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He pointed out what he seems to believe are genuine problems with the writing: no engaging story, no uplifting ending, whereas your rebuttal is nothing but an ad hominem. Right now I'd say he is making the better case for the book just not being much fun.

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The author wanted an adventure story and a happy ending. The grandparent makes a comparison to reading Moby Dick as an adventure story about killing the whale...

I think it's an apt comparison. If you want a happy ending, you probably shouldn't be reading these books.

The need for a happy ending is a traditionally American taste. So much so that they changed the ending of Clockwork Orange, and other imported novels.

I imagine that in some ways Don Quixote would be far more entertaining to you if it were read to you by an entertaining reader, like a smiling old grandparent reading to you by candlelight while you were tucking into bed, or read on a teenage fall weekend afternoon leaned up against an apple tree.

Headspace is important. 50% of all communication is on the receiver after all, so if you are reading a story that is 100% the greatest book of all time but you can barely attention to it you're only gonna get a fraction out of what the book has to offer.

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