Rating: 
Summary: Complex and deeply moving
Review: Melville's rich and complex symbology gives this novel not one, but several, possible meanings and interpretations. But one of Melville's concerns that struck me in this book was the theme of whether or not honest, innocent, human sensuality can survive in the "civilized" world with its severe restrictions and formalities. "Billy Budd" becomes an Archetype of our hidden, severely repressed desires for freedom and sensuality. What in Melville's own life was painfully repressed, and yet silently lingers in so much of his writing, is in itself a subject of sad fascination.
Rating: 
Summary: Awful, Mellville, What was he thinking?
Review: My A.P. English teacher decided that to pass her class we would have to read and take a test on Billy Budd, so we would be able to take the A.P. exam and pass it. This is a woman who appreciates good literature told us "anyone who likes this book is crazy and should be shot." needless to say I can't stand it. The only thing that perplexes me, is why people actually read it, why it's such a "good" book.
Rating:
Summary: Will excercise your brain and toughen your resolve
Review: The most amazingly confusing sentence in my experience opens the book. I read it nearly six times and still am unsure its meaning. At only 88 pages, the novel seems innocent enough, but prepare thyself for a good mental stretch!
Rating:
Summary: Will excercise your brain and toughen your resolve
Review: The most amazingly confusing sentence in my experience opens the book. I read it nearly six times and still am unsure its meaning. At only 88 pages, the novel seems innocent enough, but prepare thyself for a good mental stretch!
Rating:
Summary: Readings and misdirection
Review: The reason I enjoyed billy budd was due to mellville's ability to shape his characters into symbols with a higher meaning. There are many many interpretations of this book, many symbols. But reader beware, the average person(even if you can get through the dialect and references of the times)will never truly understand the true roles of the characters. For those of you who have read Billy Budd, please relize Jemmy Legs is not the one in which is depraved.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a good book
Review: This book is the bomb. Once the action gets going midway through the book it turns into a real page turner.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as short and straight forward as one would think.
Review: This is not a novel that can be judged by length or the picture on the cover. It looks simplistic and straight forward, but it is anything but. This is actually a a surprisingly tough read at times. Melville puts a vast deal of energy into developing characters. Less time is spent in dialogue, and this may be hard for some readers to follow at times.Billy Bud is young, and innocent, quiet but kind. He is well liked except for those few that are jealous of him, and his ability to boost morale throught his quiet gentleness. Those that are jealous of Billy are unseated by his seemingly flawless looks and personality. Billy is human however, and Melville reminds the readers of this by inserting a few character flaws in Billy. He stutters when overwhelmed, or becomes completly tougne tied. He also lashes out violently when this occurs. I couldn't give this novel an excellent rating because it took me longer to read this 90 page novel than it usually takes me to read a 400 page novel. I had a tough time following Melville's constant leaps from place to place and from time to time. This is a novel with a great story line, and I have a feeling that I would have enjoyed it more if I had simply skipped Melville's sections of over explanation and simply read the story. I feel a story loosing something very important when the reader must read someone else's over-analization. Having said all of this, I know I still took something away from this read, and would recommend this novel to anyone with one warining: "When Melville starts to over explain, skip a few paragraphs and start reading again. Chances are, you won't have missed too much. You can always go back and read those paragraphs later if you feel you needed them."
Rating:
Summary: Not as short and straight forward as one would think.
Review: This is not a novel that can be judged by length or the picture on the cover. It looks simplistic and straight forward, but it is anything but. This is actually a a surprisingly tough read at times. Melville puts a vast deal of energy into developing characters. Less time is spent in dialogue, and this may be hard for some readers to follow at times. Billy Bud is young, and innocent, quiet but kind. He is well liked except for those few that are jealous of him, and his ability to boost morale throught his quiet gentleness. Those that are jealous of Billy are unseated by his seemingly flawless looks and personality. Billy is human however, and Melville reminds the readers of this by inserting a few character flaws in Billy. He stutters when overwhelmed, or becomes completly tougne tied. He also lashes out violently when this occurs. I couldn't give this novel an excellent rating because it took me longer to read this 90 page novel than it usually takes me to read a 400 page novel. I had a tough time following Melville's constant leaps from place to place and from time to time. This is a novel with a great story line, and I have a feeling that I would have enjoyed it more if I had simply skipped Melville's sections of over explanation and simply read the story. I feel a story loosing something very important when the reader must read someone else's over-analization. Having said all of this, I know I still took something away from this read, and would recommend this novel to anyone with one warining: "When Melville starts to over explain, skip a few paragraphs and start reading again. Chances are, you won't have missed too much. You can always go back and read those paragraphs later if you feel you needed them."
Rating:
Summary: read this before you go any farther
Review: this is one of the worst books that ever was written. it is about a bunch of gay guys on a boat, except the author never really tells you that. then some guy gets pissed of and kills the guy who made him mad and gets killed himself. how barbaric. ugh. oh well. my advice- buy the cliffs notes, much more enjoyable
Rating:
Summary: Another so called 'classic'
Review: This is the hardest eighty pages I've ever read in my life. It's practically written in it's own language. A good concept hides behind this book. Unfortunately, the plane blows up in the hanger before it even gets to the runway. Melville has a unique rating writing; he tells something very interesting into something not worth your time. Stay away!
|
