Ratings205
Average rating3.4
Meh. It's a product of it's time. Would the audiences in the 1700s enjoy and likely devour this? Yes. Especially the people who have never traveled and wonder how one could possibly survive.
From a modern perspective? Yikes. This is long, drawn out, and with a very unlikeable MC.
Good to read once, but never again.
Really interesting. More enjoyable if you put yourself in the shoes of those in Defoe's time; where blatant racism and colonialism were the order of the day. If you read it with a 21st century prespective you'll find a lot of social problems with the story.
So the Amazon Classics version is definitely the complete Robinson Crusoe narrative. If you've ever wanted to listen/read (Kindle/Audible) and you have prime you can get it for free, so that's good right??
I would say RC #1 was enjoyable and I liked reading his survival. 3.5/4s Then I would say the Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe or RC #2 was mainly about this dude having an issue with sitting home and being practically rich?? And then an absolute ton of information about a French priest and “savage” wives? It was insufferable. 1.5/2s
Best to avoid the second, you're all welcome...
My dad gave my twelve-year-old nephew a copy of Robinson Crusoe and told him that he ought to read it. My nephew is a reluctant reader and never got very far in the book. After reading it this week, I can see why.
Robinson Crusoe was a tough read for me. You know the story, of course. Crusoe, against his parents' wishes, heads out to the sea and ends up a slave. He escapes from slavery only to later return to the sea and become shipwrecked on an island.
How he manages to survive is a fun read. And he does survive, despite a lack of water and food and companionship, despite hurricanes, despite cannibals.
The daunting vocabulary and the lengthy sentence structure make this a challenging read for a child.
It has been years since I read it, and since I was required to read it before entering high school I read it and wept. Most classics are classics because they are really good, even though I sometimes do not appreciate that goodness. Crusoe, on the other hand, is a classic because just enough high school English literature curriculum writers are sadistic. We hates them.
One more classical I had a different memory about. What I found: a spoiled brat who ignores all ‘wisdom' and ‘advice' from absolutely everybody who don't agree with him, who suffers inimaginable misfortune, then lives alone for 24 years on an island making do and blaming himself. This happens for over half the book (70%). Then all of a sudden said island becomes a hot spot and not only Friday, the good savage he adopts and “teaches”, but several crews and tribes start coming ashore.
Sooo he rides back with a captain he saved, after long battles filled with swords zzzzz, and finds out he had the most honourable friends in the universe minding his affairs: not only do they give his riches back, but with a profit! He gets married, and that is explained in a single paragraph, so I had no idea what charmed the lady in question, and goes back to the island to give the people he left there more gifts besides his infinite wisdom.
If I ever go to an island, that is a book I will not take with me. I am giving it two stars because I try to think of myself as someone who respects well written sentences, which Mr Defoe does well, and because I understand it was written in 1719, so it might be difficult to relate to it - even though Shakespeare, Bronte, Austen or other classics don't seem to present that kind of obstacle for me.
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe is a classic novel that tells the story of a young man who is shipwrecked and stranded on a remote island for 28 years. The novel was published in 1719 and has since become one of the most well-known adventure stories in literature.
The story begins with Robinson Crusoe's childhood in England, where he becomes obsessed with the idea of going to sea. Against his family's wishes, he sets sail and embarks on a journey that ultimately leads to his shipwreck on a deserted island.
For the next 28 years, Robinson Crusoe is forced to survive on the island, learning to hunt, farm, and build shelter. He also has to deal with loneliness and the psychological effects of isolation. He eventually discovers another human on the island, a native he calls Friday, whom he saves from cannibals and befriends. Together, they work to improve their living conditions and eventually leave the island.
One of the most effective elements of the novel is the detailed descriptions of Crusoe's daily struggles and triumphs. Defoe's meticulous attention to detail creates a vivid and believable world that draws the reader into the story. Crusoe's character development is also a strong point, as he transforms from a restless and impulsive youth to a mature and self-reliant survivor.
However, some readers may find the novel's colonialist undertones and depiction of Friday as a subservient native to be problematic. The novel also lacks a strong plot arc, with most of the story focusing on Crusoe's day-to-day survival rather than a clear narrative arc.
In conclusion, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe is a classic novel that is well worth reading for its engaging and realistic portrayal of survival on a deserted island. While it may have some problematic elements, it remains a classic adventure story that has stood the test of time.