Reviews

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

sinningsammy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I have a strong attachment to this story. When I was a theater kid I played Billy bones and it will always be a fond memory of mine. The story is so interesting and fun. At this point I’ve probably seen every adaptation of this story that exists.

lepetitbookstagram's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

heddas_bookgems's review against another edition

3.0

Don’t mind me finally actualizing my review. ⬇️

This is a swashbuckling adventure full of pirates, treasure maps, and double-crossing rogues. It's the kind of story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, until the pacing decides to throw you off. Some parts race along with thrilling action, while others seem to drag like an anchor in the sand. Still, the excitement mostly wins out, making it an enjoyable ride.

That said, for all its high-seas charm, the book comes with baggage, mainly the whiff of colonialism and racism that sticks out like a sore thumb today. Sure, it was groundbreaking back in the day, setting the template for every pirate tale since, but that doesn’t excuse the outdated attitudes. It hasn’t exactly aged like fine wine, more like a forgotten barrel of rum. Nevertheless, Treasure Island remains a classic, even if some parts now feel like a relic of a less enlightened time.

danisadler's review against another edition

2.0

Again not for me, if I hadn't had to read this for Uni I can't say I'd ever have picked it up!

Definitely more interesting than Little Women, but critically comparing the two regarding gender specific literature in the nineteenth century is going to be even more sleep inducing than reading the books in the first place I think!

hannahjane451's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Love me an adventure - and to a mysterious island no less. Though the language of the book is a bit complex in parts, I enjoyed the story with all its twists and turns. The characters are also very well written… perhaps one too many for ease of reading? or at least a few too many names… but Jim Hawkins is a great protagonist, and impossible not to root for. Following the coming-of-age storyline, I particularly enjoyed the arc of Jim’s confrontation with Israel Hands. On that note, the amount of death in the book is high, yet the emotion is relatively low - perhaps because it is a book targeted to young boys written in the 19th century? Or maybe thats just the pacing of a pirates life. Overall a strong narrative with unique characters. Glad I picked it up. 

molol's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Couldn’t say I knew exactly what was going on because it was an audiobook and I kept zoning out, but lots of plot twists and characters. 

zbmorgan's review against another edition

4.0

Underrated by modern times and usually pushed on boys, this fabulous adventure features a smart young hero, a VERY complex villain, and a lot of detail about the sailing life. It should come as no surprise this is incredibly well-written with good characters - it's by the same person who wrote Jekyll and Hyde, and Long John Silver has just as much psychological fodder for those who want to delve into what makes a fictional character tic.
Also, this is the basis for ALL pirates ever - done before Peter Pan (although Stevenson and Barrie were friends and correspondents) and certainly no pirate story would be the same without the framework here.

magik_the_cat's review against another edition

4.0

I tried to read this way, way back in the day and I could really get into the first chapter and DNFed it. I figured, maybe a dramatized audiobook would be better. I have no idea how it stands to the original story but its a lot of fun. The cast is great. It is a product of its time so some stuff is a little cringy like a woman's place is cleaning and a man's is out adventuring <.< But it's still a fun adventure and pretty dark for something I think is for kids.

adeelif's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

robotnik's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0