The Repurposed Library

by Lisa Occhipinti
The Repurposed Library cover
Good Books rating 3.17
Technical
  • ID: 5255
  • Added: 2025-10-22
  • Updated: 2025-10-22
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
media.heathercamlot.com · Unknown · 2025-10-23
brilliant 4.50

Sophie's World is a literary and philosophical masterpiece that intertwines theory, fact, imagery, and honesty to create a page-turner suitable for all ages and philosophical skill levels. The novel follows Sophie Amundsen, a 14-year-old Norwegian girl, as she receives mysterious letters and philosophical papers, leading her on a journey of self-discovery and philosophical enlightenment.

Sophie's World is a literary and philosophical masterpiece that seamlessly blends theory, fact, imagery, and honesty to create a compelling page-turner suitable for readers of all ages and philosophical backgrounds. The novel follows Sophie Amundsen, a 14-year-old Norwegian girl, who receives mysterious letters and philosophical papers addressed to someone else. Intrigued, she delves into the world of philosophy, guided by a wise philosopher named Alberto Knox. The story is a bildungsroman, showcasing Sophie's growth and maturity as she grapples with complex philosophical concepts. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making the book engaging and thought-provoking. The novel also provides a brief, accurate, and succinct history of philosophy, making it accessible to both novices and those with a background in the subject. The boldest message of the book is that everyone can be a philosopher and should never stop questioning the world around them.

Quick quotes

    Wisest is she who knows, she does not know

    The story is also host to many different these such as the nature of free will, religion and the importance of dreams

    Everyone should question everything, and you should never surrender the fight for true knowledge

goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-23
disappointing 1.50

The reviewer criticizes Sophie's World for its lack of depth in characters, setting, and story, arguing that it is more of a philosophy textbook than a novel. They find the meta-writing and complex storyline irksome and cumbersome, and the characters two-dimensional and unconvincing. However, they acknowledge that the philosophical content is largely informative.

The reviewer finds Sophie's World to be a disappointing novel, as it lacks the essential aspects of a good story: depth of characters, setting, and plot. Instead, they argue that the book is more of a philosophy textbook, with the author admitting as much through one of the characters. The reviewer criticizes the meta-writing and complex storyline, which they find irksome and cumbersome, and the characters, which they describe as two-dimensional and unconvincing. They also find the Norwegian identity of the characters and settings to be lacking. However, they acknowledge that the philosophical content is largely informative and could have been presented more effectively without the novel's storyline and characters. They suggest that the book would have been better as a straightforward educational offering on philosophy.

Quick quotes

    The author admits as much, directly, some three quarters of the way through this work, via the words of one of his main characters, Alberto Knox, a philosophy teacher to the young teenage Sophie.

    At the heart of the matter of Gaarder’s book seems merely to be the philosophical questioning that is: what if you were really a character in a book? (i.e. who are you?)

    What would have been preferable is that Gaarder (or his editor) strip out all reference to the ludicrous storyline within this book, all character references, and therefore all of Alberto Knox’s demeaning sobriquets in referring to Sophie as ‘child’ in his teaching, and all of the author’s uses of Sophie’s dialogue merely as means to break up the textbook speech.

nytimes.com · Unknown · 2011-04-27
intriguing 3.50

The novel 'Sophie's World' by Jostein Gaarder is a unique blend of philosophy and fiction, appealing to a wide audience. While some of the philosophical summaries are lucid and engaging, others feel simplistic and rushed, potentially discouraging deeper exploration of the subject.

The novel 'Sophie's World' by Jostein Gaarder is a captivating blend of philosophy and fiction, making complex ideas accessible to a broad audience. The story follows Sophie Amundsen, a young girl who receives mysterious letters introducing her to the history of philosophy. The narrative is engaging and creative, with Sophie and her mentor Alberto Knox embarking on a journey through philosophical thought, meeting historical figures like Plato. The novel's strength lies in its ability to simplify difficult philosophical concepts, making them understandable and relatable. However, some of the philosophical summaries feel overly simplified, almost like intellectual quick fixes. This approach might encourage some readers to explore the original works, but it could also leave others feeling that they have only scratched the surface of philosophy. The novel takes an unexpected turn when Sophie and Alberto realize they are characters in a novel written by a Norwegian major, adding a layer of meta-narrative that keeps the story intriguing. Overall, 'Sophie's World' is a thought-provoking and enjoyable read that successfully bridges the gap between philosophy and fiction.

Quick quotes

    Philosophy's search for truth resembles a detective story

    Mr. Gaarder's tour through the past of Western thought will perhaps have the good effect of encouraging some readers to seek out the real thing

    I suspect that most will be content with the bus ride; if it's Tuesday, this must be Descartes.

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