Matt's Reviews > Candide

Possibly this is that part of the globe where everything is right, for there must certainly be some such place.

Candide is an interesting short novel. It is only about 120 pages long, but it is broken down into 30 chapters, so it is a very quick read.

I got both a Don Quixote and an Arabian Nights vibe from Candide. In this story, Candide searches for his lost love, Lady Cunegonde, and all the while is also learning that the world is far from perfect. He finds that there is evil, war, death, pain, and suffering in the world, and he eventually obtains a realistic view of his world, which is a sea change from the “rose-colored glasses” optimism he starts out with. The final line of Candide conveys Voltaire’s entire point: ...”but we must cultivate our garden” - meaning that while there will always be evil, we must make the world better whenever and wherever we can.

Voltaire wrote in a bold voice during his time which got him into trouble, but his message in Candide definitely resonates today. It is overall a dramatic hyperbole, but he used the exaggerations to great effect to help him make his point. I especially enjoyed the El Dorado chapters - it reminded me so much of Arabian Nights which I read last year and thoroughly enjoyed.

Candide is worthwhile mainly because it is short and it is rather unique in the way it is delivered with the very short chapters, and quick, fast-moving plot.