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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
I read this back in middle school, but I remember being totally captured by this book!
I'm pretty sure this is my second time reading this book. I know I've read it once before, after I read Hatchet, but I don't know if I ever read it again after that. Until now.
I love Brian's character. I really do. He's so smart and so intuitive and he's grown so much since the beginning of Hatchet.
One thing that's really great about this book series is that they're all realistic, like they could have really happened.
But The River was too short.
I love Brian's character. I really do. He's so smart and so intuitive and he's grown so much since the beginning of Hatchet.
One thing that's really great about this book series is that they're all realistic, like they could have really happened.
But The River was too short.
In some ways, this book was better than Hatchet, and in some ways, worse. The writing was miles better, and there wasn't nearly as much repetition in words and phrases, which provided a much more enjoyable reading experience. The downside here? It took almost 2/3 of the book to get to the actual titular river. There wasn't nearly enough time spent on the river, and it left me wanting. The circumstances which led Brian to be there in the first place are also a little far-fetched; the government wanting a 14 year old boy to teach him what they know (really?) and his parents letting him go back into the wild to attempt to survive with a man he hardly knows. It was still fun and a fast read, and worthwhile if you liked Hatchet and want to continue with the series. As a stand-alone? I'd leave it.
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced
I cannot believe Brian went back out in the wilderness again with no supplies *on purpose*. But of course then there would be no story. Another quick listen, I enjoyed it but was glad it was short again.
I'm always a Gary Paulsen fan. It had been a few years since I read "Hatchet" but this book catches the reader up on Brian and his story of survival. This is a great read for junior high especially for struggling readers that like adventure.
WHOO! A whirlwind of emotions! It's a story I read in only an hour, but it was a good one!!!!
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
As a youth (& probably still) I loved Hatchet . It has exactly that mix of tension and adventure I want in a survival story. I never read the follow-up stories though so this was an interesting ride. Paulsen's writing is gripping as always but The River feels... too short to be satisfying and too long to be surprising. Where in Hatchet we got so many details about Brian's daily doings and mishaps, here we gloss over a lot of the nitty gritty of the adventure & that just makes things feel a bit empty. I will almost certainly read the rest of Brian's Saga this year & hopefully The River will feel more like a bridge to better things than an under developed adventure (or an overblown short story) with the benefit of hindsight.