Basically Candide before Candide, but I still liked it! A fast and easy read, however the characters in Candide are much more charming and fun. Zalig: what a guy!!!!

This was a fun story about the adventures of the philosopher Zadig during his pursuit of love. While it was short there were a lot of interesting characters and events that happen, so the book is very fast-paced. I really liked how some of the women in the book were headstrong and played active roles in the story. Considering how old this book is I found that a pleasant surprise. For example, I really liked Astarté,

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one of Zadig's love interests who was hiding in a temple while her husband the King was allowing his new wife to become a tyrant. So to get back at her husband Astarté pretends to be the voice of his favorite God and tells him off.

I thought that this was so funny and made her character mischievous and a defender of people. There was also a lot of funny events like this peppered into the book. Though there were some things that did not age well which is expected from such an old book. For example, the hermit

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who was an angel and thanked people's kindness by burning down their house during the night and killing an old lady's beloved nephew was disturbing. I don't care that the hermit was an angel and had his big speech about how he knew best, what he did was fucked up. The angel even admitted that the nephew would have been a good person with a good life if the angel would have lectured him, though killing the kid was apparently better since the kid was destined to be murdered when he was older. I am pretty sure the old lady would have preferred the kid to grow up and die later then have her young nephew thrown off a cliff.

Though to be honest this part was most likely satire since it was so messed up, though just because something is satire doesn't mean I can't hate it.

Overall the book was good and aged well. I recommend this book if you like fun fast-paced books and I would recommend it even more if you loved Candide.

On the surface, this book feels very similar to ‘Candide’. It is a philosophical novel whereby the protagnist experiences a series of unfortunate events. In fact he experiences so many unfortunate events that it is hilarious. However, beneath the surface there is a profound difference in their central messages. While both stories provide insights into navigating a world full of injustice, their intended approaches and outcomes are distinct, tailored to individuals with very different aspirations.

Unlike in ‘Candide’, the relentless misfortunes experienced by Zadig transcends the slapstick quality of mere misfortune and explores moral resilience and intellectual growth. Voltaire asserts that in a world filled with injustice, unpredictability and general chaos, you must try to maintain your integrity, uphold your principles and seek wisdom. Crucially, Zadig distinguishes himself from Candide in his depth of character. His responses to adversity reflect a wisdom and thoughtfulness unlike Candide’s, whose experiences feel propelled by chance. Zadig's resilience is hard-earned through introspection and personal growth. His recovery from misfortune seems more rooted in his character rather than being a byproduct of luck. Zadig is a lot wiser and more thoughtful than Candide and therefore his recovery from these negative events feels more earned and less caused by luck.

While both 'Candide' and 'Zadig' address the challenges of an unjust world, their underlying messages tailor their guidance to individuals with differing aspirations. 'Candide' suggests a path of individual well-being through detachment, instructing the reader to seek refuge from an unjust world by turning their focus inward and nurturing their immediate surroundings. In contrast, 'Zadig' seems to be aimed at those who can’t sit back and tend to their own garden, when they see an unjust world. In ‘Zadig’ Voltaire encourages active participation with the world through moral strength and self-defined purpose. Here, Voltaire asserts that if you choose to engage with the complexities of humanity, personal cultivation isn't enough. To bring about change and assume a leadership role in improving society, moral resistance and a well-defined sense of self are essential.

For me personally, I am very happy to sit back and ‘tend to my own garden’, however, I enjoyed the story of someone much more ambitious than myself.

Voltaire makes me nostalgic for some reason???

A mediocre tale centered around Babylonian Zadig's struggles. While I generally like a strong philosophical touch I do find Voltaire's conclusion(s) ,at least in parts, too disagreeable to give Zadig a higher rating. The tale itself was rather dull to me as well. Understanding the work in the context of the time it was written greatly enhances the tale's merit and I can see why it has become a famous work in philosophical fiction.