scipio_africanus's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Very different to the film. I love the film, and I love the direction Michael Mann took with it in the short runtime he had to work with, but I have to say I love this book too and both for different reasons. The book fleshes out the characters more, and Duncan turns out to be a much more sympathetic, if not outright badass character than he is portrayed in the film. The women are much more damsels in distress as is to be expected for the time period, although the strength of Cora does shine through often. There is no love triangle between her, duncan, and hawkeye in the book, and little romance in general. I will not spoil what goes down, but be prepared to be surprised by who lives and who dies. I started the book at a slow pace as I found the old language jarring, and I was not sure that I would end up enjoying it, but it turned out to be well worth the perseverance. A cool window into another time in America with some good action and some deeply moving moments. Recommend.
lilac_cottage_library's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
vhinojo's review against another edition
Noted in my 6th grade reading list, was probably a kids version?
suzylit's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
ryoko24's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
topbob's review against another edition
1.0
Ok I'll be real, I only read a third or so of this. I dropped it because it was slow and boring. I proceeded to read Moby Dick instead. So why did I read the "boring whale mansplaining whale book" over this supposedly exciting action classic? Well, let's figure it out.
Characters - I just didn't care about the characters. Hawkeye is just some white guy who is there for some reason. Anyone is free to correct me here, but I feel like this novel is more concerned with the material world.
Environmental descriptions - I liked them at first, but please make them stop. Its kind of like those "what it's like to have autism/ADHD or whatever" videos on YouTube where every single background noise is overbearingly loud. Cooper needs to know when to stop. Romanticism: "a movement in the arts and literature that originated in the late 18th century, emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity, and the primacy of the *individual*." How is so little care put into the characters... aaaah!
Themes - Maybe im too stupid to see them, or maybe the themes were just hiding around the corner waiting to be discovered, but I didn't see them, or if I did, I didn't care.
I'll try and read this one again down the line. Im open to being wrong, I like being wrong, perhaps it was a loss of mental energy from school? Im not sure. But I have this bad boy sitting in my bookshelf, and im sure i'll revisit it when im feeling bored and foolish.
Characters - I just didn't care about the characters. Hawkeye is just some white guy who is there for some reason. Anyone is free to correct me here, but I feel like this novel is more concerned with the material world.
Environmental descriptions - I liked them at first, but please make them stop. Its kind of like those "what it's like to have autism/ADHD or whatever" videos on YouTube where every single background noise is overbearingly loud. Cooper needs to know when to stop. Romanticism: "a movement in the arts and literature that originated in the late 18th century, emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity, and the primacy of the *individual*." How is so little care put into the characters... aaaah!
Themes - Maybe im too stupid to see them, or maybe the themes were just hiding around the corner waiting to be discovered, but I didn't see them, or if I did, I didn't care.
I'll try and read this one again down the line. Im open to being wrong, I like being wrong, perhaps it was a loss of mental energy from school? Im not sure. But I have this bad boy sitting in my bookshelf, and im sure i'll revisit it when im feeling bored and foolish.
jacobman0313's review against another edition
Very much a boys adventure novel, it is very pow pow exciting at times. The upper NY wilderness is vividly described in such a way that it must be inspired by a trip Cooper took there. Each naturalistic illustration seems like it was jotted down in a notebook while the author was enveloped in it. Characters are a bit one dimensional. Admiration is shown to the Indian characters, but is tempered to avoid outright worship by scenes like the bloody pond.
His editor really should have clamped down on the frequency of “lineaments”, “repose”, and “repast.”
His editor really should have clamped down on the frequency of “lineaments”, “repose”, and “repast.”
hereistheend's review against another edition
2.0
Read this for school.
It's fine. Its not amazing, it's not bad.
Very similar to Ivanhoe.... (also read that for school last year)
It's fine. Its not amazing, it's not bad.
Very similar to Ivanhoe.... (also read that for school last year)
roars's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5