The Classics
June 2023 ‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒ 9 minute read
A classic is any book which stays in print
A classic... something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read
I think these two definitions sum up pretty well what a classic novel is (I've never bought into any of that highbrow 'literary significance' baloney). But admittedly, they are also contradictory... if nobody wants to read The Classics, then why do they stay in print?
Of course some people read and enjoy them. But for the layman The Classics can seem like a daunting literary challenge; most people would regard them as thick, old, boring books. And yet regardless of this, these same people who have even a passing interesting in reading and literature feel a kind of duty to read the novels that supposedly everyone should read. The Classics.
It's a conundrum to be sure. But if someone were to read a classic novel, where should they start? Luckily, I've read a few. And not only read, but reviewed them as well. In these reviews I have simply written a few short, unfiltered thoughts and a subsequent rating. If you are looking for a recommendation, take heed of this Score: any score above seven suggests a book worth reading (in my books, a book 'worth reading' is any book which, once started, I enjoy and want to continue reading). Subsequently, it is my advice to you that you should not waste your life reading any books below a seven score.
Fahrenheit 451
'If you drown, at least die knowing you were heading for shore...'
This book is just stupidly well written. Wit and imagination sparkle on every page, and its prose is nothing short of beautiful. Fahrenheit 451 is first and foremost a dystopia novel; think book burning, blind conformity and enslavement to media. However, in many ways Fahrenheit 451 is the opposite of 1984, ultimately being a story of hope. Character are developed well enough, while the overall plot flows seamlessly. At just 192 pages, this book is very short - too short I would argue. Overall, a magnificent novel which I would recommend, and even commend to everybody.
Score: 8.5/10
Oliver Twist
'Please sir, can I have some more please?'
Absolute cracka of a book, and to be perfectly honest, surprisingly readable. Though initially it all seems a bit slow, the plot definitely picks up a few chapters in. Action, suspense and mystery all move the story along, but what really stands out are the characters - an array of gentlemen, burglars and children all so thoroughly human that you could have sworn they existed. Both sides of humanity are on display in a battle to determine the fate of a one Oliver Twist. Though the portrayal of the historical period it is somewhat of a caricature, Oliver Twist still makes for an absorbing and interesting read.
Score: 8/10
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
'Because he knows you have to laugh at the things that hurt you... just to keep the world from running you plumb crazy.'
Superbly well written; it really doesn't miss a beat. This novel about the nature of sanity and insanity, but is handled in such a way that is highly accessible. Set against the backdrop of a mental asylum in the 1950s, the story is equally that of man vs man, and man vs society. The representative of both man and society is antagonist whom you begin to loathe more perhaps than any other villain (and she just happens to be a psychiatric nurse). Though a distinctly American novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is somehow a more human story than anything else.
Score: 7.5/10
Pride and Prejudice
'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.'
Even though it is my solemn opinion that Pride and Prejudice is just a wee bit overrated, it is undeniably well written. So well written in fact, that it even rises above my general disgust at finding romance in any novel (much like the disgust of a vegetarian finding a caterpillar in his salad). Honestly, its difficult to put my finger on what makes it so well written; its flow is flawless, its plot commendable, its writing articulate with an occasional glitter of wit. Overall, in spite of its length and theme, an undoubtable joy to read.
Score: 7.5/10
The Great Gatsby
'Reserving judgement is a matter of infinite hope.'
The Great Gatsby is a picture of New York in the 1920s, the Jazz Age, a raging and roaring romp of parties and drinking and music. It's romance, of sorts, but from the perspective from outside the romance itself. Well written to be sure, but just lacks a little omph in plot; people did things, people said things, but I was only really drawn along in a passive kind of way. This in itself does not make it a bad, just... different. Vaguely interesting if I were being perfectly honest; subtly nuanced if I were feeling generous. I will give it this, its resolution was totally unexpected, a very different flavour from any other romance or even period novels.
Score: 7/10
Treasure Island
'Fifteen men on a dead mans chest. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!'
The original pirate adventure story, a high tale of the high seas. Buccaneers and buried gold, mutiny and treasure maps, wooden legs and eye patches, parley and, of course, pirates. Treasure Island moves with surprising pace, though it can drag just a little at times. The atmosphere which Stevenson manages to create is exceptional, and is what he refers to as Romance: not that of love, but of imagination. The idea that a dark and stormy night could somehow be more than it seems...
Score: 7/10
1984
'Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.'
1984 is the original dystopian novel. It gives a cynical and haunting glimpse at what society could become, while also subtly undermining the present state of the world as we know it. Reading this book gives a much deeper and darker context into words like 'totalitarian' and 'Orwellian'; a regime that is not only omniscient, but also omnipotent. However, if I had to prescribe a cure for happiness, this would be the treatment; never have I read so bleak and depressing a novel; if you are going to read it, please know that by the time you are through, your soul will have been crushed just a little bit. Enjoy!
Score: 6.5/10
To Kill a Mockingbird
'Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.'
I remember having to read To Kill a Mockingbird for Year 9 English, and something about being forced to read and analyse a novel definitely impedes its enjoyability. From what I can remember it was written well enough; again, being in Year 9 I found it to be a bit slow and difficult to read. It is ultimately a coming of age novel, and though it deals with difficult themes such as racism, rape and murder, its child-like and innocent perspective mellow what could have been a truly dark novel. Sometime I will read it again and will probably update this review.
Score: 6.5/10
The Picture of Dorian Gray
'He was prisoned in thought. Memory, like a horrible malady, was eating his soul away.'
The Picture of Dorian Gray is story of corruption, immorality and ultimately, self destruction. Again, this is another one of those books which I was forced to read in school. Its writing is excessively and decadently verbose, characterised by vivid, vibrant descriptions and sparkling, even blinding wit. In some ways it is almost too much (aka. descriptions of jewels taking up entire pages) but in others it is simply admirable (aka. brilliant, pithy, razor sharp dialogue). It's a fine line between brilliance and excessiveness, and somewhat appropriately, this is also the underlying theme of the book.
Score: 6/10
Kidnapped
'His eyes playing hide and seek with mine'
Kidnapped is basically just a worse version Treasure Island, primarily set on land instead of the sea (bar a few chapters). Although Stevenson's adventure, atmosphere and romance is all there, it becomes difficult to follow without any knowledge of Scottish culture, folklore and geography, not to mention the aged writing itself. These Scottish cultural undercurrents throughout the novel are made all the more annoying because of how integral it is to the plot and even the antagonists of the story. It is fine when a historical period or place is the backdrop, but it fails when it is instead made the forefront. For an education it was certainly interesting, but for a read... not so much.
Score: 5/10
Slaughterhouse-5
'So it goes.'
I have mixed feelings about Slaughterhouse-5. Bounding from reality to unreality, seriousness to humour, absurdity to sobriety... It's almost too much to handle. In Slaughterhouse-5, Kurt Vonegan has managed to create a new archetype within literature: the stupid American. I get it; the world (and war especially) is irrational and crazy, but capturing this idea in a novel, even if it is cleverly done, banks no guarantee that it makes the book any good. Is stupidity entertaining? In this case, I'm inclined to say no.
Score: 4/10
Crime and Punishment
'When reason fails, the devil helps!'
Some instinct inside my being, whether of cultural self-improvement or naive personal accreditation, caused me to borrow Crime and Punishment online. Tentatively I opened the digital cover and cautiously began to read... Oh, what horrors! The sheer grotesqueness of the boredom which gripped me is beyond words... beyond comprehension. But still, even knowing that all I would encounter would be more of the same, still I pressed on. Eventually, but a few chapters in, I mentally collapsed with boredom. Sure, those chapters were well written and did carry some level of intrigue, but certainly not enough to continue reading.
Score: 3/10
Huckleberry Finn
'Persons attempting to find a moral in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot'
Other than these witty and admirable lines in the author's notice to reader, there is nothing much more of value to be found in Huckleberry Finn. If a parent is looking for a harsh discipline for his child, they should look no further than forcing said child into reading Huckleberry Finn. I thank Mark Twain for creating his definition of a classic - the only trouble is that in writing Huckleberry Finn, Twain has himself fulfilled his definition!
Score: 2.5/10
Great Expectations
Look. I read probably about the first 50 pages of this book before I gave up out of sheer boredom. There was absolutely nothing in those 50 pages which made any part of me wish to continue reading. To say I was bored may actually be too kind; mentally tortured may be a more accurate description. Yet some part of me protested: 'This is supposed to be Dickens at his finest' it said. Well whoever said that deserved to be hung, drawn and thirded. Stay away from this book I say. STAY AWAY!!
Score: 2/10
← Simple = Accessible The Spice of Life →
