Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
4 Stars
This book really is a classic. Nothing like swashbuckling, pirates and treasure with a kid as the hero! Many classics are so busy trying to be classic, that they are dull, pompous and drawn out. Treasure Island grabs your interest from the beginning with old Billy Bones dropping in to the Admiral Benbow Inn for a stay. He of drink and foul manner. Telling cursed stories and singing old pirate songs...
"..fifteen men on the dead man's chest -- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"
Truth be told there was a treasure map; with X's and all; as well as some dastardly fellows, looking for it. Each one of them fearing the seafaring man with one leg. From the moment Black Dog walks in the Inn looking for old Billy, the action picks up and keeps going throughout the book. Of course, there are moments of rest for us, the weary traveler; but none for our hero, Jim. No rest for those sailing with crooked pirates. They'll cut you soon as look at ya.
Is there treasure on Treasure Island...maybe; but methinks ye should take that schooner and find it on yer own.... aarrgghhh.
hahhhahha... Happy Reading, matey.
This book really is a classic. Nothing like swashbuckling, pirates and treasure with a kid as the hero! Many classics are so busy trying to be classic, that they are dull, pompous and drawn out. Treasure Island grabs your interest from the beginning with old Billy Bones dropping in to the Admiral Benbow Inn for a stay. He of drink and foul manner. Telling cursed stories and singing old pirate songs...
"..fifteen men on the dead man's chest -- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"
Truth be told there was a treasure map; with X's and all; as well as some dastardly fellows, looking for it. Each one of them fearing the seafaring man with one leg. From the moment Black Dog walks in the Inn looking for old Billy, the action picks up and keeps going throughout the book. Of course, there are moments of rest for us, the weary traveler; but none for our hero, Jim. No rest for those sailing with crooked pirates. They'll cut you soon as look at ya.
Is there treasure on Treasure Island...maybe; but methinks ye should take that schooner and find it on yer own.... aarrgghhh.
hahhhahha... Happy Reading, matey.
Since the story itself is the basis for all the various tv and movies and spinnoffs that share the name, I freely admit the actual adventuring and discovery is a lot of fun. However, it also means this book is basically the inspiration for every pirate stereotype ever and i can't help but be a wee bit irritated about the ARRRR MATEY syntax that it ultimately is responsible for. I am probably one of the few people in the world that dislikes Pirate Talk and reading an entire book filled with it ultimately means i lost patience and DNF about hallway through.
adventurous
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
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
I thought it was a good book. My favorite character is the Doctor. I will say this book is dark, and there is talk about some gruesome deaths. I don't think it was overly detailed though. Overall, I enjoyed the book (mostly because I saw the parallels with the movie Treasure Planet, which is one of my favorite movies).
adventurous
hopeful
fast-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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
"The cheer followed—that was a matter of course; but it rang out so full and hearty, that I confess I could hardly believe these same men were plotting for our blood."
Felt like it was my duty as a Tampa native to read a pirate book during Gasparilla season. Stevenson stated that he wanted Treasure Island "to be a story for boys; no need of psychology or fine writing...". While this story is very plot heavy and catered to young boys (there is only one woman in the whole book), I found that it was also filled with fine writing and observations about our mysterious nature:
•"A man who has been three years biting his nails on a desert island, Jim, can’t expect to appear as sane as you or me."
•"Gradually my mind came back again, my pulses quieted down to a more natural time, and I was once more in possession of myself."
•"I do not know what it rightly is to faint, but I do know that for the next little while the whole world swam away from before me in a whirling mist"
One of the more memorable themes in this book is its clear stance against alcohol ("if you keep on drinking rum, the world will soon be quit of a very dirty scoundrel!"). The Surgeon General is a busy guy that probably didn't want to spend a minute on Treasure Island while working on the Alcohol and Cancer Risk Advisory, but this book could have given it some much needed ✨literary flair✨.
While there were moments where this book definitely dragged, overall I found it to be a positive and interesting reading experience. Thanks to the magic of the public domain, you can read the entire book here.