Reviews

Sylvie and Bruno by Harry Furniss, John And Son Bkp Wilson Cu-Banc, Lewis Carroll

qwedsa123's review against another edition

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

2.0

davidew's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful relaxing medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

broomestik's review against another edition

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3.0

Eh. I can see why this book isn't one of his poplar pieces.

annemitch26's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted 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

2.5

wildgurl's review against another edition

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3.0

Sylvie and Bruno
by Lewis Carroll
1889 - 1893

It would be near impossible to find a better book than Carroll's 'Alice In Wonderland'. However, in this novel, not published until after his death, I believe; we do see much of his surreal imagination and powerful cultural beliefs.
Sylvie and Bruno are a very small fairy couple, that live under the leaves of a forest. They have fallen in love. They are also part of the imagination and dreams of Michael, one of the few humans that see fairies. They only visit when he sleeps. This book is engaging, but is very fantastical, and random and this really has no plot.....
These fairies discuss love, religious beliefs, politics. In 1889, talking about such matters in a book was very unusual and controversial and may have been one reason the script was kept hidden.
I really enjoyed this, despite the lack of plot. Lewis Carroll was a visionary and so ahead of his time.

rosekk's review against another edition

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3.0

It's an odd story - different from Alice in Wonderland, though similarly odd. It was clever and funy in places, but exhausting to read. The trouble with a story that rests in such an odd way of thinking is that it takes a much more conscious effort to keep up with it.

bookpossum's review against another edition

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2.0

This is an extraordinary book, and one clearly in need of a good editor. To combine a story about fairy children with discussions about religious practices, among other things, mixed in with a rather unconvincing love triangle .... Then there is the unbearable cuteness of ‘ickle Bruno, whose baby talk kept reminding me of Dorothy Parker’s review of A A Milne in her Constant Reader column: “Tonstant Weader fwowed up.”

I believe the second part is slightly better, so I shall have a crack at it for the sake of completeness!

Edited to add: I unfairly missed out the two best things in the book. One is the Gardener’s poem, which I have read in a collection of Carroll’s verse. The other is the work of Harry Furniss, whose illustrations are lovely.

beccamariejo's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Can’t believe this isn’t as popular if not more popular than Alice in Wonderland. Such a charming story full of absurdities! 

ghostlydreamer's review against another edition

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2.0

This book was a bit confusing and bland at times. It could have possibly been shortened. Still, I am glad to have read it.

kevin_carson's review

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2.0

Didn't finish. I got about a quarter of the way through. A bit cloying for my taste -- certainly nowhere in the league of the Alice books.