Georgia’s review of The Open Boat > Likes and Comments

What a poetic review Georgia! I’ve read Crane’s The Monster and while reading it I kept thinking of The Elephant Man—though of course that film is far more powerful. Still, I remember wishing the reactions toward Henry had been harsher; somehow the emotional weight didn’t fully reach me.

I will definitely read The Open Boat! From your review, it reminded me a little of Conrad’s The Nigger of the Narcissus. While reading it, you feel as if what’s being told could truly have happened. Everything feels so vivid and tangible that it almost seems as though Conrad is simply recounting his own years at sea. At times the narration shifts into the first person, which makes it feel as if Conrad himself were on the ship, and I found that narrative choice particularly effective. And the sailors are just like people in life; some reliable, some cruel, some mysterious. Throughout the voyage you witness how much a journey at sea can reveal about the human spirit. If you haven’t read it, I’d definitely recommend it.

Pia G. wrote: "What a poetic review Georgia! I’ve read Crane’s The Monster and while reading it I kept thinking of The Elephant Man—though of course that film is far more powerful. Still, I remember wishing the r..."

Tragic how short Crane's life was especially as he wrote from his experiences. Writing that falls flat is usually faked. Not Crane's. Even The Red Badge of Courage came from accounts he heard while growing up in common with Margaret Mitchell who based Gone with the Wind on witness accounts she heard as a child. Thanks for the recommendations.