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rubygranger's review against another edition
3.0
This book was one of the first children's books for boys -- you can definitely see it setting the tradition of Treasure Island, and drawing on those from Gulliver's Travels. It was fast-paced and engaging and there were some lovely descriptions of their island. Also a striking focus on rationalising and scientifically analysing aspects of the island (in the tradition of the Enlightenment period).
The second half was, however, very difficult to read because it is so incredibly racist. The second half of this book is effectively a propagandistic call for missionaries to go and convert indigenous people. The language and narrative of this is disturbing, especially when you know that this material was being given to young and impressionable children...
The second half was, however, very difficult to read because it is so incredibly racist. The second half of this book is effectively a propagandistic call for missionaries to go and convert indigenous people. The language and narrative of this is disturbing, especially when you know that this material was being given to young and impressionable children...
curlyhairedbooklover's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book and although at first I found it hard to get my head around the writing style once I got it I really liked it.
traveller1's review against another edition
4.0
A gift from my childhood, in fact I cannot recall the story in detail, but I remember I re-read this several times. Great fun. Nor this cover, a cover with an orange sky and the 3 lads.
superdilettante's review against another edition
2.0
So let me get this straight.
You're a teenage sailor, shipwrecked with 2 buddies on a pacific island. You get along pretty well, and are fairly happy with your lot there, but one day you see a big ship arrive and you flag it down, but O NOES it's Pirates. The pirate ship captures one of you, and sails away with you, and you are treated to all sorts of horrors including cannibalism. Nobody is any good except this one other guy, and then one day you have a chance to fool all the bad guys and you do, and they get captured by the savage cannibals (or is it cannibal savages?) and while the savages are dancing and whooping around their tied-up bodies, the Good Guy and you escape on the nice big pirate ship. But the good guy is mortally wounded, and he dies. Nevertheless, you keep going, returning to the island where you last saw your buddies. You find them! Hurrah! Also you have a boat! So you load it up with more provisions (because it's already pretty sweet, being a real live pirate ship) and you could head back to civilization or England or wherever it was you came from, but your buddy says HOLD ON A MINUTE THERE'S ONE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO. So you head off to an island where you try to save -one- island girl from being married to a guy she doesn't want to be married to. YOU COULD SAVE YOURSELVES, YOU HAVE A BOAT, BUT INSTEAD okay anyway, they're tremendously thwarted in their attempts, and it's lucky they don't end up "long pigs" on the cannibal fire, but instead they're just in prison for a few months, by which I mean a cave. Probably the whole time thinking, WE HAD A BOAT, GODDAMN IT.
Of course it all ends up ok, because one day they're led from prison and their bonds are cut and it's all because a really convincing missionary (separate from the existing Island Missionary, who I guess didn't have the chops) showed up and convinced the Chief to convert to Christianity and he builds a church and lets the Island Girl love who she pleases. And she gets to marry her Christian chief and the guys say "Phew, I guess we can go home now."
Praise Jesus.
You're a teenage sailor, shipwrecked with 2 buddies on a pacific island. You get along pretty well, and are fairly happy with your lot there, but one day you see a big ship arrive and you flag it down, but O NOES it's Pirates. The pirate ship captures one of you, and sails away with you, and you are treated to all sorts of horrors including cannibalism. Nobody is any good except this one other guy, and then one day you have a chance to fool all the bad guys and you do, and they get captured by the savage cannibals (or is it cannibal savages?) and while the savages are dancing and whooping around their tied-up bodies, the Good Guy and you escape on the nice big pirate ship. But the good guy is mortally wounded, and he dies. Nevertheless, you keep going, returning to the island where you last saw your buddies. You find them! Hurrah! Also you have a boat! So you load it up with more provisions (because it's already pretty sweet, being a real live pirate ship) and you could head back to civilization or England or wherever it was you came from, but your buddy says HOLD ON A MINUTE THERE'S ONE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO. So you head off to an island where you try to save -one- island girl from being married to a guy she doesn't want to be married to. YOU COULD SAVE YOURSELVES, YOU HAVE A BOAT, BUT INSTEAD okay anyway, they're tremendously thwarted in their attempts, and it's lucky they don't end up "long pigs" on the cannibal fire, but instead they're just in prison for a few months, by which I mean a cave. Probably the whole time thinking, WE HAD A BOAT, GODDAMN IT.
Of course it all ends up ok, because one day they're led from prison and their bonds are cut and it's all because a really convincing missionary (separate from the existing Island Missionary, who I guess didn't have the chops) showed up and convinced the Chief to convert to Christianity and he builds a church and lets the Island Girl love who she pleases. And she gets to marry her Christian chief and the guys say "Phew, I guess we can go home now."
Praise Jesus.
debnanceatreaderbuzz's review against another edition
3.0
Another 1001 book read. Adventure. Action. Pirates. Cannibals. Murder. Treasure. Mystery. What more does a book need?
estel's review against another edition
3.0
I give it 3.5 stars. I read this book as a child and liked it; i read it again a little older and i really like it. The characterisations of Ralph, Peterkin and Jack are lovely. It's wonderful how they all get along and are so innovative and energetic, as young (?) boys are.
I liked the first half of the book best, where they set up camp and show their enterprising skills. It reminds me a lot of the, alas, long-lost and long-loved Swiss Family Robinson. (I WILL buy it again someday) Frankly, it was really cool. All those dreams of being shipwrecked on a beautiful tropical island just come to life here.
The second half of the book, dealing with natives and pirates, was a bit of a let down after the marvelous first half. No doubt it was exciting and more adventuresome in the traditional sense, but it lacked the fun and easy-going-ness of the first half. Perhaps if they had been combined somewhat instead of being rather ridiculously obviously separated, it would have been alright. It would probably have even gone well, since the first half tended to get just a little bit slow at times. As such, however, the contrast is slightly annoying and a bit jarring in fact.
In the end, it was a nice book. If you don't enjoy this sort of genre (swashbuckling in a sense, though more of an almost-childish fantasy) then you might want to skip it.
I liked the first half of the book best, where they set up camp and show their enterprising skills. It reminds me a lot of the, alas, long-lost and long-loved Swiss Family Robinson. (I WILL buy it again someday) Frankly, it was really cool. All those dreams of being shipwrecked on a beautiful tropical island just come to life here.
The second half of the book, dealing with natives and pirates, was a bit of a let down after the marvelous first half. No doubt it was exciting and more adventuresome in the traditional sense, but it lacked the fun and easy-going-ness of the first half. Perhaps if they had been combined somewhat instead of being rather ridiculously obviously separated, it would have been alright. It would probably have even gone well, since the first half tended to get just a little bit slow at times. As such, however, the contrast is slightly annoying and a bit jarring in fact.
In the end, it was a nice book. If you don't enjoy this sort of genre (swashbuckling in a sense, though more of an almost-childish fantasy) then you might want to skip it.
mat_tobin's review against another edition
3.0
Written in 1858, when the Empire was still at its height and a few years before the American Civil War, Scottish writer, R.M.Ballantyne wrote what appears to be one of the first novels for children (try not to think of children in its modern conception) which featured only teenagers (or young adults). It is, without doubt, very much of its time and could not be read seriously within the classroom setting. It could, perhaps, we read and analysed as a cultural artifact and as a lens from which to view British perceptions of other cultures and faiths.
This is a coming-of-age novel which finds itself still deeply rooted in the need to celebrate Empire, Christian faith as the answer to all problems and its supremacy to all other faiths and cultures (this is the reason why you couldn't read it seriously within a school setting). On saying this, it was, in fact, a precursor to and muse for William Golding's [b:Lord of the Flies|7624|Lord of the Flies|William Golding|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327869409s/7624.jpg|2766512] and therefore, in that respect, offers an interesting insight into Golding's own ideologies.
Set mainly in the South Pacific islands, the story tells of three teenage boys who find themselves marooned on an island; the sole survivors of a shipwreck. Using little cunning or guile they seem to survive incredibly well on the fruits that God provides them with. It is up to the children though to use their cunning of strength of faith to outwit and fight off cannibals, sharks and invading pirates.
I suppose that it could be argued that it is, rather like [b:The Secret Garden|2998|The Secret Garden|Frances Hodgson Burnett|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327873635s/2998.jpg|3186437], ahead of its time. In a time when fiction for children was mean to be overtly didactic, here is a novel for boys, written from a boy's perspective and, although very clear in terms of the rules of living under an Imperialistic flag, it is a book for boys and not for parents to read and preach to boys.
I can't say that I enjoyed it. Its depiction of native South Pacific islanders made for an uncomfortable read and the influence of Christianity is a forceful one. Yet, it is not without its excitement and adventures and, I think, could offer a very interesting discussion around what it is telling us about the cultural identity of the British people (and children) during this time. On saying this, it should be read with caution - there are graphic and deeply upsetting scenes throughout which could almost rival McCarthy's [b:The Road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1439197219s/6288.jpg|3355573]
This is a coming-of-age novel which finds itself still deeply rooted in the need to celebrate Empire, Christian faith as the answer to all problems and its supremacy to all other faiths and cultures (this is the reason why you couldn't read it seriously within a school setting). On saying this, it was, in fact, a precursor to and muse for William Golding's [b:Lord of the Flies|7624|Lord of the Flies|William Golding|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327869409s/7624.jpg|2766512] and therefore, in that respect, offers an interesting insight into Golding's own ideologies.
Set mainly in the South Pacific islands, the story tells of three teenage boys who find themselves marooned on an island; the sole survivors of a shipwreck. Using little cunning or guile they seem to survive incredibly well on the fruits that God provides them with. It is up to the children though to use their cunning of strength of faith to outwit and fight off cannibals, sharks and invading pirates.
I suppose that it could be argued that it is, rather like [b:The Secret Garden|2998|The Secret Garden|Frances Hodgson Burnett|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327873635s/2998.jpg|3186437], ahead of its time. In a time when fiction for children was mean to be overtly didactic, here is a novel for boys, written from a boy's perspective and, although very clear in terms of the rules of living under an Imperialistic flag, it is a book for boys and not for parents to read and preach to boys.
I can't say that I enjoyed it. Its depiction of native South Pacific islanders made for an uncomfortable read and the influence of Christianity is a forceful one. Yet, it is not without its excitement and adventures and, I think, could offer a very interesting discussion around what it is telling us about the cultural identity of the British people (and children) during this time. On saying this, it should be read with caution - there are graphic and deeply upsetting scenes throughout which could almost rival McCarthy's [b:The Road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1439197219s/6288.jpg|3355573]
lindiop's review against another edition
3.0
The story and descriptions are well done but the attitudes in this mean it belongs firmly in the 19th Century. Very uncomfortable reading in the present climate.
garleighc's review against another edition
1.0
Don't read this unless you like long-winded body-metaphor-filled descriptions of landscape ("The sun dawned on the Pacific's ample bosom..." and so on for a whole paragraph) or you like boy adventure stories where the boys colonize populations and "introduce" them to Christianity to bring the Pacific islands into capitalist "modernity".
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