The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
Tobias George Smollett
1771
Around 400 pages
I delayed reading this novel because a large portion of it deals with London and I was still dealing with post-London blues. In between I read Franny and Zooey, Sister Carrie, and The Interview With a Vampire. All pretty good and all better than Humphry Clinker.
All right, so it is no secret that I am not a Tobias fan. At the risk of being repetitive, he is simply not a funny writer and he tries desperately to be like his contemporaries and just fails. This is supposedly considered his funniest work but I really did not get that. This book is centered around Humphry who is not really liked by anyone (particularly me). It is an epistolary novel written from the point of view of six other flat characters.
At least we are finally done with Smollett. May he rest in peace with his weirdly named characters.
RATING: *----
Interesting Facts:
Last picaresque novel of Tobias George Smollett.
His travels served as his inspiration.
Adventures of Peregrine Pickle
Tobias Smollett
1751
Honestly, I did not take much away from this book. It was so dull that my eyes went on automatic and read while my mind wandered. The novel tried desperately to imitate both Don Quixote and Tom Jones and it failed miserably. It actually ended up being a carbon copy of Roderick Random which was just as boring.
My version of the book was around 800 pages. Like I said, Smollett was obviously trying to one up his rival, Henry Fielding. However, the main character is nowhere near as lovable as Tom Jones. Likewise, Smollett tried to be charmingly random like Cervantes. There was a random novella inserted into this book titled Memoirs of a Lady. This was mildly entertaining but completely unoriginal (it read almost exactly like Moll Flanders). It also had no place in the book; at least Cervantes gave some reasoning for inserting The Impertinently Curious Man.
Altogether, this book was a sloppy composite of more popular books from the era. What's worse, this isn't the last Smollett on the list. Ugh...
RATING: *----
Interesting Facts:
I read Howard's End during this which was also a yawn. I hope the next book is really good.
Henry Fielding, David Garrick, and Fitzroy Lee were all models of villains in the book.
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The Adventures of Roderick Random
Tobias Smollett
1748
I had a really weird experience getting this book. I ordered it off Amazon and the book that was delivered started on chapter 47. It doesn't say anywhere that it was a two volume set but whatever. I ended up having to read the first half electronically (yuck!). So just be warned if you want to buy this. I have no idea why you would want to though.
This book is described as being quixotic so I was super excited. The main character, Roderick, is completely unlikable. I have read good books with anti-heroes but I think you were supposed to like him. The author didn't seem able to make up his mind on that front. The adventures that he partook in were just as frivolous as Don Quixote's but not funny at all. I just kind of felt like I was reading pointless, boring trash.
Roderick was a major womanizer and yet you were supposed to be utterly enthusiastic about his love story. Smollett also snuck in some random stories like Cervantes did but they were a lot less entertaining. This whole book was a hit and a miss. It was also a waste of my time. The next one is supposed to be great though...
RATING: **---
Interesting Facts:
This is partly based on Smollett's own experiences as a naval surgeon.
Amazon can no longer be trusted.
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