Plot: Young English adventurer Robinson Crusoe shares his tales of misfortune and survival as he travels the world. He lives through shipwrecks, encounters with cannibals, and many years on a deserted island.
Comments: Robinson Crusoe is an old book. It was first published in 1719, so as you can guess, the language is odd. The way in which Crusoe speaks can make some sentences confusing. Most of it is understandable, if outdated.
Another thing about the book being old: it's racist and religious. The foreign tribesmen of the Caribbean are treated as animals, which was the way they were viewed by England in the 1700's. I didn't like reading those parts, but it's from a long time ago. Don't be offended because the past is past and things are better now. As for the religion, I accepted that Crusoe was religious and left it at that. It doesn't have to affect the story.
The story itself was interesting. Crusoe certainly survived many fatal situations. It was fun to read about how he grew his civilization on the island where he spent so many years. I didn't always understand the science of how he did things, but the general concepts were clear.
The sense of time in this book seemed rather skewed to me. Sometimes Crusoe would say "two years later..." Also, he described all the things he did on the island, then explained afterwards that this took him years. Everything he did seemed so in the moment, until you realize he's been doing it for months. I can't imagine having the patience and determination to begin projects knowing they'll take that much time away. The book encompasses many years of his life, and it felt strangely like fast-forwarding.
Rating: I rate Robinson Crusoe a seven out of ten. A good read, and a classic.
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