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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
I most enjoyed the stories of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and Mowgli.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An enjoyable collection of short stories, but I saw some faults. They were personal faults, at the least.
The White Seal and Toomai of the Elephants were my favorites, but I also enjoyed Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and Mowgli's Brothers. At first, I am ashamed to say, but I thought this entire book was only Mowgli's story, because of the disney influenced ideas I had, but I soon knew the truth. This is actually my read for the Book Riot Challenge for a collection of short stories, unintentionally of course.
I also liked the animal excerpts between the stories. The Seal Lullaby, the Camel's Parade Song, etc. Rudyard Kipling must have been around these animals quite a bunch.
Back to the faults. I was really confused at the story Her Majesty's Servants, partly because I had to physically read it, partly because it was told in first person. Are these Kipling's experiences? Who knows?
Overall, I think I will regard Kipling as the best animal writer, and these stories are definitely a reason for him to receive the Nobel Prize of Literature.
The White Seal and Toomai of the Elephants were my favorites, but I also enjoyed Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and Mowgli's Brothers. At first, I am ashamed to say, but I thought this entire book was only Mowgli's story, because of the disney influenced ideas I had, but I soon knew the truth. This is actually my read for the Book Riot Challenge for a collection of short stories, unintentionally of course.
I also liked the animal excerpts between the stories. The Seal Lullaby, the Camel's Parade Song, etc. Rudyard Kipling must have been around these animals quite a bunch.
Back to the faults. I was really confused at the story Her Majesty's Servants, partly because I had to physically read it, partly because it was told in first person. Are these Kipling's experiences? Who knows?
Overall, I think I will regard Kipling as the best animal writer, and these stories are definitely a reason for him to receive the Nobel Prize of Literature.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The star rating is for the Mowlgi stories
I adored this. The story that we think of as The Jungle Book with Mowgli and Bagheera and Baloo is just the first half of this, and it’s wonderful. I enjoyed the characterisations of the main three, and also the strict social rules and hierarchy of the Wolfpack. The description is great, the pace is great, and the law of the jungle is totally believable. It’s this sort of odd wisdom that isn’t quite allegorical because the animal laws are (of course) entirely different and often antithetical to our own, and yet still feels ‘wise’ to read. It is a kids book, but the prose is so good that it is still engaging as an adult
I found the other stories a bit meh, the one with the roles of all the animals in the army was a bit didactic and boring but I liked the idea of ‘each to his own’, and I liked the young boy whispering with elephants.
I read this on the train to my training day in Birmingham
I adored this. The story that we think of as The Jungle Book with Mowgli and Bagheera and Baloo is just the first half of this, and it’s wonderful. I enjoyed the characterisations of the main three, and also the strict social rules and hierarchy of the Wolfpack. The description is great, the pace is great, and the law of the jungle is totally believable. It’s this sort of odd wisdom that isn’t quite allegorical because the animal laws are (of course) entirely different and often antithetical to our own, and yet still feels ‘wise’ to read. It is a kids book, but the prose is so good that it is still engaging as an adult
I found the other stories a bit meh, the one with the roles of all the animals in the army was a bit didactic and boring but I liked the idea of ‘each to his own’, and I liked the young boy whispering with elephants.
I read this on the train to my training day in Birmingham
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'd give this a 3.5 if I could.
This book is very much a product of its time, but having said that, it has elements that are relevant today (such as people attacking/driving out someone because they're different).
I know that other reviewers aren't happy with the rather formal language spoken by the animals in the jungle, but I think it fits well - after all, if you've got such a variety of animals all living together and sort of getting on in an unstable equilibrium, I think formality would be the order of the day!
This book is very much a product of its time, but having said that, it has elements that are relevant today (such as people attacking/driving out someone because they're different).
I know that other reviewers aren't happy with the rather formal language spoken by the animals in the jungle, but I think it fits well - after all, if you've got such a variety of animals all living together and sort of getting on in an unstable equilibrium, I think formality would be the order of the day!
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No