosa di strano, oh ma guarda che comportamento insolito, no dai le mie sono solo pippe mentali", Benito Cereno ha la vitalità e il calore di una statua di ghiaccio, e Babo è un'irritante figura sempre in mezzo ai piedi. La svolta è a pagina 84, finalmente accade qualcosa, le cose iniziano ad avere un senso e la trama si fa interessante. Siamo già a tre quarti della storia e non riesco a dimenticare la noia provata fino a un attimo prima, ma ormai il libro è finito, posso iniziare a leggere qualcosa di meglio.
bwluvs2read's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Torture, Confinement, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Violence
nick_latanick's review against another edition
2.0
The "shocking" plot twist was easily guessed at the outset, and the prose were somewhat laborious. A whole section of the book is a transcript of a legal deposition, which is exactly as much fun as that sounds. Though I enjoyed the nautical setting, the rest of the story was not much better.
kashafa84's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
thomasgoddard's review against another edition
4.0
Little audiobook I listened to whilst sailing on a game called Sea of Thieves.
Another fantastic book from Melville. Ahead of his time in so many ways. Here he uses a racist narrator to highlight the grossness of paternalistic racism.
That whole 'aren't they doing well despite their disadvantages' sort of racism. Here manifest as 'they are too stupid to be cunning, too weak to be a threat'
Basically modern racism. Congratulations humanity, we managed to allow racism to spread far and wide and stretch to other groups beyond race. All because everyone believes their own self-delusional protestations of altruism and that you can't be racist if you're doing nice things for those people.
Grinds my gears.
Anyway the book...
Fantastic book. Really tight writing. Loved the tension built up along the way. Ending was a little flat.
True equality is realising that all people are 'capable' of evil as well as good. They are 'capable' because it is a universal of human nature. No group of people has a monopoly on good or evil. No group lacks certain qualities that allow for it. We are just responding to the hand dealt. Morality is judgement after the event and usually it holds its own degrees of prejudice. That knowledge does nothing to soothe history's injustices. It should just bring a little perspective in the here and now. You know, the place where it matters.
philip_bonanno's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-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
4.5
Amazing. Ending is so good. Love the use of the law at the end
ren_reading's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Slavery