jevansmassive's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I think this book would make a good film. It was very light and enjoyable for the most part, I still don't quite understand the ending but it was a fun read.
sophiefreeman's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
laurenjpegler's review against another edition
1.0
“I am more than a devil; I am a man. I can do the one thing which Satan himself cannot do— I can die.”
The Man Who Was Thursday was yet another university read for my Terrorism and Literature module, and not surprisingly, I hated it. These kind of narratives just do not sit right with me - I don't care to read about terrorism, bombing and anarchy, etc. It just doesn't interest me, so unfortunately this novel was boring to me.
It follows the tale of Gabriel Syme who is sent by Scotland Yard to infiltrate the Central Anarchist Council. After weakening the initial contender for the position of Thursday, he is elected and is sent to the central council. However, not everything is as it seems. Syme uncovers secrets that jeopardise his investigation, and the council's plans lead to a desperate chase across Europe. But he still has to face the greatest terror, the council's leader, Sunday. As the Penguin English Library edition concludes: 'G.K Chesterton's exploration of cultural pessimism and religious convictions mixes nightmarish paranoia, parable and political humour'.
I couldn't get into this book. It was another one of those reads where I just skimmed through it. I lost interest in the plot really early on, and I just wanted to get it read as soon as possible. It got to the point where I had no idea what the story was about, so I had to google the summary before composing this review. All the characters were painfully dull, and the plot seems chaotic. Just not my cup of tea.
The Man Who Was Thursday was yet another university read for my Terrorism and Literature module, and not surprisingly, I hated it. These kind of narratives just do not sit right with me - I don't care to read about terrorism, bombing and anarchy, etc. It just doesn't interest me, so unfortunately this novel was boring to me.
It follows the tale of Gabriel Syme who is sent by Scotland Yard to infiltrate the Central Anarchist Council. After weakening the initial contender for the position of Thursday, he is elected and is sent to the central council. However, not everything is as it seems. Syme uncovers secrets that jeopardise his investigation, and the council's plans lead to a desperate chase across Europe. But he still has to face the greatest terror, the council's leader, Sunday. As the Penguin English Library edition concludes: 'G.K Chesterton's exploration of cultural pessimism and religious convictions mixes nightmarish paranoia, parable and political humour'.
I couldn't get into this book. It was another one of those reads where I just skimmed through it. I lost interest in the plot really early on, and I just wanted to get it read as soon as possible. It got to the point where I had no idea what the story was about, so I had to google the summary before composing this review. All the characters were painfully dull, and the plot seems chaotic. Just not my cup of tea.
mog261's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
gkc is crazy. i respect him so much
classical_learner's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Very similar in tone to That Hideous Strength. I relish all of the references to the classics, especially several to Horatius at the Bridge (I never doubted you Chesterton), and this is a beautiful, modern fairytale about the divine metaphysics that govern the cogs of our world. Too many good quotes that made me contemplate everything as well as signature quips and one-liners that made me audibly laugh.
That being said, stick through the first third of the book—it picks up after that, although it’s never uninteresting.
That being said, stick through the first third of the book—it picks up after that, although it’s never uninteresting.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence
chaifanatic18's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
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? No
3.5
horlya's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
The begging was really good and interesting. A cop going undercover and « betraying » his friend. But then the story made less and less sense. I enjoyed the last chapter tho when everything unfold and you get to really understand what is was all about.
The begging was really good and interesting. A cop going undercover and « betraying » his friend. But then the story made less and less sense. I enjoyed the last chapter tho when everything unfold and you get to really understand what is was all about.
aleahlitt's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
This book takes you on a ride. 😂 I had heard nothing of this book (it's allegorical flare etc) when I began to read it so to start, I was merely entertained by the writing style & the silly storyline---and then I got to the last few chapters. 😵💫 yeah, I'm going to be rereading this one at some point! gives a lot to think on!