Jennifer's review of Lord Jim (original) (raw)

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Jennifer's Reviews > Lord Jim

Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad

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Lord Jim (Penguin Popular Classics)
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115642

** spoiler alert ** I generally only bother to review books I enjoyed- especially since I'm not bothering much to go back to review those I read quite some time ago. Lord Jim requires a review.

Why did I loathe this book so much... I was an English major in college. I have a master's degree in English literature. I love books! This book is the only novel I have ever read that put me to sleep. I could not get involved in the action. Conrad's verbose English diction and excessively correct grammar infuriated me. His style frustrated me, his plot was essentially non-existent, and I hated the characters. I had no empathy for them, I had no desire to read it, and plogging through it killed brain cells.

I admit that I read this in high school- it is entirely possible that I would reject it less now that I am more attuned with Conrad's purpose. I don't particularly care. If I have to hate one author, one book, with a passion? This is it!

Nothing made me happier than the tragic ending.

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Reading Progress

January 1, 1999 –Finished Reading

Comments Showing 1-20 of 20 (20 new)

Fr. Andrew Yikes! That was a spoiler!

Jennifer Well, not if you've read the first 5 pages... but duly noted. I'll note my comment as containing spoilers.

Fr. Andrew Oh, okay, never mind...sorry! :)

David Bennatan I am not sure if I tried and failed to read this book two times or three. I seem to remember blaming the quotation marks. Now, at age 63, I read through the book with ease and loved it. I don't know what made the difference but that is what happened.

Jennifer David wrote: "I am not sure if I tried and failed to read this book two times or three. I seem to remember blaming the quotation marks. Now, at age 63, I read through the book with ease and loved it. I don't ..."

OK- I tell you what. I will give it a try in another 30 years or so, and see how it goes! Maybe a love for Conrad can only come in one's middle years?

Sachin David wrote: "I am not sure if I tried and failed to read this book two times or three. I seem to remember blaming the quotation marks. Now, at age 63, I read through the book with ease and loved it. I don't ..."

very rightly said mate

Scott Whoops. Sorry. Didn't mean to press the Like button. Not that I don't like the review, I just barely started reading the book. I'll have to check back when I'm done

Greg Clough Reading Conrad can be challenging. I read Heart of Darkness when majoring in literature several decades ago. I found it hard work for what is essentially a novella. A few years back I read it again. It was still hard work. But this time the themes and moral dimensions of the story really drew me in. I proceeded to read another five or six of his novels ..... in awe at his knowledge of the human psyche and his sense of sympathy for people and the difficult moral choices they are often forced to make. After splurging on Conrad for several weeks I could not help but feel he is up there with some of the greats. I find it really amusing that he was initially regarded as a writer of sailing yarns, which is absolutely true, but in an absolutely small way

Greg Clough Reading Conrad can be challenging. I read Heart of Darkness when majoring in literature several decades ago. I found it hard work for what is essentially a novella. A few years back I read it again. It was still hard work. But this time the themes and moral dimensions of the story really drew me in. I proceeded to read another five or six of his novels ..... in awe at his knowledge of the human psyche and his sense of sympathy for people and the difficult moral choices they are often forced to make. After splurging on Conrad for several weeks I could not help but feel he is up there with some of the greats. I find it really amusing that he was initially regarded as a writer of sailing yarns, which is absolutely true, but in an absolutely small way

Greg Clough Reading Conrad can be challenging. I read Heart of Darkness when majoring in literature several decades ago. I found it hard work for what is essentially a novella. A few years back I read it again. It was still hard work. But this time the themes and moral dimensions of the story really drew me in. I proceeded to read another five or six of his novels ..... in awe at his knowledge of the human psyche and his sense of sympathy for people and the difficult moral choices they are often forced to make. After splurging on Conrad for several weeks I could not help but feel he is up there with some of the greats. I find it really amusing that he was initially regarded as a writer of sailing yarns, which is absolutely true, but in an absolutely small way

Miles Ross "excessively correct grammar" ... Conrad never even studied English... I find his foreign/novel writing to be a refreshing break from other 19th/early 20th century English writers.

Pam Snyder You took the 'verbose' words, right out of my mouth.

message 13: by Matt (new)

Matt Ossip I must agree. I have picked it up and tried to read it three times now and I cannot get past chapter 1!

m magdy i just bought the novel and came to goodreads and saw your review and thought that you'r wrong and it looks like a great novel but after first 100 page i find it so boring and i don't really wana finish it so much details about unimportant things i don't know how this novel is widely known or how this writer is so much famous

Michael What a twit

Warren Fretwell Exactly! I have been curious about all the four and five-star ratings, especially when I felt compelled to set the book aside by chapter nine! I forced myself to finish under the mistaken belief that the story would improve. Egads, the writing was often just awful! Glad to see someone agreed with my conclusion!

Wojtek Babisz Cannot agree more! And yet 40% of this „something” left to go. I will never return to this maritime madness of Conrad. And Im Polish to whom his „Polish” sensibilities speak very little if at all :/

Sikander J. What made you give Lord Jim only one star? I also did the same. But I like to hear your views. Thanks!

Warren Fretwell I gave it one star because I thought the writing was terrible: too many descriptive turns that lead nowhere. I concluded it was a waste of time!

Sikander J. It was indeed the waste of time. I had read more complex writing, but I don't know, was it a story or the way it was told.

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