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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
These kids had so much freedom.
This is the point I kept coming back to while reading this.
They were children, small, children. And their mother just let them sail off, and camp outside. I kept wondering if maybe it was their imagination, maybe they didn't sail away, maybe it was a 20 foot pond that if need be they could just walk around and go home?
I kept looking for clues and I never found any... guys I think they actually sailed away, and their mom was like
"byeee, sail safely ... keep a fire going so wild animals don't get you ... or ROBBERS, the bad men that are known to frequent these parts, byyyeeee kids"
And I just couldn't get past that, ever, during the whole book.
Having said that, I still loved this story. These fiercely independent would-be pirate children have themselves some pretty good adventures. It was easy to get lost is the imagination of a child.
This is the point I kept coming back to while reading this.
They were children, small, children. And their mother just let them sail off, and camp outside. I kept wondering if maybe it was their imagination, maybe they didn't sail away, maybe it was a 20 foot pond that if need be they could just walk around and go home?
I kept looking for clues and I never found any... guys I think they actually sailed away, and their mom was like
"byeee, sail safely ... keep a fire going so wild animals don't get you ... or ROBBERS, the bad men that are known to frequent these parts, byyyeeee kids"
And I just couldn't get past that, ever, during the whole book.
Having said that, I still loved this story. These fiercely independent would-be pirate children have themselves some pretty good adventures. It was easy to get lost is the imagination of a child.
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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
When my husband selected Swallows and Amazons for our listening pleasure, initially I was a bit dismayed. A children’s book? Really?
Nonetheless, I found myself being drawn in to the children’s world as they camp on Wild Cat island, sail Swallow and Amazon, and have wonderful adventures. The Swallow crew and the Amazon crew compete to determine which will lead their fleet. They must deal with “natives,” and the Amazon crew’s cantankerous uncle. Then there is the weather.
While acting out their stories, the children practice self-reliance. They collect firewood, cook meals, care for their sailboats, and look out for each other.
To live in their imaginations is so darn fun!
Would I read more of this author? Yes! In fact there are twelve books in this series.
I LOVED this book and can't wait to read the others. It came highly recommended and lived up to my expectations.
This book is somewhat magical - it takes you back to a time when not only childhood was more innocent and carefree but life and the world itself more wholesome and adventurous. If I could choose any decade in which to live, the 20s would probably be first or second choice and Swallows & Amazons is testament to that. The whole novel is a mix of childhood delight in the power of imagination and the timeless appeal of the great outdoors. I think a lot of its charm comes from the fact that this is not just a book written in the era of sailing boats and genuine global exploration, it is a book written from the child's perspective of these exciting things, thus romanticising it all the more. It's only when you think that the kids in the book would all be in their early 90s now that you realise those times aren't all that far away - there are people alive that will have grown up like this. Thereby making it all the more agonising that such antics just don't seem achieveable these days. Camping out alone on an island alone, in charge of a sailing boat and being allowed to charge about pretending to be pirates...fantastic.
This is a kid's book but lord knows how they're expected to get through 418 pages while keeping their attention span. In a way though the length is the only deviation from the fact that this isn't principally aimed at adults. For instance, in terms of the language, sentences are sometimes unintentionally humourous with their non-sequiters - it is isn't unusual for a chapter to end with a random utterance from a character like "'I'm tired', said John". I don't know if kids these days would 'get' the language and terms of reference so in a way, Swallows & Amazons has almost become a book that is best read by adults. I hasten to add though, that this is truly a shame because it is an absolutely splendid immersive experience.
All in all, it makes one ache for not only the simpler times of childhood but the simpler times of the early 20th century. The fun had by the characters in this book is, I'll wager, a thousand times greater than any 'contemporary' young fiction. Must read.
This is a kid's book but lord knows how they're expected to get through 418 pages while keeping their attention span. In a way though the length is the only deviation from the fact that this isn't principally aimed at adults. For instance, in terms of the language, sentences are sometimes unintentionally humourous with their non-sequiters - it is isn't unusual for a chapter to end with a random utterance from a character like "'I'm tired', said John". I don't know if kids these days would 'get' the language and terms of reference so in a way, Swallows & Amazons has almost become a book that is best read by adults. I hasten to add though, that this is truly a shame because it is an absolutely splendid immersive experience.
All in all, it makes one ache for not only the simpler times of childhood but the simpler times of the early 20th century. The fun had by the characters in this book is, I'll wager, a thousand times greater than any 'contemporary' young fiction. Must read.
adventurous
lighthearted
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
Lovely read. Nostalgic for the Lake District and keen to try my hand at sailing!
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This book started off so slow for me. The kids heading to the island was told in excessive detail, and most of the sailing descriptions went over my head. It got more interesting later on, but there are a lot of situations that could have gone so much worse than they did. It made the book a bit frustrating to read as a parent almost 100 years later.
I’ve seen many people praising it for the freedom these children have in that nostalgic way. But it needs to be pointed out the privilege that allows for that. There is a mom who was able to bring the kids away for an extended period of time, with a full-time nanny. They are able to make arrangements with a nearby farm for daily pickup of fresh food.
Kids set off fireworks on the roof of a houseboat. At another point, kids are out in sailboats overnight in the dark, some almost getting stuck and lost, others coming into contact with actual adult burglars. By narrative license, everything was fine, but these are legitimately dangerous situations that they don’t actually benefit from. It’s okay for kids to miss out on these and have safeguards in place.
I’ve seen many people praising it for the freedom these children have in that nostalgic way. But it needs to be pointed out the privilege that allows for that. There is a mom who was able to bring the kids away for an extended period of time, with a full-time nanny. They are able to make arrangements with a nearby farm for daily pickup of fresh food.
Kids set off fireworks on the roof of a houseboat. At another point, kids are out in sailboats overnight in the dark, some almost getting stuck and lost, others coming into contact with actual adult burglars. By narrative license, everything was fine, but these are legitimately dangerous situations that they don’t actually benefit from. It’s okay for kids to miss out on these and have safeguards in place.
I was not enjoying the writing style, and I could not get past that one of the characters was named Titty.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“The island had come to seem one of those places seen from the train that belong to a life in which we shall never take part.” - Arthur Ransome, Swallows and Amazons.
Here's a short review of a children's book I re-read last year, just for a bit of respite. Swallows and Amazons is one of the classic children's books that so many children read at some point; in my case, my dad first read it to me when I was wee. I don't really know if I can give you a thought-provoking review when this book is for people a quarter of my age. So, here is just a brief note of my thoughts.
As children's books go, the story was fun and light-hearted. There was a little bit of adventure and some saving-the-day moments that are a staple in children's adventure stories of this era (think Famous Five). For a child getting into reading for the first time now, would I recommend this to a parent? Perhaps not. The gender roles are pretty outdated, although not as egregious as some of the stereotypes in Famous Five. And although not explicitly racist, I would err on the side of not continuing to uphold this book when it contains various mentions of Indigenous people (fictitious ones the children have made up) that rely on racial and ethnic stereotypes.
If a parent were to give this to their child, I'd at least advise that they explain the problematic parts and why they are not okay. Some may argue this book is 'of its time', but I'd say that doesn't excuse its contents, particularly if you are going to introduce it to a new generation of readers.
On the whole, if you were to remove the problematic parts—perhaps rewrite it for a modern audience—the book would be a light-hearted and fun adventure story for children. In its current form, though, I would not recommend it. Nevertheless, I'm glad I could revisit it for reflection purposes. - C x
Here's a short review of a children's book I re-read last year, just for a bit of respite. Swallows and Amazons is one of the classic children's books that so many children read at some point; in my case, my dad first read it to me when I was wee. I don't really know if I can give you a thought-provoking review when this book is for people a quarter of my age. So, here is just a brief note of my thoughts.
As children's books go, the story was fun and light-hearted. There was a little bit of adventure and some saving-the-day moments that are a staple in children's adventure stories of this era (think Famous Five). For a child getting into reading for the first time now, would I recommend this to a parent? Perhaps not. The gender roles are pretty outdated, although not as egregious as some of the stereotypes in Famous Five. And although not explicitly racist, I would err on the side of not continuing to uphold this book when it contains various mentions of Indigenous people (fictitious ones the children have made up) that rely on racial and ethnic stereotypes.
If a parent were to give this to their child, I'd at least advise that they explain the problematic parts and why they are not okay. Some may argue this book is 'of its time', but I'd say that doesn't excuse its contents, particularly if you are going to introduce it to a new generation of readers.
On the whole, if you were to remove the problematic parts—perhaps rewrite it for a modern audience—the book would be a light-hearted and fun adventure story for children. In its current form, though, I would not recommend it. Nevertheless, I'm glad I could revisit it for reflection purposes. - C x
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Colonisation