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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
I just didn't really like this book. I think the order of the stories could be improved. Servants of the Queen was my least favorite so having it be the last thing I experienced wasn't great.
The first several chapters of this book were what most of us, who saw the Disney movie as a child, think of as the Jungle book: the story of Mowgli a child lost in the jungle and taken in by wolves and taught by his wolf family and bear and panther mentors the ways of the jungle. But with a lot more of an edge than the Disney version (big surprise). Rudyard Kipling wrote these stories in the late 19th century and for some reason the humor took me by surprise. I particularly liked Bagheera's dry wit. Less of a surprise was the brutality. In these stories Rudyard Kipling revered the wild Jungle animals and Demonized to some degree man's treatment of them. This was true in the other stories as well, the killing of wild animals by humans was frowned upon, unless the animal was deadly and evil and trying to kill them. Even then things were usually settled by other animals or those (like Mowgli) who belonged in that world. But there was also a reverence for the teamwork of humans and animals, which included elephants (which were wild, but tamed). In some cases his anthropomorphism of the animals really drew upon their natural behavior. But in the case of the evil animals rubbed me the wrong way. While many predators were "good" in his stories the "bad guys" who weren't humans were always predators. Sheer Kan the lame tiger and Nag the Cobra. Knowing the fate of these species today made me a little uneasy, but it makes a great story. It is clear why these are classics, but they have been softened greatly in their more recent retellings.
One of my favorite classics for kids. The stories are exciting, the descriptions evocative, the characterizations multi-layered. Kipling is a master of the English language and it shows. My favorite story is "Red Dog" where Mowgli, with Kaa's help, outwits and defeats the dhole pack, but all of the stories are great. I love reading of Mowgli's growth and coming of age as he makes the difficult decision to leave the jungle behind.
For more book reviews, visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
For more book reviews, visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
Varias historias cortas, y no todas ellas van sobre Mowgli. Aparecen muchos más personajes, todos ellos entretenidísimos. La tengo ya olvidada y sé que hay un segundo libro de la Jungla, pero mi edición de SM mezclaba varios relatos de ambos libros, me parece. Un clásico revisitable.
3.7 (?) I can see why Kipling is such a respected author. He's very imaginative and has a great way of storytelling. The last couple of stories were kinda dull compared to the first few ones
Disney might have ruined this for me.
But there's also my basic knowledge of this book was literally only the Disney movie. I had no idea that Kipling actually published The Jungle Books, yes that's with an S. I also didn't realize that the book itself contains many short stories, not one continuous story about Mowgli. Our villain, Shere Khan? He's defeated really early on in my opinion. I don't know, I just feel like if I had known more than what Disney taught me going into this book I could have enjoyed it more. That being said, I'm not going to give the book away, I will keep it and if one day comes where I have a kid the book will be read first.
But there's also my basic knowledge of this book was literally only the Disney movie. I had no idea that Kipling actually published The Jungle Books, yes that's with an S. I also didn't realize that the book itself contains many short stories, not one continuous story about Mowgli. Our villain, Shere Khan? He's defeated really early on in my opinion. I don't know, I just feel like if I had known more than what Disney taught me going into this book I could have enjoyed it more. That being said, I'm not going to give the book away, I will keep it and if one day comes where I have a kid the book will be read first.
I think Kipling is a little tedious, but I like his children's stuff. This was savage and bloody with some real tender moments. I loved the Mowgli stories, but some of the others were hit or miss. I especially liked "The While Seal."
I enjoyed the story of Mowgli, The White Seal, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. But the last two I didn't enjoy as much. Aside from that, I wasn't let down by the classic novel