I think it's popular because it was a remarkable book for its time, but like Uncle Tom's Cabin or The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, I wouldn't say it's a fun literary read.
Strong cultural impact? Yes. Riveting novel? No.
You know how academics rack up citation circles to "boost the impact of their publications"?
Literature is a bit like that where you have a small group of people dictating the tastes of others, until it eventually collapses in on itself like a black hole and you're staring at an empty canvas, a banana peel, and an empty can of deodorant and calling it art.
Strong cultural impact? Yes. Riveting novel? No.
You know how academics rack up citation circles to "boost the impact of their publications"?
Literature is a bit like that where you have a small group of people dictating the tastes of others, until it eventually collapses in on itself like a black hole and you're staring at an empty canvas, a banana peel, and an empty can of deodorant and calling it art.