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ficsandflix's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
leiaslizzy's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is incredible. It devastated me, it made me laugh and it made me fall so deeply in love with the characters that now it's over I don't know what I'll do. Michael Morpurgo always hits harder than he needs to. His characters are brilliant, and I deeply love the friendship that grows between Michael and Kensuke. The environmental aspect to it adds to the book, and I loved it.
wayward's review
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
salem0's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
date of rate: feb 15 2024
kimball_hansen's review
4.0
This was a neat book to have my kids read someday. I think [a:Michael Morpurgo|8080|Michael Morpurgo|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1260905000p2/8080.jpg] is a good author for young readers. It was sad that Kensuke didn't get to see his family. The book helped me realize that people can live totally fine on an island doing their daily chores but it pales in comparison, and is rather meaningless, without the divine interaction of human relationships (I'm in the middle of a philosophy book right now so philosophy was on my mind while reading this one).
It also reminded me a bit of Cast Away with the soccer ball. And are Jellyfish that deadly where multiple stings can kill a person? Are they as bad/painful as snakebites or scorpion stings? It'd be neat to talk to someone that has been bitten stung by all the many creatures and have them rank them.
It also reminded me a bit of Cast Away with the soccer ball. And are Jellyfish that deadly where multiple stings can kill a person? Are they as bad/painful as snakebites or scorpion stings? It'd be neat to talk to someone that has been bitten stung by all the many creatures and have them rank them.
katie_678's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lulabelll's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
heylancie's review
3.0
This review features spoilers!!
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ R E V I E W
< P O S I T I V E S > :
○ I love that this book featured a world map and Japanese history, and a glossary (albeit, at the end, not at the start, which would've been more helpful!).
○ I liked that there was eventually a reason for Kensuke's initial hostility.
○ I also liked the 'lifestyle' elements - the appreciation/gratefulness for nature, and therefore patience.
○ I liked Michael's happy ending - it is a children's book after all!
< N E G A T I V E S > :
○ The phrasing and vocabulary was sometimes quite advanced and formal for a children's book, sometimes even I struggled to understand the meaning from context!
○ I find it deeply frustrating and disappointing that it seems very unlikely this is based off a true story. Then why name the main character after the author?! Andy why include a 'letter' which was 'received' by the author after the first publishing of this book, from Kensuke's son, and even specify he LAUGHS like his father?! I believed this book was based off a true story for about ten years, having read this in primary school in the early 2010s. I couldn't even fully confirm this isn't based off a true story, but I suppose solid evidence would be available on the author's Wikipedia if it had have been real. This point is detrimental to the book's rating.
< N E U T R A L > :
○ The references to being 'loopy' and 'mad' were also alarming, but more reasonable and acceptable for the time this was written in.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ D E T A I L S
○ WRITTEN ON: C250123
TRANSCRIBED ON: G110623
○ HOURS TAKEN TO READ: Less than 4 hours
RATING: ☆ ☆ ☆
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ R E V I E W
< P O S I T I V E S > :
○ I love that this book featured a world map and Japanese history, and a glossary (albeit, at the end, not at the start, which would've been more helpful!).
○ I liked that there was eventually a reason for Kensuke's initial hostility.
○ I also liked the 'lifestyle' elements - the appreciation/gratefulness for nature, and therefore patience.
○ I liked Michael's happy ending - it is a children's book after all!
< N E G A T I V E S > :
○ The phrasing and vocabulary was sometimes quite advanced and formal for a children's book, sometimes even I struggled to understand the meaning from context!
○ I find it deeply frustrating and disappointing that it seems very unlikely this is based off a true story. Then why name the main character after the author?! Andy why include a 'letter' which was 'received' by the author after the first publishing of this book, from Kensuke's son, and even specify he LAUGHS like his father?! I believed this book was based off a true story for about ten years, having read this in primary school in the early 2010s. I couldn't even fully confirm this isn't based off a true story, but I suppose solid evidence would be available on the author's Wikipedia if it had have been real. This point is detrimental to the book's rating.
< N E U T R A L > :
○ The references to being 'loopy' and 'mad' were also alarming, but more reasonable and acceptable for the time this was written in.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ D E T A I L S
○ WRITTEN ON: C250123
TRANSCRIBED ON: G110623
○ HOURS TAKEN TO READ: Less than 4 hours
RATING: ☆ ☆ ☆
chars_books's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
5.0