Reviews

Really beautiful, idyllic writing. I feel like I was supposed to read this mindlessly while sipping Prosecco in a row boat in France somewhere and reminiscing about childhood.

jdronen's review against another edition

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5.0

This was hard to put down. Read at a nice pace. Beautiful observations of nature embellish a heart-felt story of the adventures of youth. This will definitely be a future reread.

jamesdanielhorn's review against another edition

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4.0

This is a wonderfully written bit of classic reading that at times feels like middle grade or young adult, but with just enough challenge to push the reader into new territory. It’s not perfect, particularly with its dated and possibly troublesome depiction of “Gypsies,” but to be fair the book was written in 1945 and I think the book makes up for its minor transgressions in heart.

The Huckleberry Finn comparison is obvious generally with its overarching boys adventure on a river plot, but there is a much subtler beauty to this book. I think is more akin to Tove Jannson’s Summer Book, with its gorgeous passages and underlying melancholy.

As some of you who know me IRL know, I’ve played in touring bands for many years and after weeks on the road, I am always excited to arrive home only for the coming weeks to feel dull and lacking in excitement. As daily life’s routine trudges on, I’ll want desperately to live the freedom and excitement of the road again. This book manages to capture that very particular ennui, so beautifully even if it’s in such a different context.

I don’t get the negative reviews. Maybe the newer NYRB translation does the book more justice, and some of these reviews are of the older translation? I would recommend this to just about anyone.