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krep___'s review against another edition
3.5
English children encounter an ancient fairy/faun/? who introduces them to representatives from different era's of Britain's long history who tell their tales. Educational in its own way. Wonderful use of dialect. Narration of the audiobook edition was well done. A little hard to believe it would have had much appeal as a children's book - it would have been a difficult read. It's certainly not dumbed down. 3-1/2 stars.
yaburrow's review against another edition
5.0
Possibly the first Pagan novel I ever read. This book introduced me to Wayland Smith, Mithras, and Puck. It also contains the song that begins, “oh do not tell the priest of our art, for he would call it a sin, but we shall be out in the woods all night, a conjuring summer in”.
Two of my favourite characters in the book are Parnesius and Pertinax, the two Roman soldiers who are sent to Hadrian’s Wall by Maximus (Macsen Wledig). I am convinced that their friendship was actually love.
Kipling’s view of British history is rather optimistic and deterministic, especially his somewhat romantic view of the Norman Conquest; and his portrayal of Kadmiel, the medieval Jewish gentleman, is somewhat problematic, though Kipling is clearly sympathetic to the medieval Jewish community, despite repeating the myth that they were somehow destined to be moneylenders (whereas it was because they were forced to be).
It’s necessary to read this book with a critical perspective. Even as a child, I found some of the poetry in it a bit too much. However, the excellent bits outweigh the flaws, in my opinion (and it was written in 1906).
One can definitely see how this book, by instilling a love of the countryside and of history, contributed to the Pagan revival. The prose is beautiful, the characters deftly drawn, and the tone elegiac and wistful (though not to the same extent as the sequel, Rewards and Faeries).
Two of my favourite characters in the book are Parnesius and Pertinax, the two Roman soldiers who are sent to Hadrian’s Wall by Maximus (Macsen Wledig). I am convinced that their friendship was actually love.
Kipling’s view of British history is rather optimistic and deterministic, especially his somewhat romantic view of the Norman Conquest; and his portrayal of Kadmiel, the medieval Jewish gentleman, is somewhat problematic, though Kipling is clearly sympathetic to the medieval Jewish community, despite repeating the myth that they were somehow destined to be moneylenders (whereas it was because they were forced to be).
It’s necessary to read this book with a critical perspective. Even as a child, I found some of the poetry in it a bit too much. However, the excellent bits outweigh the flaws, in my opinion (and it was written in 1906).
One can definitely see how this book, by instilling a love of the countryside and of history, contributed to the Pagan revival. The prose is beautiful, the characters deftly drawn, and the tone elegiac and wistful (though not to the same extent as the sequel, Rewards and Faeries).
diary_of_a_hobbit's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
This book is one of my absolute favourites! I've reread it multiple times over the years and each time I am as fascinated as the first.
Puck of Pook's Hill is a series of short stories that are set in different periods of English history. They are narrated to two siblings, Dan and Una, by either Puck, an elf, or a guest that he magically plucks out of history.
So this book literally combines two things that I love: history and fantasy, and does it in a very beautiful way.
If you are interested in the history of England and love fantasy, I highly recommend Puck of Pook's Hill.
There is also a sequel called Rewards and Fairies that is also amazing.
[Note: I read this book in Russian (that particular edition was translated by Grigory Kruzhkov)].
Puck of Pook's Hill is a series of short stories that are set in different periods of English history. They are narrated to two siblings, Dan and Una, by either Puck, an elf, or a guest that he magically plucks out of history.
So this book literally combines two things that I love: history and fantasy, and does it in a very beautiful way.
If you are interested in the history of England and love fantasy, I highly recommend Puck of Pook's Hill.
There is also a sequel called Rewards and Fairies that is also amazing.
[Note: I read this book in Russian (that particular edition was translated by Grigory Kruzhkov)].
mattstebbins's review against another edition
2.0
I applaud what I think Kipling was trying to do. I'd've rather re-read Chaucer, though.
[2.5 stars for effort, and for the things I think of when I think of Kipling.]
[2.5 stars for effort, and for the things I think of when I think of Kipling.]
duncanshaw's review against another edition
adventurous
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
2.0
I thought this book was truly ok.
I must preface this review with the acknowledgment that this is a children's book so is therefore not supposed to be particularly sophisticated and is not written for me per se.
So, the story essentially follows two children from Pevensey in England. They meet the fairy Puck several times, and each time he has with him a person from the past who has a link to the area. This person then tells the children a story of their life. These stories are adventurous and slightly fantastical. You can clearly see whose taste Kipling is catering to here.
However, I like an adventure as much as the next guy, and still, this book lacked something. I think the writing style wasn't quite up my alley. The whole concept of different people telling stories to these kids being the bulk of it didn't feel great for me. It felt clumsy at times and a little unnecessary (and don't get me started on the incessant quotations inside quotations inside quotations). Honestly, although I know it is to add relatability to the target audience, I saw no reason to have the two children characters. They seemed to add nothing but occasional interruptions.
I did like the general concept of stories from throughout history based on a certain local area, but I don't think it was executed as well as it could have been. I felt the stories were slightly inconsistent in quality and entertainment, but that can happen in any book of short stories. This is essentially what this is: a book of short stories interrupted by a random fairy and some children.
The stories were fairly loosely connected, despite being a continuous novel. There were some threads throughout, including a couple of reoccurring characters and, of course, the fact that they have some connection to Pevensey. Although even this geographical thread (which is essentially one of the main points of the book) felt loose sometimes and only added into the stories as a token feature.
Overall, I did enjoy some of the stories, and the addition of related poems was often a nice addition. However, I found myself not enjoying many of the chapters and certain aspects felt like they only added awkwardness to the reading experience. This is a shame, as ultimately it is a good concept for an adventure story compilation.
I must preface this review with the acknowledgment that this is a children's book so is therefore not supposed to be particularly sophisticated and is not written for me per se.
So, the story essentially follows two children from Pevensey in England. They meet the fairy Puck several times, and each time he has with him a person from the past who has a link to the area. This person then tells the children a story of their life. These stories are adventurous and slightly fantastical. You can clearly see whose taste Kipling is catering to here.
However, I like an adventure as much as the next guy, and still, this book lacked something. I think the writing style wasn't quite up my alley. The whole concept of different people telling stories to these kids being the bulk of it didn't feel great for me. It felt clumsy at times and a little unnecessary (and don't get me started on the incessant quotations inside quotations inside quotations). Honestly, although I know it is to add relatability to the target audience, I saw no reason to have the two children characters. They seemed to add nothing but occasional interruptions.
I did like the general concept of stories from throughout history based on a certain local area, but I don't think it was executed as well as it could have been. I felt the stories were slightly inconsistent in quality and entertainment, but that can happen in any book of short stories. This is essentially what this is: a book of short stories interrupted by a random fairy and some children.
The stories were fairly loosely connected, despite being a continuous novel. There were some threads throughout, including a couple of reoccurring characters and, of course, the fact that they have some connection to Pevensey. Although even this geographical thread (which is essentially one of the main points of the book) felt loose sometimes and only added into the stories as a token feature.
Overall, I did enjoy some of the stories, and the addition of related poems was often a nice addition. However, I found myself not enjoying many of the chapters and certain aspects felt like they only added awkwardness to the reading experience. This is a shame, as ultimately it is a good concept for an adventure story compilation.
chrisiant's review against another edition
4.0
Yay Kipling. This is actually the first Kipling besides Just So Stories that I've read through. I have more to say about the format in which I read it (DailyLit) than the actually book, which was quirky and interesting. I'm already familiar with many of Kipling's poems that have been set to music, so it was nice to run across them in context. I'm generally in favor of narratives that are broken up by bits of song and verse (a la Tolkien and others).
I grew quite fond of Sir Richard and Sir Hugh, Parnesius and Pertinax. Dan and Una I appreciated primarily as vehicles for the story and not so much in and of themselves. Puck similarly, was a bit trite, but as a means of knitting together the other stories he functioned just fine.
I will definitely be doing more reading of Kipling - I like the feel of his narrative - it seems concise and feels like it moves along at a good clip, but at the same time it feels rich and textured and pleasantly dense.
I grew quite fond of Sir Richard and Sir Hugh, Parnesius and Pertinax. Dan and Una I appreciated primarily as vehicles for the story and not so much in and of themselves. Puck similarly, was a bit trite, but as a means of knitting together the other stories he functioned just fine.
I will definitely be doing more reading of Kipling - I like the feel of his narrative - it seems concise and feels like it moves along at a good clip, but at the same time it feels rich and textured and pleasantly dense.
bearlienktc's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to the Steven Crossley narration of this over the last week of dog walks. It was so enjoyable I found myself continuing to listen long after coming inside and putting off work until Puck had at least finished the portion of the tale he was then relating to the children, Dan and Una. Beautiful language that's a joy to hear aloud.
bennyowenmc's review against another edition
4.0
Read in school and at home. Found in mum's wardrobe. Pretty good.
Sing oak and ash and thorn, good sirs
All of a midsummer's morn
Surely we'll sing of no little thing
In oak and ash and thorn
Sing oak and ash and thorn, good sirs
All of a midsummer's morn
Surely we'll sing of no little thing
In oak and ash and thorn
lyris51101's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite books. Fascinating rendering of British/Celtic/Roman history and myth.