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frosthetix's review
All shall be well.
Rules for a Knight is a letter from a father to his children, and because of that, I found it less condescending than most self-help-do-better-at-life sort of books. The examples/scenarios he used to explain each rule were all nice and thought out, even though some of the passages were direct lifts from old chinese fables or philosopher stories, which I found to be quite interesting and makes me genuinely wonder whether knights had the habit of reading ancient chinese scrolls during their times. (maybe all the rules and stories are just different fables retold and I just didn't know it?)
I found it comforting the way the book/letter ended in "oh my god this was such a long letter, but eh you'll learn all this by yourself as you grow anyways" (I look back and count these pages and see I have been most self-indulgent. These are all lessons you will learn on your own.) because sometimes it feels like these kind of books that teach life lessons always expect you to be perfect and do everything as they say the moment they tell you the rule, and it's discouraging knowing that you cannot do that. (the "BUT WAIT ONE MORE THING!! sorry" at the end is also very endearing for some reason haha)
I picked this book up because I saw the author's name and didn't expect it to be this, but I think it was still a somewhat enjoyable read and it broke me when I saw River Phoenix in the Special Thanks to Other Knights section :(((
Rules for a Knight is a letter from a father to his children, and because of that, I found it less condescending than most self-help-do-better-at-life sort of books. The examples/scenarios he used to explain each rule were all nice and thought out, even though some of the passages were direct lifts from old chinese fables or philosopher stories, which I found to be quite interesting and makes me genuinely wonder whether knights had the habit of reading ancient chinese scrolls during their times. (maybe all the rules and stories are just different fables retold and I just didn't know it?)
I found it comforting the way the book/letter ended in "oh my god this was such a long letter, but eh you'll learn all this by yourself as you grow anyways" (I look back and count these pages and see I have been most self-indulgent. These are all lessons you will learn on your own.) because sometimes it feels like these kind of books that teach life lessons always expect you to be perfect and do everything as they say the moment they tell you the rule, and it's discouraging knowing that you cannot do that. (the "BUT WAIT ONE MORE THING!! sorry" at the end is also very endearing for some reason haha)
I picked this book up because I saw the author's name and didn't expect it to be this, but I think it was still a somewhat enjoyable read and it broke me when I saw River Phoenix in the Special Thanks to Other Knights section :(((
caligo's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
terrimpin's review
4.0
I really liked this, though one thing that bothered me was how the book was introduced as a translation of some ancestral letters found by Ethan Hawke, yet many of the moral stories included were direct adaptations of Eastern fables and moral tales. I felt that it was the author's responsibility to disclaim that at the beginning, because not until after I read it and did some research did I realize that Hawke was merely inspired by the letters and chose to create a collection of stories for his children gathered from various sources.
Still, it was well written and enjoyable, and no matter what the source these stories all contained wonderful lessons.
Still, it was well written and enjoyable, and no matter what the source these stories all contained wonderful lessons.
shimons's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
haileeawrites's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
conspystery's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
halkid2's review
5.0
Surprisingly sweet and deeply enjoyable, even for someone who is not a big fan of Ethan Hawke, the actor.
This short novel shares the wisdom of a knight on the eve of a battle in which he expects to be killed. He leaves this letter to his young children - to help guide them through their lives on topics including gratitude, pride, courage, patience, grace, discipline, faith, love, and death. Each turns out to be a life lesson still applicable to us all. Woven into the chapters are stories of the knight growing up under the guidance of his wise grandfather.
It's a super quick and upbeat read, a wonderful book for adults and ideal for sharing with children. It could spark lots of productive family conversations.
This short novel shares the wisdom of a knight on the eve of a battle in which he expects to be killed. He leaves this letter to his young children - to help guide them through their lives on topics including gratitude, pride, courage, patience, grace, discipline, faith, love, and death. Each turns out to be a life lesson still applicable to us all. Woven into the chapters are stories of the knight growing up under the guidance of his wise grandfather.
It's a super quick and upbeat read, a wonderful book for adults and ideal for sharing with children. It could spark lots of productive family conversations.
sevillamaria's review
2.0
Am Anfang fand ichs noch gut, aber je länger ich gelesen habe desto langweiliger wurde mir das Konzept des Buches: Alle Tugenden eines Ritters aufgezählt und mit einer Anekdote ergänzt. Es ist auch eher ein Buch, in welches man immer wieder mal ein bisschen reinlesen kann, es ist weniger gedacht um von A bis Z durchgelesen zu werden.
wingman's review
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
klord3's review against another edition
4.0
This was a cute little book, about how to live well. It is written for children, but I think can be appreciated at all ages. He borrowed liberally from folktales from a variety of cultures, but to good effect. In places it got a bit over done, particularly the poem at the end, which was better left to the imagination. Overall, I enjoyed it.