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sarahbaileyreads's review
5.0
This was fabulous! I could spend the rest of the year thinking about this one-- so many layers. Loved it.
“Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its jagged edges.”
“Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its jagged edges.”
hollewade's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wonderful story, I loved all the setup for the eventual action. It helped frame the story and the injustice that happened.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood and Death
alana_f's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I believe Melville is making a larger scope of criticism over lawful process and also a critique on the individual level of officials of the law in regards to following orders. This stance can be seen through the text’s -I would argue- condemning of Captian Vere, which I believe is further reinforced by the text’s biblical allusions and end episodes.
kellieveltri's review
2.0
It’s hard to refute that this book is well-written—after all, the only thing that Melville may be better known for than his sprawling prose is his love of boats—but if you are a person who prefers plot-driven stories like I do, this novella is probably not for you. Not much happens, and even the stakes of the central crisis feel much lower than they should given the situation. All in all, this story is a quick read that’s largely exposition and denouement without a lot of climactic action in the middle, but at least you can say you’ve read Melville without having to attempt Moby Dick.
P.S. There’s no doubt that my reading journal on this book for class will include the phrase “heavy-handed symbolism” at least once.
P.S. There’s no doubt that my reading journal on this book for class will include the phrase “heavy-handed symbolism” at least once.
imgayforspace's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
dedication's review
4.0
Üniversite yıllarında okuması zorunlu kitaplarımızdan biriydi dolayısıyla o dönem pek bir gönülsüzdüm özet olarak okuyup geçmiştim. Şimdi tekrar okuduğumda ise Melville'in saf bir iyilik olan ana karakteri Budd'ı kötülük ile tanıştırmasını okuyoruz. İçimiz el vermese de bazen çoğunluğun huzuru için azınlığın güme gitmesi gerekiyor. Kısa ama çarpıcı bir hikaye.
becca_2505's review
2.0
Though this book presents a number of compelling moral dilemmas (is a crime a crime regardless of intent? can the military work without unwavering loyalty? should we rule with our heads or our hearts?), I found it poorly written and dense. The entire book is only about 100 pages and yet the first half is essentially world building and character backgrounds. This would make sense if the novel was 500 pages, but for its length, this content was a waste of space. I didn't feel it contributed anything to the story, except perhaps at the very end. Even so, much of this non-narrative writing could be cut to easily half the length. The narration only started about halfway through the book and, though interesting, was rather dense and tangential. Worth reading for the moral and historical aspect, but otherwise rather mind-numbing.