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3.06 AVERAGE
3.06 AVERAGE
I must the the only person around who did not pick this up because of the Flashman series. Rather, I noticed it and the first thing that popped into my head was Tomkinson's Schooldays, from Ripping Yarns. So I was reading it for a lark. And because it was free on my Kindle.
To my surprise, I'm rather enjoying the book. I don't really need the insights into Victorian life or background for Flashman; in fact, I'm enjoying the writing itself. The tone is jovial and thoroughly modern (for the 19thc). The closest in style that comes to my mind is Tolkien when he's describing life in the Shire. It's that same sort of fond, paternalistic tone. I'm only about a third of the way through the book, but I'm glad I stumbled across it.
Update 3/2015: I probably won't finish this. By mid-book or so, it started to become rather predictable and maybe a little too clever. Whatever the case, I lost interest and wandered away. Since I've not been back to it in almost three years, it's safe to say I'm done, if not finished.
To my surprise, I'm rather enjoying the book. I don't really need the insights into Victorian life or background for Flashman; in fact, I'm enjoying the writing itself. The tone is jovial and thoroughly modern (for the 19thc). The closest in style that comes to my mind is Tolkien when he's describing life in the Shire. It's that same sort of fond, paternalistic tone. I'm only about a third of the way through the book, but I'm glad I stumbled across it.
Update 3/2015: I probably won't finish this. By mid-book or so, it started to become rather predictable and maybe a little too clever. Whatever the case, I lost interest and wandered away. Since I've not been back to it in almost three years, it's safe to say I'm done, if not finished.
Loved this quaint old-fashioned book! Very fun!
It's good as far as Christianized boarding school stories go. I read it because it is considered to be the predecessor to Harry Potter. It was interesting to read for similarities to the Harry Potter series (headmaster as God, homosocial bonding/transference, school as true home, etc.)
I enjoyed the beginning, before Tom went to school, some of it was actually funny, but once he got to school, it got tedious and I gave up.
I remember reading this book in 5th grade :) What a nice surprise!
However, I also remember being somewhat bored while reading it (it was on the summer reading list). Still, quite nice to find it here, I almost forgot about it :)
However, I also remember being somewhat bored while reading it (it was on the summer reading list). Still, quite nice to find it here, I almost forgot about it :)
I love boarding school books, but I could not STAND Hughes narrator. It was all over the place and distracting.
So this is one of the worst books I've read this year...my entire life, actually. I had high expectations because some of my teachers in college talked about it and I was certainly curious. Turns out that I did like the theme, I think it is reflects perfectly a lot of ideas about education, society and colonial issues in the British culture of the nineteenth century but the author's writing is unbelievable. He mentions in the preface wanting to preach about something he believed in but if you want to preach, you do it in a convincing, pleasurable way. You do it in that way so you can beckon future followers of your ideals. But Hughes preaches in a way that makes you want to do something appropriately desperate so that you can escape his writing. If this wasn't for college purposes, I wouldn't even have gotten to page 100. As it is, I read the parts that interested me and the rest, I just don't know what was going on with my head. Why would anyone want to read this and furthermore why would any teacher want his students to go through something like this?! They sure do like to make us suffer.
I'm a bit of a sucker for this type of book. Both its sentimental Victorian style, and its boys'-own subject matter.
Yes, it's over-wrought, a bit preachy at times, twee, and seems to turn all of a sudden (two thirds of the way through) from a rollicking Just William tale of mischief and miscreants to make the case for piety and Christian sincerity. I'm sure this could've been a bit less disjointed.
BUT: it has some quite lovely character sketches, playful changes of register (from the biblical epic to the pundit), and believable protagonists (at least for the 19th century).
Must be read lightly and with a pinch of salt. But also repays being open to its touching moments.
Yes, it's over-wrought, a bit preachy at times, twee, and seems to turn all of a sudden (two thirds of the way through) from a rollicking Just William tale of mischief and miscreants to make the case for piety and Christian sincerity. I'm sure this could've been a bit less disjointed.
BUT: it has some quite lovely character sketches, playful changes of register (from the biblical epic to the pundit), and believable protagonists (at least for the 19th century).
Must be read lightly and with a pinch of salt. But also repays being open to its touching moments.
Not going to lie, I skimmed part 2 once I realized that the author was trying to shove religion and the Military Lie down my throat.
Read for ENGL 2238: Children's Literature
Read for ENGL 2238: Children's Literature
Read for my Print Culture class. I liked this book more than I was expecting to. Still, at the same time I was very aware that it wasn't written for me. Hughes' topic and audience are very clearly defined as the English schoolboy, so as an adult American woman I'm about as far from the target demographic that you can get. Entertaining, nonetheless. Had almost Harry Potter vibes, without the magic.