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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
Ahoy there me mateys! While drawin' up me lists of 2016 for me log, I realized a curious thing - out of 134 books read, not a single one was a re-read. In me enthusiasm of discovery and taking suggestions from me crew, I did not revisit a single old port for plunder! And part of what I love about readin' is re-visitin' old friends. So I decided to remedy that in this here new(ish) year and thus created me new category where I take a second look at a previously enjoyed novel and give me crew me second reflections, as it were, upon visitin' it again . . .
This was an old favorite from back when I was a wee youngster. I am not completely sure which edition I first read but I do remember that it had the illustrations by Tasha Tudor from the 1960s (as did the secret garden). The copy I eventually purchased had her illustrations as well.
I made the mistake of lending me copy many many long years back to a young lass so she could experience the magic. And then never got it back! I could only hope she couldn't part with it because she loved it so. Then earlier this year at a Friends of the Library sale, I found an excellent pristine copy and swooped it up with glee.
Then came the day to revisit this old companion. Ye see I had not read this book since me copy was commandeered and I was looking forward to seeing if I loved it as much as me memory suggested. The answer is an astoundingly yes! Arrr!!
I still adore this book. The reading had the wonderful nostalgia of rediscovering details of the story as well as the perspective of seeing Sara's journey through me eyes of an older jaded salty dog. I found Sara to be just as I remembered - compassionate, intelligent, and imaginative. I still loved the secondary characters of Becky and Ermengarde. I adored the lady who sold hot buns. The riches to rags story still appeals heartily. I loved Sara's treatment of everyone in spite of her circumstances. She is polite, hardworking, and caring.
The part I found odd was the portrayal of the role of the adults in Sara's life. So many people see Sara as a starving ragamuffin and yet don't help her. Underclass poor children are depicted as savages as though it's their own faults that they have no money or education. So many people outside of Ms. Minchin's school see and comment on poor Sara's state and yet she is not helped throughout most of the book except by a small compassionate child. Now granted there would be no story if the adults helped her. But it is odd that these children were left to rot. Of course the author had her own riches to rags story growing up so I can only assume that it influences this work.
But despite the larger thoughts of child poverty, I still felt the magic of Sara's story and gobbled up this book. I only hope that I don't wait so long for a re-read the next time.
Side note: I have fond memories of the 1996 movie though I haven't seen it in forever. And the Broadway musical sucks.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This was an old favorite from back when I was a wee youngster. I am not completely sure which edition I first read but I do remember that it had the illustrations by Tasha Tudor from the 1960s (as did the secret garden). The copy I eventually purchased had her illustrations as well.
I made the mistake of lending me copy many many long years back to a young lass so she could experience the magic. And then never got it back! I could only hope she couldn't part with it because she loved it so. Then earlier this year at a Friends of the Library sale, I found an excellent pristine copy and swooped it up with glee.
Then came the day to revisit this old companion. Ye see I had not read this book since me copy was commandeered and I was looking forward to seeing if I loved it as much as me memory suggested. The answer is an astoundingly yes! Arrr!!
I still adore this book. The reading had the wonderful nostalgia of rediscovering details of the story as well as the perspective of seeing Sara's journey through me eyes of an older jaded salty dog. I found Sara to be just as I remembered - compassionate, intelligent, and imaginative. I still loved the secondary characters of Becky and Ermengarde. I adored the lady who sold hot buns. The riches to rags story still appeals heartily. I loved Sara's treatment of everyone in spite of her circumstances. She is polite, hardworking, and caring.
The part I found odd was the portrayal of the role of the adults in Sara's life. So many people see Sara as a starving ragamuffin and yet don't help her. Underclass poor children are depicted as savages as though it's their own faults that they have no money or education. So many people outside of Ms. Minchin's school see and comment on poor Sara's state and yet she is not helped throughout most of the book except by a small compassionate child. Now granted there would be no story if the adults helped her. But it is odd that these children were left to rot. Of course the author had her own riches to rags story growing up so I can only assume that it influences this work.
But despite the larger thoughts of child poverty, I still felt the magic of Sara's story and gobbled up this book. I only hope that I don't wait so long for a re-read the next time.
Side note: I have fond memories of the 1996 movie though I haven't seen it in forever. And the Broadway musical sucks.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
It is the story of a very resourceful girl named Sarah, who has to live in a private boarding school for girls, because her father had to go to war. As soon as she arrives, she is admired by the other girls, since she is very intelligent and has a lot of money; even the teachers praise her and she help the other girls. But everything changes when her father gets lost in the diamond mines, and Sarah has to survive on her hard work and ingenuity.
I (like almost all the children of my generation), saw the 1995 film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, and I loved everything, the actress, the location, the story, the memories of India, the doll and the ending.
When I read this book it was January, it was quite cold and everything fitted into the atmosphere of the story. I liked knowing that Sarah has brown hair, she is so much more witty, kind, charitable and fair than in the movie and although I prefer the ending of the movie, I really liked the ending of the book.
I (like almost all the children of my generation), saw the 1995 film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, and I loved everything, the actress, the location, the story, the memories of India, the doll and the ending.
When I read this book it was January, it was quite cold and everything fitted into the atmosphere of the story. I liked knowing that Sarah has brown hair, she is so much more witty, kind, charitable and fair than in the movie and although I prefer the ending of the movie, I really liked the ending of the book.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It’s almost embarrassing how vividly this book maps out all of my personal childhood demons and how I responded to them, but at the same time, it remains comforting. This time I was really struck by how unreciprocated Sara’s relationships are with most of the people who care about her: she only seems to really return the affection of her father, the Indian gentleman’s household, and sometimes Becky. I also noticed ways that the story is oddly unexcited by wealth or aristocracy in itself — the way Sara herself sees no meaningful difference between her, Becky, and Anne, and it’s an odd thorn in the story that they don’t all end up with the same resolution. I think what I mean here is that Sara doesn’t get a happy ending by deserving it more than others: it’s an accident.
This is a lovely, sweet classic about a little girl's ultimate strength and pure-hearted nature against those who would strike her down. Sarah Crewe's world is turned upside down when her wealthy father dies, after investing his riches in a project which has yet to recieve any profit. Attending a London school for young ladies, within minutes she dropped from the richest girl to a worthless maid - and all those who were jealous, or those who had invested in her being rich, turn against her. Left with her vivid imagination and loving nature, she is a personification of hope and preseverence as she continues to prove to the time and era that being a princess has nothing to do with wealth.
I think I was expecting more from this because as a child, I loved the film. This is quite different from the film but still passable. I imagine if you read this book as a child then it would be far more interesting and I think the rating I've given this book is purely reflective of my age when reading it unfortunately.
I liked this book, and also Sara's old-fashioned style. It was a hard book to read at times, as it has a certain flow, but I like it anyway.
Fanciful but believable. The characters are well thought out and real, the story moves along at a great pace, especially for a classic.
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No