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rosessmarie's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
antonella2024's review against another edition
5.0
Un classico della letteratura che non perde il suo fascino anche per i temi che tratta, quali: la solidarietà, l’amore filiale, i pregiudizi, la perseveranza.
La morale del libro è che con il coraggio, il sacrificio e l’onestà si possono superare le difficoltà e realizzare i propri sogni. Il libro è una storia buona, una di quelle che ti scaldano il cuore e ti restano dentro per i buoni sentimenti che descrivono.
Lo consiglio a tutti i lettori che amano le storie emozionanti e positive, che parlano di famiglia, di amicizia e di speranza. È un libro adatto a tutte le età, da leggere e rileggere.
La morale del libro è che con il coraggio, il sacrificio e l’onestà si possono superare le difficoltà e realizzare i propri sogni. Il libro è una storia buona, una di quelle che ti scaldano il cuore e ti restano dentro per i buoni sentimenti che descrivono.
Lo consiglio a tutti i lettori che amano le storie emozionanti e positive, che parlano di famiglia, di amicizia e di speranza. È un libro adatto a tutte le età, da leggere e rileggere.
kipahni's review against another edition
2.0
This is the type of book that I would imagine a woman named Mary Mapes Dodge would write. Geographical and Historical information with Morality and the real spice, and ICE RACE
WHat I love about older books. They have great conclusions. I don't mean that everything is happy ever after but that you know full well how each character lives out the rest of their life. And that is what was good about this book the end.
I think I would have liked this book when it came out though in the 1800's but the writing just didn't flow good with me I mean here is a completely fictitious example.
Once my husband, who is extremely stout, and I wearing my native abaya, decided to go to the village cart and buy some vegetables.
"Did you know that I decended from Pharoahs" Atta my husband said informatively
" Why I have hear of something like that, isn't this a little geographically far from any acient civilizations though?" I asked inquisitively.
" You would think that, but it is a little known fact that this area was inhabited in 6,000 bc, infact we have a ancient well that is a sacred site that we egyptians are proud of and has been featured in the Encyclopedia Britanica and the National Geographic" My husband said with emense pride.
Then we arrived at the vegetation stand bought a local vegetable and ate it greedly as we raced home to watch britians got talent.
If you are into that long round about way about a journey then you might like this book but I found it about as interesting as a fly on a trap paper.
WHat I love about older books. They have great conclusions. I don't mean that everything is happy ever after but that you know full well how each character lives out the rest of their life. And that is what was good about this book the end.
I think I would have liked this book when it came out though in the 1800's but the writing just didn't flow good with me I mean here is a completely fictitious example.
Once my husband, who is extremely stout, and I wearing my native abaya, decided to go to the village cart and buy some vegetables.
"Did you know that I decended from Pharoahs" Atta my husband said informatively
" Why I have hear of something like that, isn't this a little geographically far from any acient civilizations though?" I asked inquisitively.
" You would think that, but it is a little known fact that this area was inhabited in 6,000 bc, infact we have a ancient well that is a sacred site that we egyptians are proud of and has been featured in the Encyclopedia Britanica and the National Geographic" My husband said with emense pride.
Then we arrived at the vegetation stand bought a local vegetable and ate it greedly as we raced home to watch britians got talent.
If you are into that long round about way about a journey then you might like this book but I found it about as interesting as a fly on a trap paper.
author_d_r_oestreicher's review against another edition
4.0
While Dostoyevsky, Dickens, and Victor Hugo were exploring the depths of human despair, Mary Mapes Dodge was writing a charming travelogue about Holland (for children): Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates. While the race to win the Silver Skates takes the title position, the book is about much else. The protagonists are Hans and Gretel Brinker two exceeding good children in dire circumstances. Ten years ago, their father lost his strength and intellect. The poor family now cares for his unresponsive body. Call this Dickens-lite. The family bravely struggles but, in the end, everything turns out well (in this way it is similar to Great Expectations published a few years earlier).
For my expanded notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2021/08/hans-brinker-or-silver-skates-by-mary.html
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For my expanded notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2021/08/hans-brinker-or-silver-skates-by-mary.html
“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”
Check out https://amzn.to/2SpaDMN to see my books.
Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for book recommendations.
brinastewart's review against another edition
2.0
This book took forever for me to get through, I almost did not finish it (and that has only happened with one book). I began reading this with my children who lost interest quickly but I wanted to finish the story. The first 75% of the book was long, tedious and filled with descriptions and events that did not move the story along. However, the last 25% was the best part and I am glad it ended better than it began.
notasilkycat's review against another edition
4.0
In Haarlem (The Netherlands) where I live the canals and the river are frozen in thin ice now, so it is a perfect time for re-reading “Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates”. I wasn’t aware that I read a short version when I was a kid. The full story is such a nice glimpse into the 19 century Holland. I am not a big fan of the skating but I kind of feel like skating right now!
katymvt's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
A little bit too much detail in some places, but otherwise a delightful romp through 19th century Holland.
A little bit too much detail in some places, but otherwise a delightful romp through 19th century Holland.
pila's review against another edition
4.0
Non posso che dirvi che l'ho adorato: Hans e Gretel sono due bambini fantastici, entrambi sono buoni e sempre positivi e assieme alla mamma compongono un quadro di umiltà e altruismo da far invidia a chiunque.
La storia è davvero semplice e non mi ci voglio soffermare più di tanto perchè quello che colpisce del romanzo sono i tanti messaggi positivi che le azioni compassionevoli di vari personaggi ci lasciano; i nostri due bambini sono di umili origini e devono affrontare già da piccini le disgrazie della vita ma la tenacia di Gretel e la saggezza di Hans ci aiutano a capire che nella vita bisogna essere forti e non arrendersi. Pattini d'argento è davvero un classico per ragazzi e bambini ma anche per noi più grandi che ogni tanto dimentichiamo le gioie della vita, spesso lamentandoci per ogni sciocchezza.
Questo è quello che distingue un classico da un qualsiasi libro per bambini: ci scaldano il cuore con storie rassicuranti ma senza risparmiarci il dolore, perchè è importante crescere coltivando sogni ma con i piedi per terra.
Consiglio questo libriccino davvero a tutti per ricordare quei valori che spesso sembrano essersi persi ma senza incappare in quel buonismo eccessivo che spesso incontro nei classici d'infanzia.
L'ambientazione è da sogno, resa ancor più palpabile dalle fantastiche atmosfere ricreate e da quelle descrizioni e da quei particolari che l'autrice ci ha regalato di un'Olanda invernale davvero suggestiva.
Il periodo in cui ci troviamo è davvero perfetto per concedersi questa lettura natalizia, magari accompagnata da una bella tazza fumante di thé e sotto un plaid morbido e caldo.
Sono queste le letture che mi piace fare in questo periodo: quelle che ti ricordano che nonostante tutto la vita è bella e c'è sempre qualcosa per cui vale la pena lottare.
La storia è davvero semplice e non mi ci voglio soffermare più di tanto perchè quello che colpisce del romanzo sono i tanti messaggi positivi che le azioni compassionevoli di vari personaggi ci lasciano; i nostri due bambini sono di umili origini e devono affrontare già da piccini le disgrazie della vita ma la tenacia di Gretel e la saggezza di Hans ci aiutano a capire che nella vita bisogna essere forti e non arrendersi. Pattini d'argento è davvero un classico per ragazzi e bambini ma anche per noi più grandi che ogni tanto dimentichiamo le gioie della vita, spesso lamentandoci per ogni sciocchezza.
Questo è quello che distingue un classico da un qualsiasi libro per bambini: ci scaldano il cuore con storie rassicuranti ma senza risparmiarci il dolore, perchè è importante crescere coltivando sogni ma con i piedi per terra.
Consiglio questo libriccino davvero a tutti per ricordare quei valori che spesso sembrano essersi persi ma senza incappare in quel buonismo eccessivo che spesso incontro nei classici d'infanzia.
L'ambientazione è da sogno, resa ancor più palpabile dalle fantastiche atmosfere ricreate e da quelle descrizioni e da quei particolari che l'autrice ci ha regalato di un'Olanda invernale davvero suggestiva.
Il periodo in cui ci troviamo è davvero perfetto per concedersi questa lettura natalizia, magari accompagnata da una bella tazza fumante di thé e sotto un plaid morbido e caldo.
Sono queste le letture che mi piace fare in questo periodo: quelle che ti ricordano che nonostante tutto la vita è bella e c'è sempre qualcosa per cui vale la pena lottare.
carrie562's review against another edition
2.0
Desiring to introduce my kids to a variety of literary styles and language, I have pressed on despite the uninspiring beginning, and in fact we all became quite interested once the story of Hans and Gretel and their unfortunate family got underway -- why, it looked like it was shaping up to be a right jolly mystery, with missing gold, enigmatic admonitions, and a tragic "accident" (or was it?) -- my my! Pages turned! From the frozen canal, the children hear their mother scream and rush home! What's happened? Mais non! -- our cruel author twists the knife, for here she abandons the Brinker family story completely.
For 200 pages.
That's right: there's no mention whatsoever of the Brinker family for the middle 2/3 of the book. Instead, we go on a meticulously documented journey around Amsterdam and Haarlem with a group of local boys and a visiting cousin from England (who just happens to know more about Holland than the natives do).
At the close of each and every chapter, my daughter asks, but what about that scream? Where are Gretel and Hans? What happened to their mother?
UPDATE: Finished the book. When the Brinker story resumes, it fulfills all the promise of the opening chapters -- excitement! Intrigue! Drama! Plot twists! My advice is to go in prepared to hunker down for a lengthy but occasionally entertaining tour of Amsterdam. (I'd say just skip chapters 10-31, except that there are two important plot points that come up during the boys' tour of Amsterdam.)
Two stars: it was okay. The good parts were very entertaining; the plot structure was unnecessarily tortuous; the language was delightful and evocative, but the syntax convoluted and difficult for a 21st century young reader.
For 200 pages.
That's right: there's no mention whatsoever of the Brinker family for the middle 2/3 of the book. Instead, we go on a meticulously documented journey around Amsterdam and Haarlem with a group of local boys and a visiting cousin from England (who just happens to know more about Holland than the natives do).
At the close of each and every chapter, my daughter asks, but what about that scream? Where are Gretel and Hans? What happened to their mother?
UPDATE: Finished the book. When the Brinker story resumes, it fulfills all the promise of the opening chapters -- excitement! Intrigue! Drama! Plot twists! My advice is to go in prepared to hunker down for a lengthy but occasionally entertaining tour of Amsterdam. (I'd say just skip chapters 10-31, except that there are two important plot points that come up during the boys' tour of Amsterdam.)
Two stars: it was okay. The good parts were very entertaining; the plot structure was unnecessarily tortuous; the language was delightful and evocative, but the syntax convoluted and difficult for a 21st century young reader.