Hardcover, 311 pages
English language
Published Dec. 21, 2005 by Random House.
With the 1974 publication of the novel Jaws and the release a year later of the film based on the book, an American cultural phe- nomenon was born. Today, the remarkable bestseller by Peter Benchley still towers as a thrilling classic of suspense, drama, and the eternal conflicts of man against nature . and man against himself.
As the movie continues to be broadcast all over the world, entire generations may know the Jaws story only through its cinematic rendition. Those unfamiliar with the literary forerunner are in for a wonderful surprise, for the novel contains many twists of plot and character that were omitted in the film. The marine biologist Matt Hooper, for example, shows a predatory side that threatens to destroy the marriage of Police Chief Martin Brody. And the town of Amity and its residents are menaced by even more than the gigantic great white shark.
As …
With the 1974 publication of the novel Jaws and the release a year later of the film based on the book, an American cultural phe- nomenon was born. Today, the remarkable bestseller by Peter Benchley still towers as a thrilling classic of suspense, drama, and the eternal conflicts of man against nature . and man against himself.
As the movie continues to be broadcast all over the world, entire generations may know the Jaws story only through its cinematic rendition. Those unfamiliar with the literary forerunner are in for a wonderful surprise, for the novel contains many twists of plot and character that were omitted in the film. The marine biologist Matt Hooper, for example, shows a predatory side that threatens to destroy the marriage of Police Chief Martin Brody. And the town of Amity and its residents are menaced by even more than the gigantic great white shark.
As all novels should be, Peter Benchley's Jaws is an extraordinary experience of its own, a masterpiece as mesmerizing today as it was in 1974, when it first took us into the watery world of a creature designed by nature to kill ... and into the terror it brings rushing up with him from the silent darkness of the deep. --front flap
I enjoyed this a lot. The film didn't follow the plot 100% and actually i prefer the movie ending. Quint is one of my favourite characters and he is a stronger character in the movie. But a great read. That shark...3 barrels... sheesh
Jaws has been one of my long time favorite films, so when I saw the book on a shelf at the library, I had to pick it up.
The book lived up to expectations! The writing style was wonderful and all of the characters felt like people on the page with their thoughts, fears, and feelings.
Though there were times where I was like "I see why they didn't include any of this in the movie." Specifically the very long subplot involving Ellen cheating on Brody with Hooper during an insecure time in her life. It wasn't a bad subplot, but it did take me out of the story. The relationship drama felt unrelated to the hunt for the shark and slowed down the story, but it wasn't bad and it was nice to get to know Ellen more as a character.
It might have been better if it'd been …
Jaws has been one of my long time favorite films, so when I saw the book on a shelf at the library, I had to pick it up.
The book lived up to expectations! The writing style was wonderful and all of the characters felt like people on the page with their thoughts, fears, and feelings.
Though there were times where I was like "I see why they didn't include any of this in the movie." Specifically the very long subplot involving Ellen cheating on Brody with Hooper during an insecure time in her life. It wasn't a bad subplot, but it did take me out of the story. The relationship drama felt unrelated to the hunt for the shark and slowed down the story, but it wasn't bad and it was nice to get to know Ellen more as a character.
It might have been better if it'd been weaved in more naturally, like the subplot concerning why Vaughan was so against closing the beach, which was built over over the narrative with his increasing desperation to convince Brody not to scare away the tourists until the reveal. It was a great addition to the main plot and gave more depth to Vaughan's character. It made me feel for him more than the film did.
Overall it was a great read and reminded me how much I missed reading an omnipresent narrator. I'm really glad I got a chance to read it.
(Though I never did get used to them all referring to the shark as a "fish.")
