A review by gaypoetree
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

adventurous tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

I certainly understand why this book would have interested generations of Americans; it feels like the prototype to the now-classic cowboys VS Indians Western. It’s fascinating as an anthropological study: what does the white American of 1826 (when the novel was written) think about the America of 1757 (when the story is set), and how does that reflect on cultural ideas, expectations, and histories that remain to this day? Where does this weird nostalgia for the “frontier” come from, and what social values is it reflecting? How can a white settler acknowledge the vast cultural difference and fraught histories between various Native American peoples, and yet also lump them together into shared universal characteristics? All very interesting questions to consider in the context of this narrative.

That said, the racism is immense, the characters are flat, and I didn’t enjoy reading it. Would only recommend if you are otherwise studying the time period(s) or related cultural issues. 
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