Reviews

The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

pipkins973's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

beccakiwi's review against another edition

4.0

Having watched the movie a dozen times, I for some reason had never read the book. It has so much more than the movie in it too. Enjoyed it quite a lot although all 3 children do come across as a little more whiny and young in the book! And I confess, the ending made me cry because it reminded me of that glorious moment in the movie when Bobbie cries out “daddy, my daddy”

inkedmusingshi's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

tds_official's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

kat_sanford's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

readbyflo's review against another edition

4.0

This book felt like a hug. It encapsulates childlike naivety and free spirit in a wonderful way. Beautiful background/setting to the book and overall very warming

lejoy's review against another edition

4.0

Nesbit is a charming author. While usually I'm not much of a fan of breaking the fourth wall, her asides are so friendly that you quickly feel like she's telling the story directly to you, without there being a book and over a hundred years between you. Having read two of her novels now, I'm surprised how old they are. Sure the settings and slang words are a bit archaic, but the humour, accessibility of the prose and portrayal of women is nothing like other books I've read from the same era. She was obviously an intelligent, progressive and witty woman and I'm glad she was putting such lovely stories out into the world. This particular story about three children and their mother who are mysteriously uprooted from their contented town life after their father vanishes and moved to the countryside to be poor, is a bit too convenient at times, too many coincidences, and the whole sequence with the injured boy Jim happens so near the end of the story, it feels rushed and a little out of place, and I can see that some people might find the children to be a bit too goody goody, but I found their foibles and quarrelling to be enough just to make it wholesome and not too sweet. Actually the book brought tears to my eyes on several occasions. Anyway, I am keen to read more of her work.

jesskosf's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

bookwormandtheatremouse's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

cmccollum's review against another edition

4.0

There's something about the way British authors wrote children's books a hundred years ago that just hits different. The Railway Children is cozy but never cloying, and the articulate, matter-of-fact telling of the story means it's appealing no matter the reader's age. I never read any of E. Nesbit as a child, excited to change that as an adult!