poplartears's review
3.0
Although the kids had a hard time following the story (just like with Shakespeare, must be the Old English) this was a really good book. We just paused periodically to make sure that everyone was up to speed. This was not at all what I expected from Mark Twain although it did bear his hallmark humor. It was like a Tom and Huck scheme gone wrong with thees and thous. It was a much more in depth story than what you might suppose if all you had been exposed to is the animated versions. I was pleased and entertained.
angharadmair's review against another edition
3.0
controversial opinion: barbie princess and the pauper did it better……..
also, this speech is emblazoned on my soul:
also, this speech is emblazoned on my soul:
“I am Yokel, once a farmer and prosperous, with loving wife and kids—now am I somewhat different in estate and calling; and the wife and kids are gone; mayhap they are in heaven, mayhap in—in the other place—but the kindly God be thanked, they bide no more in ENGLAND! My good old blameless mother strove to earn bread by nursing the sick; one of these died, the doctors knew not how, so my mother was burnt for a witch, whilst my babes looked on and wailed. English law!—up, all, with your cups!—now all together and with a cheer!—drink to the merciful English law that delivered HER from the English hell! Thank you, mates, one and all. I begged, from house to house—I and the wife—bearing with us the hungry kids—but it was crime to be hungry in England—so they stripped us and lashed us through three towns. Drink ye all again to the merciful English law!—for its lash drank deep of my Mary’s blood and its blessed deliverance came quick. She lies there, in the potter’s field, safe from all harms. And the kids—well, whilst the law lashed me from town to town, they starved. Drink, lads—only a drop—a drop to the poor kids, that never did any creature harm. I begged again—begged, for a crust, and got the stocks and lost an ear—see, here bides the stump; I begged again, and here is the stump of the other to keep me minded of it. And still I begged again, and was sold for a slave—here on my cheek under this stain, if I washed it off, ye might see the red S the branding-iron left there! A SLAVE! Do you understand that word? An English SLAVE!—that is he that stands before ye. I have run from my master, and when I am found—the heavy curse of heaven fall on the law of the land that hath commanded it!—I shall hang!”
idk_dabi's review
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? Yes
3.5
pixie_hallows's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable classic about doppelgängers and the trials they have due to switching places.
marinazala's review
3.0
Buku ini kan udaaaah aku bacaaa di tahun 2016! gara2 habis belanja Big Bad Wolf di tahun 2016. Napa hilang dah reviewnya zzzz =___=a
k_lee_reads_it's review
3.0
Loved the story. Got tired of some of the archaic language. Skipped a bit. Worth reading if you haven't before.
shizukashizu's review
4.0
So I decided to read this book, as I wanted to know the original story that inspired many 90s films and also the barbie film that was my favourite in my childhood. And also cause it's been said by people I know, that it's a sad book? Well, I won't spoil if it was actually a sad one or not, but I actually enjoyed reading it. Maybe not at the very beginning, since it was a tad hard to get into it due to the Old English dialogue, but the more I was nearing the end, the easier it was to read, and the more i started to immerse myself into the story. The main two characters, Tom and the Prince, I didn't really like them, except at the very end, but they had quite a nice character development throughout the story. The only character that I found interesting was Hendon, he had an interesting story. Overall, I was not disappointed with this book, and I can see myself reading it again.