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dnandrews797's review against another edition
3.0
The language was a little clunky but was more than made up for with the absolute roast of human civilization (particularly the barbarity and self righteousness of British colonialization). The man had the audacity to end a book full of sardonic fairy tales with an authors note saying all of it was true and that the British wouldn’t have any interest in the lands he found since their inhabitants didn’t desire slavery to thier empire. Mic drop. Houston I am deceased.
suekken's review against another edition
1.5
WHAT A BORE !!!!
Oh my god, I couldn't wait for this book to end. It took me so long because it's an incredibly boring book.
I was sold an epic tale of adventure and even the cover said it was a 'story to be read an re-read' and I can't think of a worse thing to do with your life.
I understand that the story was written long ago but in my opinion just because it is a classic doesn't mean it automatically is a good read.
Oh my god, I couldn't wait for this book to end. It took me so long because it's an incredibly boring book.
I was sold an epic tale of adventure and even the cover said it was a 'story to be read an re-read' and I can't think of a worse thing to do with your life.
I understand that the story was written long ago but in my opinion just because it is a classic doesn't mean it automatically is a good read.
brisingr's review against another edition
2.0
Enjoyed the writing style, like the first tens of pages, but it all went downhill from then.
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
5.0
'If I had to make a list of six books which were to be preserved when all others were destroyed, I would certainly put Gulliver's Travels among them.'
-George Orwell (Politics vs. Literature: An examination of Guliver's travels)
Gulliver's Travels was a big inspiration on Orwell. The machines that can create books appeared in 1984 and Animal Farm was an allegory on Politics the Way Gulliver's Travels is.
Gulliver's Travels is one of those books that children, ordinary adults and book critics read differently. Children will only find adventures in it, adults reading casually may find a lot of satire on humanity while critics (who put research behind their reading) will read it as satirical attacks on history of England particular; English politics of Swift's time and so on.
Lilliput is an allegory of England and its history. My favorite moment was when Swift satirized religious fights by making Lilliputians fight over the side from which one should break the egg.
Political and religious views aside, Swift's book is greatly original and display great writing powers. The book contains for example. probably first conceptualization of computers (the machine in part three). Swift makes use of contrast - In part one, he meet very small people, in part two giants; in part three knowing yet idiotic people and in part IV, very simple minded yet wise horses. There are good and bad people in all societies he depict; except the last one. While dwarfs use him as weapon, king of giants refuse to accept war technology he offered.
Gulliver who started as a English patriot; ready to defend his nation from criticisms in foreign lands ends up finding humanity disgusting - he even comes to hate his own wife and children; he would rather be alone than return to society of yahoos (the word he started using for humans by the end). Swift's utopia was not ruled by humans but by horses. His ultimate view of humanity lies in ugly, hate some yahoos. In fact; look at degradation of humanity from ways Gulliver was forced to desert his ship: Storm, attacked,pirates, rebellion from his own people. He became like that prisoner that was forced to return after being freed from Socrates' allegorical cave.
Gulliver ends up failing to see any virtue in humanity - isn't that too pessimistic a conclusion ? He offers no answer to problems e brought out; and thins all vices are in humans by very nature (yahoo had a thing for useless shining stones they dig out).
Did Gulliver came to know more than what was good for him? Do we all; like children who are not to be near fire or sharp objects; have limits as to things that we can learn with out harming ourselves? Perhaps, Gulliver's fault lies in generalizing humanity's vices - he is shocked whenever a fellow yahoo does a good deed. We need not share his conclusion; however that shouldn't take anything from the book.
-George Orwell (Politics vs. Literature: An examination of Guliver's travels)
Gulliver's Travels was a big inspiration on Orwell. The machines that can create books appeared in 1984 and Animal Farm was an allegory on Politics the Way Gulliver's Travels is.
Gulliver's Travels is one of those books that children, ordinary adults and book critics read differently. Children will only find adventures in it, adults reading casually may find a lot of satire on humanity while critics (who put research behind their reading) will read it as satirical attacks on history of England particular; English politics of Swift's time and so on.
Lilliput is an allegory of England and its history. My favorite moment was when Swift satirized religious fights by making Lilliputians fight over the side from which one should break the egg.
Political and religious views aside, Swift's book is greatly original and display great writing powers. The book contains for example. probably first conceptualization of computers (the machine in part three). Swift makes use of contrast - In part one, he meet very small people, in part two giants; in part three knowing yet idiotic people and in part IV, very simple minded yet wise horses. There are good and bad people in all societies he depict; except the last one. While dwarfs use him as weapon, king of giants refuse to accept war technology he offered.
Gulliver who started as a English patriot; ready to defend his nation from criticisms in foreign lands ends up finding humanity disgusting - he even comes to hate his own wife and children; he would rather be alone than return to society of yahoos (the word he started using for humans by the end). Swift's utopia was not ruled by humans but by horses. His ultimate view of humanity lies in ugly, hate some yahoos. In fact; look at degradation of humanity from ways Gulliver was forced to desert his ship: Storm, attacked,pirates, rebellion from his own people. He became like that prisoner that was forced to return after being freed from Socrates' allegorical cave.
Gulliver ends up failing to see any virtue in humanity - isn't that too pessimistic a conclusion ? He offers no answer to problems e brought out; and thins all vices are in humans by very nature (yahoo had a thing for useless shining stones they dig out).
Did Gulliver came to know more than what was good for him? Do we all; like children who are not to be near fire or sharp objects; have limits as to things that we can learn with out harming ourselves? Perhaps, Gulliver's fault lies in generalizing humanity's vices - he is shocked whenever a fellow yahoo does a good deed. We need not share his conclusion; however that shouldn't take anything from the book.
outcolder's review against another edition
5.0
he has 4 travels, right, and it's the first one in all the movies, but the last one is what germans would call 'the hammer.' he goes to this place that's like planet of the apes, except it's horses not apes. and then instead of being all charlton heston about it, he internalizes their shit and wishes he was a horse. he ends back in england and he can't stand the sight of other humans, they're disgusting, not like those noble horses. GENIUS. GENIUS GENIUS. read this book already, jeez!
anika_tpwk's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
minieggs's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
1.0
angelo_vossen's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels," often lauded as a satirical masterpiece, may simply not have been for me. While it undeniably offers a rich tapestry of political and social commentary, the novel suffers from several flaws that render it, at best, mediocre in my opinion.
Firstly, the book's episodic structure, which takes the reader through four distinct voyages, lacks cohesion. Each part — Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, and the land of the Houyhnhnms — functions almost as a standalone narrative with little to tie them together beyond the protagonist's presence. This fragmented storytelling can make the novel feel disjointed and uneven, diminishing the overall impact.
I think that character development is another weak point. Gulliver, the protagonist, is less a fully fleshed-out character and more a vessel for Swift's satirical observations. His personality and motivations are underdeveloped, making it difficult for readers to form a meaningful connection with him. This lack of depth in the central character reduces the emotional engagement and investment in the story.
Additionally, the book's pacing is inconsistent. Certain sections, such as the detailed descriptions of the Houyhnhnms' society, drag on excessively and disrupt the narrative flow. These slow segments can test the reader's patience and diminish the overall reading experience.
Finally, the language and style, while reflective of Swift's time, can be cumbersome for modern readers. The archaic prose and dense passages may pose a barrier to accessibility and enjoyment, particularly for those not accustomed to 18th-century literature.
I usually really enjoy if an author‘s writing style is very descriptive and includes lots of details. Swift definitely has a way of writing very detailed, maybe though to a fault. To some extent, I sometimes really wished that Swift would have decided to include some less details in certain sections of the book since the reading experience could have been really improved at times.
In conclusion, while "Gulliver's Travels" has its merits as a work of satire and social critiques which in my opinion especially came through in the fourth and, in m opinion, most interesting part of this book, its structural flaws, underdeveloped characters, inconsistent pacing and dated language collectively contribute to its mediocrity. Nevertheless, it remains a significant historical work which I am happy to finally have read.
I am certain that during Swift‘s lifetime this book was ground-breaking and can definitely see the appeal it might have head for people at that time. In total, I cannot say that this book was bad in any way, but I definitely felt more exhausted than with many other books I have read so far. If you have got time to spare and are in for a challenging reading experience, „Gulliver‘s Travels“ might just be the boo for you!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Excrement, Misogyny, Slavery, and Sexism
Minor: Animal death, Colonisation, Genocide, War, Blood, Violence, Animal cruelty, Vomit, Classism, Incest, and Death