(Book review)

‘Martin Eden’ is perhaps the most famous work by Jack London, I read it twice. A novel about great love, commitment and thirst for knowledge. This is the story of an ordinary sailor from a poor family, with a surrounding typical to his profession, of drunkards and brawlers.

‘He was the guy who lived, touched and loved; he easily endured the hardships of life; he was a simple sailor.’

Life suits him well, until he meets Ruth, a beautiful girl from a wealthy family. After this fateful meeting, Martin’s life completely changes.

If you know and like London`s works, you probably know the biography of the writer full of hardships, so while reading the novel, I found a lot in common between the life of the main character Martin Eden and Jack London himself ‒ both had a difficult path to their goals through a series of life obstacles and a tragic fate.

I was personally captivated by the strong character of Martin, persistence on the way to the desired, despite the fact that no one believed in him, except himself. The book is not easy to read, there is a lot of reasoning in it, and this story give you a push for your own thoughts.

‘It was the old tragedy of insularity trying to serve as mentor to the universal.’

If you haven`t read this masterpiece, so it`s time! My rating is 10/10.