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stirlitza's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
daja57's review against another edition
5.0
The book that started it all, for me. I read all twelve books in this series, which starts with this one, when I was a child. If anything turned me on to reading, these did. And now, returning after more than fifty years, what do I find?
John, Susan, Titty and Roger are on holiday in the Lake District. Their parents (Dad is a naval officer serving abroad) allow them to camp on an island in the middle of the lake, sailing a dinghy called Swallow. They encounter Nancy and Peggy who sail in the Amazon and adventures occur.
The children are all carefully characterised; they are real and individual. John is the adventurous boy, a keen and accomplished sailor and a very pukka sahib. He swims all around the island but he gets into a bit of a stew when he is called a 'liar' and when he realises that sailing at night is foolhardy. Susan is the home-maker who mothers everyone and cooks all the meals. Titty is the dreamer. She reads books and makes up the stories of pirates and adventure which add a romantic colour to everything the children do. Roger is the little boy who provides a comic effect. Nancy is an adventurous tomboy whose piratical phrases ('Shiver my Timbers') add verve and fun. Peggy, the Amazon equivalent of Susan, is over-talkative and frightened of thunder; she is Nancy's stooge.
These and the minor characters reflect the expectations of people at the time (it was written in 1929). John says that he and Roger will one day join the Navy; this is assumed as inevitable. The girls will be home-makers. The children are from privileged families: Nancy and Peggy have a cook at home; when they encounter a policeman (Sammy) they tell him off and boss him around (he is working class). The boats are hierarchically arranged: Captains John and Nancy, Mates Susan and Peggy, Able-Seaman Titty and Ship's Boy Roger: there are a lot of 'Aye Aye Sirs'.
A lot of the imaginary adventures involve the implicit assumptions of racist colonialism. Thus, the children are intrepid explorers; adults are referred to as 'natives' or 'savages' who might be cannibals.
My pre-teen self in the early 1960s noticed none of this.
There is a surprising amount of technical detail in the book. Very early on, well before the adventures proper have started, the children have to learn how to step the mast and hoist the sail of Swallow and this is explained in detail. As a writer I would hesitate to start the narrative so slowly. As a young reader I don't think I even noticed this bit; I certainly didn't understand it (I still don't). I suppose it adds verisimilitude; it makes me feel that Ransome is talking about a particular dinghy whose idiosyncrasies were known to himself; it grounds the story in undeniable authenticity and it lends a sort of depth to the narrative that a musician might achieve with a bass line that nobody apart from fellow musicians would notice.
But it is a big book and it starts very slowly. The first chapter involves them getting permission (by a telegram from absent father containing the immortal words 'better drowned than duffers if not duffers won't drown'; words I have remembered for over fifty years) to go on their adventures; the second the details about preparing the ship and the tents and the stores, so they don't actually set sail until 10% of the book is already finished. In terms of the Hero's Journey this gives the 'ordinary world' of the heroes, the status quo ante, which grounds the heroes in reality and makes the reader identify with them. But it is a slow start.
The structure of the book is classic. The Swallows encounter the Amazons almost exactly at the 25% mark, the adventure that acts as the focus of the book begins at the 50% mark; the resolution of the problems with 'Captain Flint' starts promptly at the 75% mark; the culminating discovery is almost precisely at 90%.
One of the main stories (the Captain Flint subplot) is beautifully foreshadowed. The final few pages also seem to foreshadow several of the other books in the twelve book series.
I suppose it enchants primarily because of its subject. Like all classic children's adventure stories it promptly gets rid of the grown-ups. And what could be more exciting than camping on an island and sailing your own boat.
John, Susan, Titty and Roger are on holiday in the Lake District. Their parents (Dad is a naval officer serving abroad) allow them to camp on an island in the middle of the lake, sailing a dinghy called Swallow. They encounter Nancy and Peggy who sail in the Amazon and adventures occur.
The children are all carefully characterised; they are real and individual. John is the adventurous boy, a keen and accomplished sailor and a very pukka sahib. He swims all around the island but he gets into a bit of a stew when he is called a 'liar' and when he realises that sailing at night is foolhardy. Susan is the home-maker who mothers everyone and cooks all the meals. Titty is the dreamer. She reads books and makes up the stories of pirates and adventure which add a romantic colour to everything the children do. Roger is the little boy who provides a comic effect. Nancy is an adventurous tomboy whose piratical phrases ('Shiver my Timbers') add verve and fun. Peggy, the Amazon equivalent of Susan, is over-talkative and frightened of thunder; she is Nancy's stooge.
These and the minor characters reflect the expectations of people at the time (it was written in 1929). John says that he and Roger will one day join the Navy; this is assumed as inevitable. The girls will be home-makers. The children are from privileged families: Nancy and Peggy have a cook at home; when they encounter a policeman (Sammy) they tell him off and boss him around (he is working class). The boats are hierarchically arranged: Captains John and Nancy, Mates Susan and Peggy, Able-Seaman Titty and Ship's Boy Roger: there are a lot of 'Aye Aye Sirs'.
A lot of the imaginary adventures involve the implicit assumptions of racist colonialism. Thus, the children are intrepid explorers; adults are referred to as 'natives' or 'savages' who might be cannibals.
My pre-teen self in the early 1960s noticed none of this.
There is a surprising amount of technical detail in the book. Very early on, well before the adventures proper have started, the children have to learn how to step the mast and hoist the sail of Swallow and this is explained in detail. As a writer I would hesitate to start the narrative so slowly. As a young reader I don't think I even noticed this bit; I certainly didn't understand it (I still don't). I suppose it adds verisimilitude; it makes me feel that Ransome is talking about a particular dinghy whose idiosyncrasies were known to himself; it grounds the story in undeniable authenticity and it lends a sort of depth to the narrative that a musician might achieve with a bass line that nobody apart from fellow musicians would notice.
But it is a big book and it starts very slowly. The first chapter involves them getting permission (by a telegram from absent father containing the immortal words 'better drowned than duffers if not duffers won't drown'; words I have remembered for over fifty years) to go on their adventures; the second the details about preparing the ship and the tents and the stores, so they don't actually set sail until 10% of the book is already finished. In terms of the Hero's Journey this gives the 'ordinary world' of the heroes, the status quo ante, which grounds the heroes in reality and makes the reader identify with them. But it is a slow start.
The structure of the book is classic. The Swallows encounter the Amazons almost exactly at the 25% mark, the adventure that acts as the focus of the book begins at the 50% mark; the resolution of the problems with 'Captain Flint' starts promptly at the 75% mark; the culminating discovery is almost precisely at 90%.
One of the main stories (the Captain Flint subplot) is beautifully foreshadowed. The final few pages also seem to foreshadow several of the other books in the twelve book series.
I suppose it enchants primarily because of its subject. Like all classic children's adventure stories it promptly gets rid of the grown-ups. And what could be more exciting than camping on an island and sailing your own boat.
izzyerrington23's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
3.5
this was so lovely
started reading this during a really stressful submission period and was so refreshing to just disappear into their world for a bit every night
reminded me so much of books i used to love as a kid and summers playing with the kids on my street
just helped me go remember to not take life too seriously and remember the joy of being youthful !
started reading this during a really stressful submission period and was so refreshing to just disappear into their world for a bit every night
reminded me so much of books i used to love as a kid and summers playing with the kids on my street
just helped me go remember to not take life too seriously and remember the joy of being youthful !
notamy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
This was one of my mum’s favourite books growing up, and whilst I can’t say I enjoyed it as much as her I’m really glad I read it. (And I can now also understand & share her hate for Swallows & Amazons (2016).
“Better drowned than duffers, if not duffers won’t drown” might as well be an unofficial family motto and it’s fun to see how this book shaped so much of my mum.
“Better drowned than duffers, if not duffers won’t drown” might as well be an unofficial family motto and it’s fun to see how this book shaped so much of my mum.
hannchilada's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Reading so much about sailing isn’t usually my cup of tea, but then there was the scene with the accordion and all was made right. A very relaxing picture painted by Mr. Ransome.
rhiannonharrold's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-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
Imagine being a kid in the past and having to read this omg - it is SO BORING. The kids are like little ants who just do things without any personalities, and there is far too much sailing terminology, it’s a real turn off. Glad I’ve read this so I don’t have to read it again, and glad I wasn’t a child in the 1930s who might have had to derive some entertainment out of this. The plot concept itself is a nice idea that kids would think is exciting, but that’s about all that’s good
ketutar's review against another edition
5.0
"It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between", said C.S.Lewis. Now, I don't know if it is a good rule, but I do enjoy a good reread every now and then. This was one of them. Now, I read this when I was a child, some 40 years ago, and I loved it. I suppose I read it then because I thought this would be about some other kinds of swallows and amazons, but it's not worse for that :-D Also, I read it in Finnish, and as far as I know, the sequels have not been translated. So I haven't read them. I'm looking forward to do it.
"Swallows and Amazons" is about two groups of siblings who have adventures on a lake during the summer holiday, with their sailing boats. We have the Walker children, John, Susan, Titty, and Roger, and the Blackett girls, Nancy and Peggy. The Walkers' dad is in the navy and teaches the children boatmanship during his holidays. I assume Nancy and Peggy were taught by their uncle. I love the equality here, even though Susan is a good little housewife, but I suppose some girls are exactly that.
Anyway, they are having adventures, safe but exciting ones, in a safe environment where children can be children and train being adults... this book reminds me of Edith Nesbit's books, Enid Blyton's books, and E.T.Seton's [b:Two Little Savages|1282886|Two Little Savages|Ernest Thompson Seton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328865394l/1282886._SX50_.jpg|1271917]. Very clean, safe children's books.
"Swallows and Amazons" is about two groups of siblings who have adventures on a lake during the summer holiday, with their sailing boats. We have the Walker children, John, Susan, Titty, and Roger, and the Blackett girls, Nancy and Peggy. The Walkers' dad is in the navy and teaches the children boatmanship during his holidays. I assume Nancy and Peggy were taught by their uncle. I love the equality here, even though Susan is a good little housewife, but I suppose some girls are exactly that.
Anyway, they are having adventures, safe but exciting ones, in a safe environment where children can be children and train being adults... this book reminds me of Edith Nesbit's books, Enid Blyton's books, and E.T.Seton's [b:Two Little Savages|1282886|Two Little Savages|Ernest Thompson Seton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328865394l/1282886._SX50_.jpg|1271917]. Very clean, safe children's books.
andrew_j_r's review
3.0
Being a massive Famous Five fan as a kid, I am genuinely surprised I never got around to reading this series. It comes from a similar time (just over 10 years before the first Five novel) but it shares similar traits. I quite enjoyed it, and will certainly read more of the series, but I did find the characters less well-defined than in the Enid Blyton novels and although it had a similar feel it was probably more realistic in that every "I" is not dotted and every "T "was not crossed. Had this been The Famous Five then not only would they have discovered the stolen goods, they would've then caught the bad guys who came back for them later which didn't happen in this book. I certainly see the appeal, and look forward to reading the rest.