A review by pascalthehoff
Candide, or Optimism by Voltaire
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
With works this old, you always expect a certain quaintness and unwieldiness. Imagine my surprise when I realized that Voltaire was actually a very funny writer, with this one. The vignettes in this fable-like tale are often absurd, favoring elements of surprise over strict narrative coherence.
Between its major philosophical turning points, Candide feels too long-winded for what is actually a fairly straightforward discussion of Leibnizian optimism. But that doesn't make this very lively way of discussing the subject any less interesting from a historical point of view.
Between its major philosophical turning points, Candide feels too long-winded for what is actually a fairly straightforward discussion of Leibnizian optimism. But that doesn't make this very lively way of discussing the subject any less interesting from a historical point of view.