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Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Port Moody Public Library.
Aug 24, 2017
Moby Dick is the classic tale of a man and his quest for the unattainable. While this is an older story, it still has some themes that are relevant in this day and age. Not only does the author manage to paint a vivid image of the setting and characters, he also manages to capture the personalities, flaws and quirks of each character as the story progresses. Readers will be captivated by the author’s descriptive writing and the action-packed plot. Fans of the drama and action genres will enjoy this book. Overall, the author did a great job of telling the story in a timeless and intriguing manner. @avidreader16 of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library Reading this famous classic by Herman Melville, I soon realized that there was a reason why people found it so notoriously difficult. From lengthy Shakespeare-esque monologues to unending descriptions of Folio, Octavo, and Duodecimo whales, Moby Dick could at times be, quite simply put, annoying. The overall theme was, to be sure, steadily present throughout the entire novel. From the beginning, Captain Ahab was a figure of mystery and determination, with an almost godlike aura. If such a great man would devote his whole life sailing across the sea in pursuit of a whale, wouldn't it be something worthwhile? And so begins a long journey, delineating where human recklessness and greed ultimately leads to. Moby Dick remains a novel I look upon with mixed feelings. It has extremely valuable messages conveyed through its pages, which are timeless and perhaps especially relevant today. But was it truly necessary to fill a good quarter of the book with descriptions of things that were distracting from the story? I would leave that for the reader to decide. Overall, my final verdict would be to give it a try; it's a good book to have read once in your lifetime. 3 stars out of 5 @StarRead of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library