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kord's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
rosekk's review against another edition
1.0
I really liked the image of this island, bursting with awesome creatures and lush foliage. The illustrations added to this.
And there my praise ends.
The first problem I came across was the style of the writing. It's written in that wordy, clunky style which puts people off reading anything written before the 1940s. The sentences don't flow, and since it's aimed at children, feel a bit twee as well.
The second problem I came across was the character of 'my wife'. For she is primarily known only as 'my wife' (or, occasionally, 'my dear wife'). I didn't know her name until the final chapter of the book. Somehow, she's not the worst portrayal of a female character ever set to paper; she at least has some backbone, and faces the shipwreck bravely. But mostly she just cooks and fulfils the ideal of a good Christian wife. Quietly. Without being clearly named.
And, lastly, the thing that made me start skim reading this book, was the absence of either plot or trouble. The book starts with a shipwreck, which should be exciting enough and provide plenty of trials for our protagonists to cope with. But the wreck doesn't really hurt them (it frightens them a bit), and somehow a whole host of useful tools for survival (as well as a farm's worth of domestic creatures) all survive the shipwreck and are easily collected by the family. As if that wasn't enough, the island coughs up multiple miracles. There's a whole host of edible plants and animals which the family gather with ease. They manage to put together things like sugar mills, and are able to work leather and rubber so that even items requiring a fair amount of manufacture are available on their island. They never want for a thing. And the characters, being plucky souls who trust in god to protect them, never despair or even really worry about anything. So... they just wander around the island discovering (and usually eating) exotic animals and treating their 10-year stint on a lonely island as one giant natural history lesson, in which the couple and their sons manage to speed-run human development. It reminded me of survival/crafting games on easy mode - everything you could imagine wanting is conjured from a conveniently discovered tree.
And there my praise ends.
The first problem I came across was the style of the writing. It's written in that wordy, clunky style which puts people off reading anything written before the 1940s. The sentences don't flow, and since it's aimed at children, feel a bit twee as well.
The second problem I came across was the character of 'my wife'. For she is primarily known only as 'my wife' (or, occasionally, 'my dear wife'). I didn't know her name until the final chapter of the book. Somehow, she's not the worst portrayal of a female character ever set to paper; she at least has some backbone, and faces the shipwreck bravely. But mostly she just cooks and fulfils the ideal of a good Christian wife. Quietly. Without being clearly named.
And, lastly, the thing that made me start skim reading this book, was the absence of either plot or trouble. The book starts with a shipwreck, which should be exciting enough and provide plenty of trials for our protagonists to cope with. But the wreck doesn't really hurt them (it frightens them a bit), and somehow a whole host of useful tools for survival (as well as a farm's worth of domestic creatures) all survive the shipwreck and are easily collected by the family. As if that wasn't enough, the island coughs up multiple miracles. There's a whole host of edible plants and animals which the family gather with ease. They manage to put together things like sugar mills, and are able to work leather and rubber so that even items requiring a fair amount of manufacture are available on their island. They never want for a thing. And the characters, being plucky souls who trust in god to protect them, never despair or even really worry about anything. So... they just wander around the island discovering (and usually eating) exotic animals and treating their 10-year stint on a lonely island as one giant natural history lesson, in which the couple and their sons manage to speed-run human development. It reminded me of survival/crafting games on easy mode - everything you could imagine wanting is conjured from a conveniently discovered tree.
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???