Reviews

The Brothers Lionheart, by Astrid Lindgren

accioanna's review against another edition

5.0

2020
Älskar Bröderna Lejonhjärta ♥️

2014
Jag har inte läst den här på många år, men det var en av mina favoritböcker när jag var liten. Fortfarande en favorit, älskade att läsa om den.

fonika's review

adventurous emotional sad fast-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

4.25

thelastcolour's review

5.0

I am going to break my "no reviewing books whilst you have revision to do" code to review this little gem. This book warmed my heart and just made me so happy and sad. I really wish that I had discovered this book as a child because it would have been exactly what I needed. Little Karl, a boy that is dying thinks that he is not good enough for anything. He constantly puts himself under scrutiny for not being brave enough, for being too skinny, for not being able to walk properly. He lives in the shadow of his older brother, Jonathan, whom everyone adores and admires. But when both boys tragically die (thanks for ripping my heart out at the beginning of the book Lindgren!) they both end up in Nangiyala - an allusion to heaven, a place where they expected to always be happy.

'The Brothers Lionheart' is a story of battles and friendship and bravery. It will give children hope and make them smile and cry. Lindgren has created a world that children will marvel at, characters that they will aspire to be.
I will cherish this book forever and cannot wait to read this to my children one day. I think that is one of the greatest compliments a book can have - to be good enough for the future generations. Thank you Astrid Lindgren. Thank you.

klaratoll's review against another edition

5.0

Jag är inte hundra procent säker på att jag faktiskt har läst eller lyssnat på boken tidigare, men historien är en av mina absoluta favoriter från när jag var liten. En av de sorgligaste men ändå vackraste jag någonsin hört.

sonofthunder's review

2.0

So. I really wanted to like this book. Kerly recommended it to me, and when a friend heartily recommends a book, one wants to like it, true? Well I struggled with this one. It's written by a Swedish author - which is a good start. I always like reading non-American authors and was looking forward to this one, as she's a notable children book author. But I couldn't really warm to this one. Part of it may be my fault. As this is a children's book, I may be (certainly am) the wrong audience for this book. When you read a book as a child and later as an adult, that nostalgia warms your heart and oft chases away any feeling you may have that this book isn't actually that good. In this case, the first time I read this book was at the ripe old age of 32 - hence no nostalgia and so...I actually just didn't think it was that well written. Some of it may be because of the language - it wasn't written in English obviously, and so maybe a bit of the magic of this book was lost in translation. But I thought the story fairly simple and even a bit treacly. But well - it's a children's book. Not great, but oh well. Then I came to the end...and as I read the last few pages, I couldn't believe what I saw coming. The ending itself horrified me. Shall I explain? Well yes, but if you don't want to be spoiled, don't read further as I shall go into plot, etc. So this book is about two brothers - fairly early on in the story, one brother dies saving his invalid brother from a fire. The invalid brother dies shortly thereafter. Wait, story over? Nope! Because the healthy brother had often told his sick brother stories of what would come after death - the perfect cottage, healthy body, fishing all the time...all that good stuff! (Note - by far my favourite part of this book was seeing the love between the brothers...so pure and sweet and strong. Oh that we would all love each other so). Anyway - when the brothers are both dead, they end up in this afterlife - all is as per the tales and it is magical! For a time. Until it is revealed that even in this wonderful land, there is an evil lurking and seeking to devour all things. Most of the book is taken up with the fight against this evil - the brothers and their comrades are victorious, hurrah! A fairly simplistic plot, but for a children's story, normal fare. But it turns out that the older brother had been exposed to a paralytic poison. The brothers are sitting on top of this cliff face and they are both sad over this turn of events. Several times over the course of their stay in this afterlife country, the older brother had told the younger that even if they die in this afterlife, there is another afterlife country to come...even better and purer than that one. So as they sit atop this cliff face, the older brother paralyzed and the younger brother with tear-streaked face...what is the natural conclusion? Well obviously, for the younger brother to put his older brother on his back and leap off the cliff so they could both be in the next afterlife country...together. Yes, this book ends with suicide in the afterlife. And it's presented as a noble, good thing. So there you go. With this ending, I cannot like the book. I'm sure there are many other reasons people may love this book (like my friend Kerly does!!), but for me, the ending left an extremely sour taste in my mouth. I need to read a few more of her books, just so that I can understand why Lindgren is loved so.

fridasunde's review against another edition

4.0

Ga meg dødsangst som 7-åring men ellers en fin bok.

w_golebiowskaa's review against another edition

4.0

4.25

thereadingsparrow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

ciska's review against another edition

4.0

One of my childhood favourites. I was checking this book out of the library on a regular base and it always made me cry. The book is full of adventure filled with dragons and knights in shining armour. It is a pretty dark and sad story for children. But the courage and bravery. The love and loyalty between the two brothers is something that gives hope. That is light. I still loved reading it as an adult.

honigbieni's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

1.75