It's not everyday I read a novel this old (1851) or this long or on such a strange topic. But it's a classic and it's a target of mine to read or re-read at least 2-3 classics a year. A classic in my book, however, can also be a book written in the 1960's. Or perhaps even later.

Anyway, I must have read a Reader's Digest version of this one as a young girl, because some central bits of the action were known to me. But I certainly didn't read the whole thing - omg, it's so comprehensive. At the end, there's simply nothing the reader doesn't know about whaling in the 1800's.

Sometimes I almost gave up - when it was at its most long-winded. But then it would pick up its pace again and I'd be breathless. I listened to it in a slightly dated audio version, chosen among a large selection. I chose this one, because the narrator's tone of voice fits the novel's.

Melville must have been a very learned man, because he quotes the Greeks and he quotes this that and the other that I don't know. And he can alliterate! And he does it all the time. Amazing.

This novel is demanding and probably not for everyone. I notice that there's a book called Why Read Moby-Dick (by Nathaniel Philbrick). That might be an idea for those who think it's too massive an undertaking to read the original work.

It took me 2-3 months to get through it... Have read a couple of other books in between.

It took me almost a month to read it, because it's super boring. I thought it would be a great adventure, but it's really not; I still haven't figured out if it was a novel, an essay or a play.
I think the book is split in 3 parts. The first one was okay, it settles everything and we learn more about the main characters and the narrator (God, he is boring that one). And the third one was the most interesting, cause it's what we read the book for. But the second one? That one was so boring, it's just explanations about the ship or whales.
It's not a bad novel, it's well written, but it's definitely not what I expected nor what I enjoy reading.

Melville manages to fill his book's hull with blubber and everything that isn't hunting Moby Dick -- with almost pinpoint comedic timing. The first chapters are a honeypot trap: I was kinda getting into the dark mysteries of Queequeg the cannibal and Captain Ahab (there was even some kinda homoerotic subtext in the 'bed' scene that was unexpected and hinted at some complexities behind Ishmael)...and then that old tease Herman pulled the rug out with Chapter 32: Cetology.

From that point on, except for little incidents and gams here and there, Ishmael shines and dazzles as he demonstrates what a boring narrator he is. He explains factoids galore about whales that I could not give less of a crap about (we get it, they're big). I got a real sickening feeling in my stomach when it became apparent that the Moby Dick films had been mercifully hiding, for our sake, a thousand barnacles clinging to what oughtta be an awesome story of God vs Man vs Big Ass Whale.

That said, the last fifth is pretty great. Love it or hate it, I appreciate that he constructed his massive, unwieldy epic with no concern if the reader would follow him. For those who read it all the way through, you have to end up sympathizing with Ahab and crew while they're on their own equally nonsensical journey.

Totally amazing, but don't bother trying to read another edition. The Norton edition explains everything best.

I took my time with this the second time around. Nine months of time, to be exact. It felt nice to just slowly read each paragraph carefully -- like a treat at the end of the day. No one does prose like Melville, and every sentence of this book is worth sinking into.