Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
I listened to this as an audio book. I'm also 21 years old. I think these two factors are responsible for my lukewarm response to Treasure Island. I felt like reading a pirate book and this is a classic, so I gave it a go. Unfortunately, I never really felt like I connected with the story. This could partly be because, as I was listening to it, my whole attention was never on the story. I also kept waiting for it to develop into something more, but it's a children's book from over a hundred years ago so of course it didn't. Interestingly, because I imagined it would be a more complex story, it actually became more difficult for me to understand. For example, when Jim decided to sneak ashore with the mutineers I assumed I had missed something and started the chapter over while paying closer attention, waiting to hear Jim's plan for joining them and what changed things so that he had to run off into the woods immediately upon landing. It turns out nothing. They were just whims designed to further the plot. I do maintain that it's a relatively good adventure story and if I had read it 10 years ago I would have found it very enjoyable. But, as it is, I wish I had just watched Treasure Planet instead.
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
3.5 Can’t believe this whole book is based on a muppet movie. Amazing!
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Treasure Island has always been my favorite book from childhood, and revisiting it now in its original English was a wonderful experience. I was surprised by how concise and fast-paced the story is—it’s much more laconic than I remembered.
The narrator does a good job overall, capturing the adventurous tone of the novel. However, I did find some of his character voices a bit difficult to follow at times, which slightly affected the immersion.
Still, this is an eternal classic for a reason. The charm of Stevenson’s storytelling holds up beautifully, even after all these years. I only wish the narration had been just a bit stronger to fully match the spirit of the book
"Fifteen men on a deadman's chest,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!"
I technically listened to the Audible Original dramatization, but the length of this audiobook wasn't much shorter than other regular productions. I was absolutely floored by how much of the pirate lore we have ingrained in our social consciousness is based on this book; Long John Silver, the Black Spot, X marks the spot, etc. I thought the production of this was well acted, but I won't be calling this one of my favorite classics. I didn't feel very connected to much of this and sometimes had a hard time understanding who was speaking and whose side we were on. Jumping back into this after stopping for a few days, it took a bit of thinking to see where the characters had been left, if I could even remember.
Star rating:
+ Well-written action
+ Protagonist you care about
+ Atmospheric audiobook production
- Hard to pick back up
- Setup took too long proportionately; last two thirds should have been like three quarters
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A