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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
I feel a tiny bit terrible giving a classic novel only one star, but this book is a tiny bit terrible itself, so I think it all evens out.
This book lacks two integral elements of a novel: plot and characters. All six members of the family are apparently robots who exist only to shoot animals unnecessarily, do everything perfectly the first time, and speak like a bunch of old-fashioned Christian computers. Also, Mr. Robinson (did he have a first name? I never caught one) berates his children for the tiniest infractions and acts as though they're going to hell as a result. However, when they shoot flamingos without even seeing what they're looking at or hit a whole bunch of penguins with an oar, his only response is basically, "Eh, you probably shouldn't do that, but since you did...oh well."
Somehow, Mr. Robinson knows about every single plant and animal and its possible uses in a place he's never been before. Somehow, every risky venture goes perfectly the first time, including using dynamite to blow a hole in the side of a damaged ship. Somehow, every useful item on the ship isn't damaged and is brought to shore without a hitch. Somehow, European fruit trees flourish outside of their native climate. Somehow, not one family member ever says, "Oh shit. We're stuck on this island forever." They seem to accept their fate without a second thought. Somehow, I managed to make it through 280 pages of a horrible book.
This book lacks two integral elements of a novel: plot and characters. All six members of the family are apparently robots who exist only to shoot animals unnecessarily, do everything perfectly the first time, and speak like a bunch of old-fashioned Christian computers. Also, Mr. Robinson (did he have a first name? I never caught one) berates his children for the tiniest infractions and acts as though they're going to hell as a result. However, when they shoot flamingos without even seeing what they're looking at or hit a whole bunch of penguins with an oar, his only response is basically, "Eh, you probably shouldn't do that, but since you did...oh well."
Somehow, Mr. Robinson knows about every single plant and animal and its possible uses in a place he's never been before. Somehow, every risky venture goes perfectly the first time, including using dynamite to blow a hole in the side of a damaged ship. Somehow, every useful item on the ship isn't damaged and is brought to shore without a hitch. Somehow, European fruit trees flourish outside of their native climate. Somehow, not one family member ever says, "Oh shit. We're stuck on this island forever." They seem to accept their fate without a second thought. Somehow, I managed to make it through 280 pages of a horrible book.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A simple and flowery narrative which makes for easy reading.
Sexist, racist, and moralizing. There is never any danger or suspense. Every resource imaginable is provided by preposterous means, and they kill every animal in sight.
It is difficult to find any redeeming quality in this book, but if you are willing to suspended disbelief and overlook the bigotry (not easily done) it does possess a kind of sweet naivety.
Skip this book, read Treasure Island instead.
Sexist, racist, and moralizing. There is never any danger or suspense. Every resource imaginable is provided by preposterous means, and they kill every animal in sight.
It is difficult to find any redeeming quality in this book, but if you are willing to suspended disbelief and overlook the bigotry (not easily done) it does possess a kind of sweet naivety.
Skip this book, read Treasure Island instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death
Moderate: Racism, Sexism
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Aren't they fortunate that their minister father is also a master carpenter, botanist and biologist? Quite unbelievable at times, but still entertaining for what it is.
I wish Blackstone Audio had edited out all the breaks in the CD before digitizing - quite disruptive to hear "This book continues on disc 3" and then "The Swiss Family Robinson....".
I wish Blackstone Audio had edited out all the breaks in the CD before digitizing - quite disruptive to hear "This book continues on disc 3" and then "The Swiss Family Robinson....".
adventurous
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Read this in middle school, I believe. I found it so implausible from the point of view of geography and fauna, even at that age, that I didn't like it.
I read the English translation based on the continuation by Isabelle de Montolieu.
Dull, moralizing, and silly. A Swiss family is ship wrecked on a desert island where they are fortunate enough to find almost everything they need to reproduce the necessities of European life. The island has an unlikely combination of natural resources and, for such a rich place, a rather surprising lack of dangers. Back in a time when flamingos and buffalo were exotic creatures, this book might have been interesting, but to a modern adult reader, it's painfully tedious.
Dull, moralizing, and silly. A Swiss family is ship wrecked on a desert island where they are fortunate enough to find almost everything they need to reproduce the necessities of European life. The island has an unlikely combination of natural resources and, for such a rich place, a rather surprising lack of dangers. Back in a time when flamingos and buffalo were exotic creatures, this book might have been interesting, but to a modern adult reader, it's painfully tedious.
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
"oh fritz," said I to my young companion " What do you suppose that yellow feathered creature flying yonder is?"
Bang, boom fritz shot the animal (as well as a number of it's companions and a few european black squirrels that were just innocently watching) and where it fell to the ground we examined it.
" Why father! It is the Magestic Big Bird of the Seseame Street that I have read about. It is known in that part of the Neighborhood that children will congregate around it as it sings learning songs about the alphebet and numbers. We should catch one give it to mother to domesticate and then when it dies add it to our collection!" cried my smartest son Ernest
and so on and so forth.... blah blah blah. If you enjoyed those previous three paragraphs then you will LOVE The family robinson, where the father is not only the Patriarch of the family, but a botinist, tanner, carpenter, engineer, farmer, hearder and whatever else you can think of.
It seems like EVERY creature, or oddity they came upon the father would say something like " How fortunate that for a season in my life I was a jockey!" or something equally obsurd. and then the smart son would say " Yes I read a book that they use the urine of this certain animal as an aphordisiac"
okay well they don't say those EXACT things but close.
Anyway the moral I walked away with was that Well read people and well rounded students will fair well (with Providences provision) on a deserted Island.
Bang, boom fritz shot the animal (as well as a number of it's companions and a few european black squirrels that were just innocently watching) and where it fell to the ground we examined it.
" Why father! It is the Magestic Big Bird of the Seseame Street that I have read about. It is known in that part of the Neighborhood that children will congregate around it as it sings learning songs about the alphebet and numbers. We should catch one give it to mother to domesticate and then when it dies add it to our collection!" cried my smartest son Ernest
and so on and so forth.... blah blah blah. If you enjoyed those previous three paragraphs then you will LOVE The family robinson, where the father is not only the Patriarch of the family, but a botinist, tanner, carpenter, engineer, farmer, hearder and whatever else you can think of.
It seems like EVERY creature, or oddity they came upon the father would say something like " How fortunate that for a season in my life I was a jockey!" or something equally obsurd. and then the smart son would say " Yes I read a book that they use the urine of this certain animal as an aphordisiac"
okay well they don't say those EXACT things but close.
Anyway the moral I walked away with was that Well read people and well rounded students will fair well (with Providences provision) on a deserted Island.