tibbarasden's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
This one got 5 stars for the cozy, feel-good vibes it gave me and Ned. That said, there were some problems, and it really overall was probably more of a 4 star based on expectations. I originally read the second book in this duology, not knowing it was part of a series. I think the second book was definitely more fitting to the theme. In this book, the Flying Dutchman really only plays a small part in the beginning, with Ben then having a few flashbacks throughout the rest of the story. There is a small portion after the ship before we jump ahead, and the main plot line begins. The bulk of the story has Ben and Ned in a small village that they need to help save. In order to do so, they have to follow clues to find what they need. Along the way, they stand up to bullies and make friends with villagers who band together to save their home. I like how there are different age ranges in the group and unique personalities. I am definitely not mad about the story we got, though I was expecting a story fully based on the Flying Dutchman going in. As such, the beginning did feel disconnected from the rest, but having already read the second book, I know that one focuses more on the nautical theme and Ben being haunted by the ship.
caitatoes's review against another edition
2.0
i feel like comparing this book to redwall is kind of pointless because theyre very different books, but the writing in general was weaker in this one. i didn't get much farther than once they got off the flying dutchman, cause it just didn't really keep my attention.
lw7710's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
gkneveu's review against another edition
1.0
I was very disappointed with this book. My friend had told me about it and it sounded really cool so I got it. I'd never really been into Redwall (the very popular series by this author), but this book is very different than those, so I decided to give it a try, unfortunately it only served to remind me of all the reasons I had never finished a Redwall book.
The story is about a boy and his dog, two unfortunate beings unwillingly taken onto the Flying Dutchman(pre-curse). They are mistreated but remain strong and loyal to each other, and when the captain angers the gods and dooms the entire ship, the boy and his dog are spared because of their innocence. They get the good end of the deal and are immortal like the rest of the crew, but are allowed to leave the ship. Cool idea, right? Too bad it's about the only good thing about the book. The rest of the story is unoriginal and extremely predictable. The writing is mediocre, and the unnatural and forced dialogue makes me cringe. There was so much you could do with this idea, so many interesting stories could come from this young boy and dog who've been alive for hundreds of years, never aging, never able to stay in one place very long and never allowed to get attached to anyone. But the story is so predictable, so uninspired. The characters were flat and uninteresting, and I got attached to none of them, not even the two main characters. It's too bad that such a cool, original idea was so poorly executed.
The story is about a boy and his dog, two unfortunate beings unwillingly taken onto the Flying Dutchman(pre-curse). They are mistreated but remain strong and loyal to each other, and when the captain angers the gods and dooms the entire ship, the boy and his dog are spared because of their innocence. They get the good end of the deal and are immortal like the rest of the crew, but are allowed to leave the ship. Cool idea, right? Too bad it's about the only good thing about the book. The rest of the story is unoriginal and extremely predictable. The writing is mediocre, and the unnatural and forced dialogue makes me cringe. There was so much you could do with this idea, so many interesting stories could come from this young boy and dog who've been alive for hundreds of years, never aging, never able to stay in one place very long and never allowed to get attached to anyone. But the story is so predictable, so uninspired. The characters were flat and uninteresting, and I got attached to none of them, not even the two main characters. It's too bad that such a cool, original idea was so poorly executed.
hjoyner12's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
dare2smile's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
wanderinginthewoods's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
cthuwu's review against another edition
3.0
i haven't really been feeling long reviews lately so if you see me giving stuff just a star rating that's why. this wasn't as good an opener as redwall was, but i have such a feeling of nostalgia about it i couldn't rate it any less than three stars.
hybum's review against another edition
4.0
I had NO idea what the plot was before reading this book. I expect that people could be disappointed if they were expecting some sort of seafaring adventure like that of Pirates of the Caribbean. However, if you're expect Redwall but with humans, this book is perfect for you.
Castaways of the Flying Dutchman is very similar to The Pearls of Lutra, in that it revolves around treasure hunting and clue solving. I thought the clues themselves were a little weak sauce, but other than that I quite liked the book. Ben and Ned are very likeable characters, and the story lends itself very neatly to sequels.
Without giving too much away, I loved how they slowly recruited more and more people, so that in the end it was a town victory, not a Ben-and-Ned-saved-the-day kind of situation. It's very uncliché in that regard.
I think anyone could enjoy this book, but I particularly recommend it to fans of Redwall. Just remember, this is not a book about sailing the seas.
Castaways of the Flying Dutchman is very similar to The Pearls of Lutra, in that it revolves around treasure hunting and clue solving. I thought the clues themselves were a little weak sauce, but other than that I quite liked the book. Ben and Ned are very likeable characters, and the story lends itself very neatly to sequels.
Without giving too much away, I loved how they slowly recruited more and more people, so that in the end it was a town victory, not a Ben-and-Ned-saved-the-day kind of situation. It's very uncliché in that regard.
I think anyone could enjoy this book, but I particularly recommend it to fans of Redwall. Just remember, this is not a book about sailing the seas.