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elainegl's review against another edition
Although I loved this book in the beginning, it dragged on so much that I was unable to finish it. Other than the ship wreck in the beginning, it seems nothing bad ever happened. Jim Weiss does a great job of narrating the book though!
kmanhart's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
3.0
First of all where the heck are these guys where there are monkeys, flamingoes, penguins, and kangaroos? Secondly I find it so unbelievable that they just KNOW everything- which plants are edible, how to make the toxic plants edible, what the new and weird animals are, how to cook said plants and animals, and make a living off this island. Third, what little psychos their boys are literally killing everything without purpose, and then just shrugging their shoulders and laughing about it and telling their mother she needs to figure out how to cook and preserve them for later. Fourth- the dad is such a hypocrite, telling his boys not to joke around with each other because it’s “lying” and then pulling all sorts of mean pranks on his wife. Fifth- I loooove how everything they need just conveniently shows up. I get they’re traveling on a merchant ship but a merchant ship that just so happens to have exactly what they need, and an island full of every fruit and veggie they know of including things that don’t grow together all on this one island?! Really?! Now based on my review you probably think I don’t like this book, wrong, I did enjoy it. I’m just pointing out all the blatant plot holes.
vorgable's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this as an audio book. A fun adventure story of a family who is shipwrecked and has to work together to survive on an uninhabited island. Good wholesome story with a moral
I give it 3 stars because I spent the whole book trying to figure out where the family was wrecked. From some of the animals described you think Australia, some South America, some Africa.
I give it 3 stars because I spent the whole book trying to figure out where the family was wrecked. From some of the animals described you think Australia, some South America, some Africa.
maryehavens's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Abandoning at 56% and calling it done. I don't usually consider books I abandon as "finished" but I don't think the remaining 44% is going to be different than what I have already read.
The "Swiss Family Robinson" has an interesting history. Apparently, there is an original out there somewhere but the "current" version has been added on to so many times that it's difficult to find (?). That's the impression I got from my limited research. I downloaded a 13 hour version after I saw that Librivox had a variety of lengths (now I can't see that - they just have the time for the intros. IDK).
I remember seeing a paperback version that my dad owned. It was abridged and I scoffed at that. In general, I want to read the entire book but knowing the history of this book, I should have read the abridged paperback!! :D
I am a huge fan of the Disney "Swiss Family Robinson" with all those Disney actors: that kid from "Shaggy Dog", that little kid from "Pollyanna", the cute guy from "Hawaii 5-0". I don't remember any of their names. The movie followed the book fairly closely in the beginning. I didn't get to a part where Roberta or the pirates may or may not have shown up (I don't think those movie plot points are part of the book although, apparently "savages" show up later on).
The book was good but it just went on forever. I still had over 5 hours and it just seemed like the author or editor could add on new adventures and challenges forever. And I had a new book arrive from the library, etc.
I feel like I gave it a good go and got the idea. I can see how an abridged version would be perfect, especially for younger readers.
The "Swiss Family Robinson" has an interesting history. Apparently, there is an original out there somewhere but the "current" version has been added on to so many times that it's difficult to find (?). That's the impression I got from my limited research. I downloaded a 13 hour version after I saw that Librivox had a variety of lengths (now I can't see that - they just have the time for the intros. IDK).
I remember seeing a paperback version that my dad owned. It was abridged and I scoffed at that. In general, I want to read the entire book but knowing the history of this book, I should have read the abridged paperback!! :D
I am a huge fan of the Disney "Swiss Family Robinson" with all those Disney actors: that kid from "Shaggy Dog", that little kid from "Pollyanna", the cute guy from "Hawaii 5-0". I don't remember any of their names. The movie followed the book fairly closely in the beginning. I didn't get to a part where Roberta or the pirates may or may not have shown up (I don't think those movie plot points are part of the book although, apparently "savages" show up later on).
The book was good but it just went on forever. I still had over 5 hours and it just seemed like the author or editor could add on new adventures and challenges forever. And I had a new book arrive from the library, etc.
I feel like I gave it a good go and got the idea. I can see how an abridged version would be perfect, especially for younger readers.
carrot_cake23's review against another edition
2.0
2 ☆
I'm currently adding books that I read last year for my middle school book club, this was one of them.
OMFG I HATED THIS BOOK!!!!
this was the family the entire book. Kill, enslave, move. Repeat. And almost every animal was on ONE island. Like there were monkeys and penguins, like what???
I'm currently adding books that I read last year for my middle school book club, this was one of them.
OMFG I HATED THIS BOOK!!!!
this was the family the entire book. Kill, enslave, move. Repeat. And almost every animal was on ONE island. Like there were monkeys and penguins, like what???
lesserjoke's review against another edition
3.0
This 1812 children's classic of a shipwrecked family is understandably old-fashioned, but it's still a fun read. Although the action is incredibly episodic with almost no ongoing plot or sense of real danger, the characters' plucky optimism makes it easy to root for them as they set up their new island home. It’s a welcome change from their dreary namesake Robinson Crusoe, and a nice picture of a family that sometimes bickers but always pulls together.
[With that being said, modern readers, especially those looking to share the story with young children, should be aware of some mild racism and colonial attitudes in this text. The island has no other human life, but the castaways occasionally discuss "Negroes" and "savages" in disparaging terms. These moments are unfortunately typical for the time of publication, but can be jarring amid the general pleasantness of the story.]
[With that being said, modern readers, especially those looking to share the story with young children, should be aware of some mild racism and colonial attitudes in this text. The island has no other human life, but the castaways occasionally discuss "Negroes" and "savages" in disparaging terms. These moments are unfortunately typical for the time of publication, but can be jarring amid the general pleasantness of the story.]
kehmen's review against another edition
our current school read aloud.. the kids & I love it!
literatimedium's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
DNF for me