A review by sellnow_hannah
The Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition by Upton Sinclair

challenging dark emotional informative sad slow-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

2.75

This is a historically important book and was fascinating to see what was included in the original compared to the cut/censored edition that was published. I was initially very invested in the story up until the later sections when the plot seems to end in favor of long socialist speeches. Would have preferred to keep these messages interspersed throughout the book rather than the speech/debate format that was presented. I found myself surprised after reading this that the main message people got from this book was of food safety issues when the focus was clearly on the plight of the poor immigrant family. Worth a read for the historical context but certainly not a favorite for me. 
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