Reviews

Bambi: A Life in the Woods by Michael J. Woods, Felix Salten

odelsshelf's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted slow-paced

3.75

endaira91's review against another edition

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1.0

The one star is because it inspired one of my favorite Disney movies 

bbboeken's review against another edition

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4.0

****1/2

“Diep in het struikgewas werd hij geboren, in een van de kleine, verborgen kamertjes in het bos.” En met die openingszin eindigt ook alle vergelijk met de gelijknamige, en heel losjes op het boek gebaseerde, Disneyfilm. Disney's Bambi valt moeilijk te vergelijken met het origineel van Felix Salten. Zoals de vertaler, Jet Quadekker, in het nawoord schrijft: "Er is een transcriptie van de productiebesprekingen van Disney's medewerkers tussen 1937 en 1940, die als extra material op de dvd te horen is. Daarin wordt letterlijk gezegd: we volgen het boek niet." Het is echter van de vorige eeuw geleden dat ik de film heb gezien, dus misschien moet ik dat maar eens op mijn todo lijstje zetten.

Bambi (het boek) is misschien wel een sprookje, maar dan toch eentje voor volwassenen. Het verhaal gaat over dood en eenzaamheid, en (onrechtstreeks) ook over de gruwel van de mens. Sommigen wilden er per se een politiek pamflet voor het zionisme in zien, maar als dat zo is, zit het onvindbaar diep verborgen. De enige echte noot van kritiek is een ouderwetse bevestiging van het traditionele rollenpatroon, maar laten we niet vergeten dat dit boek in 1923 werd geschreven. Dat spreekt helemaal geen goedkeuring uit, maar wel een kadering. (En het is meteen ook de reden waarom dit boek niet de volle vijf sterren krijgt.)

Dit boek is echter absoluut de moeite van het lezen waard, en in deze editie krijgen we er niet alleen een zeer pertinent nawoord van de vertaler bij, maar ook een interessant voorwoord (dat lezen we toch allemaal pas nadat we het boek zelf hebben gelezen) van Arnon Grunberg.

llmacrae's review against another edition

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4.0

So I hadn't planned on reading this, but I spent the night at my mum's looking after her following her dental surgery and needed to read without the light!

I've never read any of the books the Disney films are based on, and am aware most are much darker (thinking specifically of The Little Mermaid or The Fox And The Hound), so I didn't go into this with complete ignorance.

It is sweet in some parts, with stunning descriptions of forests and seasons. I am familiar with the film so I knew the rough plot and the things that would happen, but of course the book is very different from the adaptation of the 1940s.

Still it was a very quick, easy read, with wonder, sadness, and brutality. The deer are very much deer, there is very little anthropomorphising going on here, which suited the story.

A classic that I am glad to have read!

Next year I might try and read some more of the books my childhood films are based on - and Studio Ghibli, too!

marianaarguellogalvez's review against another edition

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5.0

El libro trata sobre las aventuras de Bambi y como poco a poco va conociendo el mundo que lo rodea, y los peligros que lo acechan. Es una historia muy bella que nos introduce a la vida en el bosque, con una narración muy entretenida.

Es muy importante señalar el desarrollo de Bambi durante la trama, de ser un pequeño corzo ingenuo y siempre en busca del apoyo, y la compañía de su mami, a lograr comprender situaciones y hechos que están más allá de su entendimiento.

ozblom24's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

kathleennicholson09's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

kandicez's review against another edition

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3.0

I want to know how Disney read this and decided it would make a good cartoon. Seriously. I need to research this and find out if it was truly him that focused on this novel for the film, or if someone else brought the idea to him.

Salten anthropomorphizes woodland animals to give us a look inside their lives. It's important to remember, reading this today in the 21st century, that it was written in 1923. There was no (or very little) eco biology. Saving the planet was not a "thing" at the time. I don't even know if people were really aware, or worried about man's effect on the environment on any kind of scale at the time. This book could be used in many college courses today. Did Salten get a lot wrong about animal behavior? Yes, I think he did, but it makes no difference. You close this book feeling like scum for being a human that infringes upon, hunts and kills animals for sport. I imagine that most hunters in the 20's ate their prey, but today I don't know how true that is, so the emotions inspired by this book are very different than they would have been reading it upon publication.

I think most adults were traumatized by Disney's Bambi at some point. Perhaps it was more traumatizing (I don't even have to say what "it" is because everyone knows!) because the movie was a cartoon. It was beautiful and lush, and delicately drawn. Children don't expect what happened in the movie and for many, this is their first hint that their parents are mortal. The book is not a beautiful cartoon and "it" happens off page, and is later mentioned and realized in an almost off-hand way that somehow lends even more tragedy to the event.

I think everyone would glean something from reading this. There is a lot to absorb, it's simply written and the words are small, but the ideas are anything but simple or small. The ideas are earth shattering.

gregorsamsacore's review against another edition

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4.0

why am i crying???

maaike96's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny informative relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5