Let me just start by saying... hallelujah, I finished! I had a difficult time reading this book... It took me three weeks to read it - that's a long time for me! Especially considering that it was only 250 pages long!
Robinson Crusoe is born into middle class society. His parents continue to tell him he is fortunate, yet Robinson is unhappy with his "mediocre" life. He informs his parents he wants to sail the seas and his father warns him against this, saying that only misfortune can come of his plans. Headstrong and stubborn, Robinson sets off from England and within sight of the shore, the boat sinks. Still Robinson does not learn. On another of his journeys his ship is overran by pirates and he is taken captive. After a few years of slavery he escapes and makes his way to Brazil. Here he creates a prosperous plantation for himself - and still he is not content. One of his colleagues suggests the purchase of slaves for the betterment of their plantations, an idea to which Robinson jumps. He sets off on another voyage and this time his ship is caught in a huge storm and wrecked. All of his shipmates are drowned and Robinson is marooned on an uninhabited island. The majority of the story follows his life on the island and the adventures he experiences.
I had a lot of high expectations when I started reading this book. I was let down. The beginning was incredibly boring. I was so tired of hearing Robinson complain about his station in life and all the travels he undertook before his being stranded on the island. Then there were a lot of parts while he was on the island where he complained about his situation... I understand that that would be a fairly horrible experience, but I can imagine that myself... I don't need to read page after page about how Robinson felt. Then there was the ending. It was so odd. I felt that it didn't tie in with the rest of the book at all. It was just too convenient how he got off the island, then was rich, and then they spent the last chunk of the book on his trekking across the Pyrenees mountains... it was weird. I think it would have been a better book if they left that part out.
I loved Friday. What a great character. So sweet, so innocent, so trusting... I loved how he was so true to Robinson and would do anything for him. I'm glad he found his father again, but thought it was strange that he would just leave him behind after being reunited. I really enjoyed reading about all the ways Robinson survived: his planting crops with the left over seed, sun drying grapes into raisins, domesticating the wild goats on the island... what a smart man. I honestly don't think I would survive as well as he did - hopefully I never get shipwrecked!
Rating: 3.25/5
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