Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Lovely, but I missed all my favourite characters. Moominpappa will never be enough for me
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
O Mumintrolih sicer res ne vem kaj dosti, a sem vesela, da je tega egotripa z Muminočkom konec. Čeprav naj bi se dosti dogajalo, potem na koncu izpade vse tako dolgočasno, če je glavni junak zgodbe tako nezanimiv, da ne vidi preko svojega ogromnega nosu.
moominpappa's dramatic narrative style is hilarious, but that's mostly because his life story IS dramatic. I loved seeing snufkin and sniff's parents, too :')
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5*
I love the Joxter so much and 80% read this book just for him, but it was nice to see what Moominpapa got up to in his youth and the people he met.
I love the Joxter so much and 80% read this book just for him, but it was nice to see what Moominpapa got up to in his youth and the people he met.
Muminpappan isn't my favourite of the Moomin characters - he's pompous, likes adventure and likes to tell people all about himself and his adventures. I guess I see quite a lot of this character in people around me, my father for one - less pompous but certainly a born story teller and he does love telling stories of his travels and shenanigans of youth. Moominpappan is charming as a narrator - although his faults sometimes overshadows the fun parts of the book. For the most part, this book really shows off Tove Janssons wit and personality, every line is filled with humour, with parody. I have previously tried reading this book and not being able to get into it, mostly because of Muminpappans tendency to philosophise I suppose and his grandiose style of writing. But the reasons I didn't get into it previously was what I liked about it now. I liked the fact that he writes differently from how he talks - as we can see in the small parts of the book when Muminpappan leaves his memoirs narration and talks in the 'present' time to his family and friends about what he's written. I like that he has a brooding, reflecting side to him; also that he thinks he's meant for bigger things and then end up liking it pretty good just having his family and friends and a comfortable home. For me the Moomin books are partly about embracing what you love no matter what that is - be it collecting buttons and other knickknacks, inventing new machines, going on adventures, being free, or having a place called home surrounded by people that feel like home too. This is one of the Moominbooks that I think will appeal, perhaps more so than children, to adult readers.
I'm not sure how many times I've read this. I have a battered copy from when I was a child which I read numerous times. Then when I was fifteen or so, I had a form tutor at school who was an English teacher (she'll be played as a Hemulen Aunt in the film of my life). She insisted that we brought books to read during morning form time. I took along 'The Exploits of Moominpappa' (fundamentally, a differently packaged version of this book). She would walk around the classroom to see what we were reading. Stopping at my desk, she commented that my choice was childish and I really ought to be reading something else. I didn't bother to tell her I was already reading Orwell and Golding for myself, thanks very much. I suspect I was being provocative... The next occasion was just a few years ago when I read the complete series to my children at bedtime, in chronological order. My son, who was 43 at the time, particularly enjoyed this one (some part of this statement may be fictional).
Over the last few years, the wonderful Sort Of Books has published several of Tove Jansson's works for adults in beautifully presented editions. Now the publisher has produced hardback editions of all eight Moomin books. I had to have them, of course. Anti-materialist to the core, books and music are my commodity-fetishist weakness. I decided to re-read this one first. It didn't disappoint.
I don't have the excuse of reading the Moomin books to my children anymore. Now it has become pure indulgence, mere comfort reading. I remain unrepentant. When it comes to children's books, I'll take Moomins over Hobbits any day (the Autocrat over Sauron, come to that, Edward the Booble over Smaug, etc.). That is to say, the characters are brilliant (eccentric mechanical genius, Hodgkins, prototype slacker, the Joxter and all the rest). Some of Jansson's finest illustrations adorn this book. I maintain that the gentle, libertarian/humanitarian philosophy underlying all of Jansson's works is good for the soul. At the moment, I'm inclining towards 'Comet in Moominland' for my next re-visitation.
Over the last few years, the wonderful Sort Of Books has published several of Tove Jansson's works for adults in beautifully presented editions. Now the publisher has produced hardback editions of all eight Moomin books. I had to have them, of course. Anti-materialist to the core, books and music are my commodity-fetishist weakness. I decided to re-read this one first. It didn't disappoint.
I don't have the excuse of reading the Moomin books to my children anymore. Now it has become pure indulgence, mere comfort reading. I remain unrepentant. When it comes to children's books, I'll take Moomins over Hobbits any day (the Autocrat over Sauron, come to that, Edward the Booble over Smaug, etc.). That is to say, the characters are brilliant (eccentric mechanical genius, Hodgkins, prototype slacker, the Joxter and all the rest). Some of Jansson's finest illustrations adorn this book. I maintain that the gentle, libertarian/humanitarian philosophy underlying all of Jansson's works is good for the soul. At the moment, I'm inclining towards 'Comet in Moominland' for my next re-visitation.
Casual on-and-off bedtime reading. Not the best of the Moomins novels I've read so far - mainly because it focused almost entirely on the fathers of the characters I'd rather be reading about. Sulky sulky adult review.