I know this post is late. I’M SORRY, ok? I totally forgot, I’ll admit it. Shhhhhhh.
So the first book we had to read for my Studies in Fiction class was Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. From what I’d heard before starting, it was something of an adventure story.
NOT.
Seriously. Most boring book EVER. It’s like Defoe marketed it as an adventure story and the actual book was his way of saying “PSYCHE!” There was nothing adventurous at all. I think Defoe might be the only writer in the history of the world who can make a dude getting shipwrecked seem boring. I was all prepared for something exciting, challenging. I’ve seen all of LOST and parts of Castaway, so I figured it would be something along those lines. But nope. This book was a giant “eff you” to anyone who reads for entertainment.
Example: He spends page after page of mind numbing description on how he goes about building his life on the island. We get passage after passage of him swimming back to the remains of his ship to get supplies, paragraph after paragraph about how he constructs and upkeeps the wall around his “house”, and chapter after frickin chapter of the other various menial tasks he gets up to on a day to day basis. NO ONE CARES.
Even worse, though, was the religious instruction. It’s not that I have a problem with a protagonist having a religious revelation- that’s fine. Religion is a big part of peoples’ lives. What I DO have a problem with, though, was the fact that Crusoe had a religious revelation EVERY OTHER SENTENCE. I mean, we get it. Crusoe shouldn’t have ignored his father’s teachings and turned his back on God. The island is his repentance. Blah blah blah. Whatever. Mentioning it once in a while is fine, but every other sentence? Really? Unnecessary.
From what I understand, the entire point of this book was to ram home how important it is to be average. Never strive to be extraordinary because you’ll probably just fail and piss off God. The End.
Don’t read this book. Seriously, it makes watching paint dry riveting.
harsh lol. Definitely not gonna read this anytime soon now. thanks for saving me from boredom. 🙂
Of course, it’s NOT ACTUALLY boring– It constitutes THE RISE OF THE NOVEL. You’re probably just not smart enough to appreciate it. Consider that? Thanks.
@ Anonymous, I never said it wasn’t an important step in the evolution of the modern novel. But it IS actually boring. I don’t have to drive a horse and buggy to appreciate a car. I don’t have to read Robinson Crusoe to appreciate EVERY OTHER BOOK IN FREAKING EXISTENCE.
Oh, but top notch elitist ignorance. You’re doing a fantastic job. Seriously. Don’t change a thing.
SOB didn’t even have the juevos rancheros to leave his name…well said Bristers.