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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
Some classic books just don't jive with me and some do. During COVID-19 lockdown I just had fun with this book, sometimes that's all you want.
Reminded me of Victor Hugo in the "do I really need to hear more about X, no, please edit this out".
Just fun "romance", listened to it, and the performer Rory Barnett brought a lot.
Skip the epistle, it is boring.
Reminded me of Victor Hugo in the "do I really need to hear more about X, no, please edit this out".
Just fun "romance", listened to it, and the performer Rory Barnett brought a lot.
Skip the epistle, it is boring.
Sir Walter Scott has been an author I wanted to explore for awhile now. This is the first book I have read by him and although I was not mind blown, I was certainly impressed by his clever plot and comprehensive characters. It's not the easiest book to read. His overly descriptive and dated writing style can definitely be tedious at times. but he keeps you coming back page after page due to the interesting characters and clever storylines.
While the title is Ivanhoe, I would argue that King Richard, Bois-Guilbert, and Rebecca are as much a title character as he. Wilfred of Ivanhoe's return and tournament success is the narrative the book follows at its start. The role of King Richard soon joins in, although clouted in mystery for the first bit and turning into greater than fiction legend soon after. Bois-Guilbert lays claim to the main title card most notably by becoming the driving force of the majority of the book's plot. He conspires to kidnap Rebecca, albeit under the pretense of winning a wife for DeBracy, and the ensuing events make up the entirety of the second and third act.
However, from a character development perspective, I think Rebecca is by far the most complete. She is a well composed figure that is constantly persecuted for her race despite being kind and generous. Although often a helpless casualty of the plot, she maintains a courage and integrity, especially in her faith, that is entirely dissimilar to the other religious persons in the book.
I was particularly surprised by the way Scott handled the prejudice of the day, specifically anti-semitic. Often authors will make their protagonists anachronistically unbiased. However, all the "good" characters in this book are anti-semitic, as would be typical of their demographic in the twelfth century. At one point Ivanhoe is totally infatuated with Rebecca until she reminds him that she's a jewess. This completely changes how he treats her, and although he's never rude, he's certainly prejudiced. It's one of the reasons this book feels so real, it creates bigger than life characters but grounds them in the historical elements of the day.
Was it among the best books I've ever read, maybe not, but it's rightly considered a classic. The themes of chivalry and medieval bravery have inspired countless books and movies since. The description of the tournament felt almost familiar due to how identically it is represented in many movies relating to that era. It's a fine relic of its time and a book I would recommend to anyone.
While the title is Ivanhoe, I would argue that King Richard, Bois-Guilbert, and Rebecca are as much a title character as he. Wilfred of Ivanhoe's return and tournament success is the narrative the book follows at its start. The role of King Richard soon joins in, although clouted in mystery for the first bit and turning into greater than fiction legend soon after. Bois-Guilbert lays claim to the main title card most notably by becoming the driving force of the majority of the book's plot. He conspires to kidnap Rebecca, albeit under the pretense of winning a wife for DeBracy, and the ensuing events make up the entirety of the second and third act.
However, from a character development perspective, I think Rebecca is by far the most complete. She is a well composed figure that is constantly persecuted for her race despite being kind and generous. Although often a helpless casualty of the plot, she maintains a courage and integrity, especially in her faith, that is entirely dissimilar to the other religious persons in the book.
I was particularly surprised by the way Scott handled the prejudice of the day, specifically anti-semitic. Often authors will make their protagonists anachronistically unbiased. However, all the "good" characters in this book are anti-semitic, as would be typical of their demographic in the twelfth century. At one point Ivanhoe is totally infatuated with Rebecca until she reminds him that she's a jewess. This completely changes how he treats her, and although he's never rude, he's certainly prejudiced. It's one of the reasons this book feels so real, it creates bigger than life characters but grounds them in the historical elements of the day.
Was it among the best books I've ever read, maybe not, but it's rightly considered a classic. The themes of chivalry and medieval bravery have inspired countless books and movies since. The description of the tournament felt almost familiar due to how identically it is represented in many movies relating to that era. It's a fine relic of its time and a book I would recommend to anyone.
So this is where we get so many of our tropes like Robin Hood! Good to know. So fast-moving I lost the plot.
What a weird book. If you can get past the hilariously flowery prose, it's a fun adventure yarn and at times surprisingly funny. I really enjoyed it. As a lover of historical fiction, I owe this book a lot.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
While the portrayal of Robin Hood is most familiar, the story of Rebecca is my favorite part. A young and beautiful Jewish woman who cares much for people and is gifted in healing, she really carries the story. I also found the thawing of Saxon and Norman angers to be interesting, even if it wasn't quite told as it happened.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Not great. so slow and long. It has quotes and is old, that's all that "saves" it.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's a good, if challenging read. The plot centres around antisemitism, which is hardly ever shown in a negative light — this very much hindered my enjoyment of the book.
I finished this book a long time ago for school and remember nothing about it but I never marked it read