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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Railway Children is the first Nesbit I have read and tells the adventure story of 3 children whose circumstances suddenly change, forcing them to leave their comfortable life in London and move with their mother to the countryside to smaller dwellings and a simpler lifestyle.
There are several things I enjoyed about this book:
The story opens well, with a mystery that makes you want to read more – what happened that made the children’s father leave so suddenly, without any explanation?
The portrayal of the mother who fights to stay positive in trying times, for the sake of her children and how this transfers to the children having a positive outlook too and making the most of a bad situation.
Edith Nesbit is a good storyteller and the pace moves along nicely, as she creates a world of mystery, adventure, wonder and delight. I think I would describe her writing style as ‘charming’. This is how she describes heavy, slanting rain on a day when the children are forced to stay indoors – “It’s like being in a besieged castle,” Phyllis said; “look at the arrows of the foe striking against the battlements!”
Nesbit’s observations of human beings, such as “He was a very nice looking gentleman and looked as if he were nice, too, which is not at all the same thing.”
I like how as part of the story, Nesbit poses several moral questions, such as whether a good deed should be done for a reward or whether the satisfaction of having done the good deed is reward itself. A good question, in my opinion, for young readers to ponder.
I realise that some readers / parents might not like certain aspects of the book, in particular, the fact that the children quite freely make friends with complete strangers, usually older men and the fact that they willingly go (though admittedly for a noble cause) into railway tunnels and walk along railway lines.
Regarding the first aspect, I remind myself that Nesbit wrote this sometime in the early 1900’s, so perhaps the worries, quite sadly, are a product of the current times we live in, where we often border on being paranoid. Then also, how is one to find the balance of creating an idealistic world vs. presenting harsh realities to readers of a young age? We want them to read stories about people doing good things, don’t we? But we also don’t want them to be naïve. Where is that balance to be found?
Regarding the second aspect, again, due to inexperience, I don’t have the answer to this – are children of the age group of say 8 – 12 years, able to discern that though characters in a book have done something rather dangerous, that they should themselves not do the same?
So besides being a good read, the book has also given me a lot to contemplate, should I ever want to write children’s stories one day.
My review is skewed from the eyes of an adult and a parent, but I get the feeling the targeted audience would thoroughly enjoy the book and give it a 5 star rating without hesitation, as opposed to my 3.
There are several things I enjoyed about this book:
The story opens well, with a mystery that makes you want to read more – what happened that made the children’s father leave so suddenly, without any explanation?
The portrayal of the mother who fights to stay positive in trying times, for the sake of her children and how this transfers to the children having a positive outlook too and making the most of a bad situation.
Edith Nesbit is a good storyteller and the pace moves along nicely, as she creates a world of mystery, adventure, wonder and delight. I think I would describe her writing style as ‘charming’. This is how she describes heavy, slanting rain on a day when the children are forced to stay indoors – “It’s like being in a besieged castle,” Phyllis said; “look at the arrows of the foe striking against the battlements!”
Nesbit’s observations of human beings, such as “He was a very nice looking gentleman and looked as if he were nice, too, which is not at all the same thing.”
I like how as part of the story, Nesbit poses several moral questions, such as whether a good deed should be done for a reward or whether the satisfaction of having done the good deed is reward itself. A good question, in my opinion, for young readers to ponder.
I realise that some readers / parents might not like certain aspects of the book, in particular, the fact that the children quite freely make friends with complete strangers, usually older men and the fact that they willingly go (though admittedly for a noble cause) into railway tunnels and walk along railway lines.
Regarding the first aspect, I remind myself that Nesbit wrote this sometime in the early 1900’s, so perhaps the worries, quite sadly, are a product of the current times we live in, where we often border on being paranoid. Then also, how is one to find the balance of creating an idealistic world vs. presenting harsh realities to readers of a young age? We want them to read stories about people doing good things, don’t we? But we also don’t want them to be naïve. Where is that balance to be found?
Regarding the second aspect, again, due to inexperience, I don’t have the answer to this – are children of the age group of say 8 – 12 years, able to discern that though characters in a book have done something rather dangerous, that they should themselves not do the same?
So besides being a good read, the book has also given me a lot to contemplate, should I ever want to write children’s stories one day.
My review is skewed from the eyes of an adult and a parent, but I get the feeling the targeted audience would thoroughly enjoy the book and give it a 5 star rating without hesitation, as opposed to my 3.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a very sweet little book. I kind of loved just getting a glimpse into a child's life in the early 1900's.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Even though I’ve listened to this a few times now it’s still a wonderful story, especially this version which is read by Jenny Agutter, who played Roberta in the 1970s film, alongside Sally Thomsett and Bernard Cribbins.
I love this story about Bobby, Phyllis, Peter, and their mother, who moved to country when their father is mysteriously taken away from their London home one night. They don’t know where he’s gone, and they don’t want to ask their mother, as they don’t want to upset her. So they busy themselves getting to know their surroundings in their new home by a railway, where they wave to the trains going to London and sending their love to their father wherever he maybe.
I love this story about Bobby, Phyllis, Peter, and their mother, who moved to country when their father is mysteriously taken away from their London home one night. They don’t know where he’s gone, and they don’t want to ask their mother, as they don’t want to upset her. So they busy themselves getting to know their surroundings in their new home by a railway, where they wave to the trains going to London and sending their love to their father wherever he maybe.
They have great adventures on and by the railway, and become heroes and loved by their neighbours, especially by Perks the station porter. I love the relationships between the three children and imagine that E. Nesbit must have had sibblings as the petty squabbles and teasing between the three characters is so lifelike.
Highly recommended, especially if you enjoy children’s books, but be warned, you may need tissues as that ending always gets me.
I have read a lot of vintage novels and YA over the years, so I'm not new to stories like this. Read because it seems to have a lot of fans (though maybe most of those people are fans of the 1970 film). I just couldn't get into it, though I will admit it might have been the wrong time to try due to stressful personal health issues.