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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
Loveable characters:
Yes
I completely understand why this book is so internationally cherished by both children and adults. I also understand why people find it a bit cloying or overly moralistic, though I disagree. I find it refreshing to have a little book like this that delves into existentialist themes while still being understandable and accessible to a broader audience. I wouldn’t say these themes are revolutionary or original, but who said they needed to be? It’s an evergreen story that I can only imagine revisiting — whether in my head or on paper — over and over again until I, too, journey to the stars.
I’d recommend this to adults that want to get in touch with their inner child again, or adults looking to connect with a child in their lives.
I’d recommend this to adults that want to get in touch with their inner child again, or adults looking to connect with a child in their lives.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I guess I am a fully fledged, insufferable, number-loving adult now, because I understood it better when I read it as a child.
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
More melancholy than I expected (I assumed it'd be more charming since it's a children's book).
Then again, I should've known since the Korean ballad (a song of the same name) that I love by Ryeowook is based on this book (& the reason why I read it). Because the ballad also has a somewhat melancholy tone.
While I loved the beginning & was fascinated by the meaning of the ending, I found The Little Prince's observations of the flaws of adults a little stale. It has great messaging about children's innocence VS adult's loss of heart/imagination/focus & the real important things such as love, but The King section was where I really started feeling like it dropped the ball.
I can forgive it for being a children's book, but it had no shortage of symbolism, subtlety & creativity elsewhere in the book, so I thought that part of the journey was too simplistic, the conversations too wooden & the characters too much of a cartoonish caricature of the adult flaws they were symbolising. When it started repeating its formula (so not just The King, but a couple other characters from other planets), I felt myself roll my eyes at least once.
I only expect more engaging dialogue and depth though because of how intriguing the rest of the book is for a children's book in the first place, otherwise this would be completely fitting/understandable.
I think my appreciation of the book is also contingent on what I believe(d) the messaging to be about.
When I originally thought it was just about childhood innocence being lost, I liked it. But then towards the ending, I worried it was just all meant to be an allegory about life & death which I found the initially disappointing for what I hoped would be a charming book. Lastly, when I researched the book, I found other interpretations that kept changing what I felt. (I even found an unhinged one that thought the book was about The Little Prince losing his innocence because he 'cheated' on his romantic rose partner with the fox and this was the way he realised his love for the rose - Truly, a terrifying interpretation that would've angered me if true).
However, I finally found what I was looking for - An answer that served me for what the purpose of that story was:
The author's real life experiences. He lost his friend around WW2, had to confront his feelings on knowing/accepting whether or not he was dead (because he never found out whether he actually died or was just missing) & this book was in a way symbolising how to accept loss without living haunted with the ghosts of those who have left for whatever reason. Know friendship, love it, treasure it, understand it is worth it and be ready to take in the pain that can come with it by accepting it.
Perfect. An answer that I was finally satisfied with.
So I suspect I'll enjoy it more on a re-read than the roller-coaster I went through this time. Until then, I'm looking forward to that time where I'll be 'tamed' (nudge nudge wink wink) by this book.
Then again, I should've known since the Korean ballad (a song of the same name) that I love by Ryeowook is based on this book (& the reason why I read it). Because the ballad also has a somewhat melancholy tone.
While I loved the beginning & was fascinated by the meaning of the ending, I found The Little Prince's observations of the flaws of adults a little stale. It has great messaging about children's innocence VS adult's loss of heart/imagination/focus & the real important things such as love, but The King section was where I really started feeling like it dropped the ball.
I can forgive it for being a children's book, but it had no shortage of symbolism, subtlety & creativity elsewhere in the book, so I thought that part of the journey was too simplistic, the conversations too wooden & the characters too much of a cartoonish caricature of the adult flaws they were symbolising. When it started repeating its formula (so not just The King, but a couple other characters from other planets), I felt myself roll my eyes at least once.
I only expect more engaging dialogue and depth though because of how intriguing the rest of the book is for a children's book in the first place, otherwise this would be completely fitting/understandable.
I think my appreciation of the book is also contingent on what I believe(d) the messaging to be about.
When I originally thought it was just about childhood innocence being lost, I liked it. But then towards the ending, I worried it was just all meant to be an allegory about life & death which I found the initially disappointing for what I hoped would be a charming book. Lastly, when I researched the book, I found other interpretations that kept changing what I felt. (I even found an unhinged one that thought the book was about The Little Prince losing his innocence because he 'cheated' on his romantic rose partner with the fox and this was the way he realised his love for the rose - Truly, a terrifying interpretation that would've angered me if true).
However, I finally found what I was looking for - An answer that served me for what the purpose of that story was:
The author's real life experiences. He lost his friend around WW2, had to confront his feelings on knowing/accepting whether or not he was dead (because he never found out whether he actually died or was just missing) & this book was in a way symbolising how to accept loss without living haunted with the ghosts of those who have left for whatever reason. Know friendship, love it, treasure it, understand it is worth it and be ready to take in the pain that can come with it by accepting it.
Perfect. An answer that I was finally satisfied with.
So I suspect I'll enjoy it more on a re-read than the roller-coaster I went through this time. Until then, I'm looking forward to that time where I'll be 'tamed' (nudge nudge wink wink) by this book.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
