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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was fully on board to give this five stars for being such a charming, gentle read. Everyone was so sweet to each other and the setting so atmospheric that I, like Heidi, was devastated when we left the mountain. But then we brought in God and Clara got a miracle cure for her vague illness and Peter broke her wheelchair without consequence and it became a little... too sweet. Still, it has that Studio Ghibli-esque serenity and wholesomeness to it that is truly unique.
emotional
inspiring
relaxing
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:
Yes
April 28, 2020
3.75/5 stars
Heidi is the story of a young orphan girl named Heidi who goes to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. She charms everyone she meets, but eventually moves to the city to get a proper education, missing the Alps the entire time she is gone.
Heidi, the girl, is a bit too perfect for my tastes, and I didn't think she had enough charm to warrant all the adoration she received throughout the novel. Still, I did enjoy the antics she got herself into, and I loved the backdrop of the Alps. The background was well described and fleshed out and this little story is worth reading just for that.Unfortunately the novel got a bit too heavy-handed with its religious messages for my personal tastes in the second half, it was just a bit jarring given it wasn't as present an element in the first half and had it been more balanced out it probably would have bothered me a bit less. While Heidi is a cute and charming story, I do think there are better children classics out there.
September 23, 2017
4/5 stars
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3.75/5 stars
Heidi is the story of a young orphan girl named Heidi who goes to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. She charms everyone she meets, but eventually moves to the city to get a proper education, missing the Alps the entire time she is gone.
Heidi, the girl, is a bit too perfect for my tastes, and I didn't think she had enough charm to warrant all the adoration she received throughout the novel. Still, I did enjoy the antics she got herself into, and I loved the backdrop of the Alps. The background was well described and fleshed out and this little story is worth reading just for that.Unfortunately the novel got a bit too heavy-handed with its religious messages for my personal tastes in the second half, it was just a bit jarring given it wasn't as present an element in the first half and had it been more balanced out it probably would have bothered me a bit less. While Heidi is a cute and charming story, I do think there are better children classics out there.
September 23, 2017
4/5 stars
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hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Huge fan of re reading your childhood favorite novel!! It hit even better as an adult. I broadly remembered the story but had forgotten specific details, yet sometimes they came back to me as I was reading and it was so nostalgic towards my childhood. I remember sitting in my bedroom reading it. I remembered what color my walls were painted at the time (purple, if you dare to wonder). I remembered some of my thoughts, even, from when I first read it. I’ve never felt so close to my younger self. I am excited to read this book to my children one day.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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:
Yes
“There sat Heidi, reading a story to Klara, and with glowing eagerness pushing into the new world opened to her; men and things suddenly became alive and stepped out of the black letters and took part in affecting stories.”
After the death of her parents, Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in the Swiss mountains. Eventually, she is sent to Frankfurt to begin her education with the sickly Klara, which leads to a beautiful bond between the two charming but opposite girls blossoming. Along the way, Heidi develops her relationship with learning, Christianity, and nature.
This was a dazzling children’s novel. Wherever Heidi is, there is never a dull moment. Whether Heidi was slurping down goat's milk, reading hymns to her grandmother or causing mischief in Frankfurt, she is a delightful character. Klara is equally charmed by the energetic Heidi, and they develop a wonderful friendship, practically becoming sisters! It is often said that this book is for those who love children, as well as children themselves. This is undeniable as Heidi’s character is a celebration of a child’s unbridled excitement for life, whilst Klara’s demonstrates a child’s unprejudiced kindness. Though the cheeky, yet lovable Peter, conveys the struggles with morality and education that children have.
Meanwhile, the adults (Heidi’s grandfather, known as the Alm-Uncle; Klara’s father, Hesseman; the endearing doctor; the grandmothers; and so on) only encourage the precocious Heidi. The relationships that the children have with their respective adults are overflowing with love (excluding Rottenmeier) portraying how reciprocal the relationships between adults and children can be – an underrated idea if you ask me!
The pacing was near perfection. The dialogue and eventful narrative kept the novel blazing. The lyrical descriptions of the Swiss countryside served as a grounding presence within the story, which provided an immersive reading experience. I, too, wanted to drink the Alm-Uncle’s goat milk! Translated from German, the translator did fantastically to maintain the picturesque prose – though it was often rather verbose for a children’s book.
Overall, I would rate this book a 4.75/5 stars. I would recommend everyone to read ‘Heidi’ by Johanna Spyri, and to dabble in children’s literature. We might already be familiar with the morals explored, but we mustn’t underestimate how inspired by the young characters’ determination, excitement for life, and unconditional kindness we all can be.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No