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Title: Heavy Handed
Review: Candide may have been something in its day, but as a modern reader only marginally versed/interested in 18th century France, I found reading it to be rather dull. (Before I get comments about how I'm stupid, I would like to point out that although I sometimes like to read classics for fun, my career and focus has always been in the sciences)Like other satires I've read, Candide seemed heavy-handed and flat. The philosophy of optimism is silly! Absurd things happen! Cue another character who only stands for symbols and has no real personality!This is why I don't read satire very often.I gave this two stars rather than one because I recognize that one may potentially get a chuckle out of the some of the ridiculous situations, and that someone more well acquainted with the particular philosophies may find Voltaire's criticism more entertaining. And it only took one day to read, which I suppose is a mark in its favor as well.
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