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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
A very simple, endearing story full of lovely characters being kind to each other, a really easy read.
Like with A Little Princess, prior to reading the book myself today, my only experience with the story of Heidi lied in my watching of film adaptations (which, evidently, I don't recall very well and which I haven't watched in over a decade) so I walked into the book only knowing a very basic outline of events from this being a well-known classic.
My first surprise was that the grandfather didn't really need time to warm up to Heidi (I believe in a film version I saw, Heidi had to charm her way into his heart before he was ever kind) and the second was that this book has a pretty good dollop of Christianity in it (hymns are written like 10 times and basic lessons surrounding prayer and beliefs and what not are included) which I didn't expect at all and which put me off a little (that isn't a jab against it I just don't really care for Christian-related topics/themes in what I read; let's not get into my opinions on it for the sake of keeping this review about the book). Otherwise, the story was pretty much what I expected.
I did like the story, but not especially so. Heidi is a sweet child, but she's not especially interesting as a character. She's pretty much what you'd expect from a likeable, good-natured child. The book's best feature lies in its descriptions of the Swiss alps and its theme of being at home with family and friends, but is a little wanting in other areas. As a homebody myself who would always rather be at home than anywhere else--even someplace very nice--it was easy to relate to Heidi's desire to return home to the mountains and all the familiar things and routines she'd had before. I think perhaps I wanted more structure to the tale than just "heidi loves her home, aunt makes her a companion for a girl far away from home, heidi gets ill, heidi goes home, friend comes to visit, friend gets well, happy ending."
But outside of this, this felt much more like a pretty strict "children's book" in that this is far more enjoyable for a younger audience. The language was nice, though I've heard that this translation isn't the absolute best so perhaps another edition might have had more eloquent writing. If my German was better, I'd try my hand at reading it in its original language, but alas, mein Deutsch ist nitch so gut.
For what it is, the tale is cute and endearing and I can see why it's a popular classic for kids, but unlike some other children's books, this doesn't have that "even as an adult, this is a delightful read" feeling that really drives home how great a story really is, at least it doesn't for me personally.
Anyway, my Puffin in Bloom edition is super cute and was cheap, so even if this isn't a story I'll want to revisit a whole lot, I think it's still a nice edition to my collection and was worth reading at least once as an adult.
My first surprise was that the grandfather didn't really need time to warm up to Heidi (I believe in a film version I saw, Heidi had to charm her way into his heart before he was ever kind) and the second was that this book has a pretty good dollop of Christianity in it (hymns are written like 10 times and basic lessons surrounding prayer and beliefs and what not are included) which I didn't expect at all and which put me off a little (that isn't a jab against it I just don't really care for Christian-related topics/themes in what I read; let's not get into my opinions on it for the sake of keeping this review about the book). Otherwise, the story was pretty much what I expected.
I did like the story, but not especially so. Heidi is a sweet child, but she's not especially interesting as a character. She's pretty much what you'd expect from a likeable, good-natured child. The book's best feature lies in its descriptions of the Swiss alps and its theme of being at home with family and friends, but is a little wanting in other areas. As a homebody myself who would always rather be at home than anywhere else--even someplace very nice--it was easy to relate to Heidi's desire to return home to the mountains and all the familiar things and routines she'd had before. I think perhaps I wanted more structure to the tale than just "heidi loves her home, aunt makes her a companion for a girl far away from home, heidi gets ill, heidi goes home, friend comes to visit, friend gets well, happy ending."
But outside of this, this felt much more like a pretty strict "children's book" in that this is far more enjoyable for a younger audience. The language was nice, though I've heard that this translation isn't the absolute best so perhaps another edition might have had more eloquent writing. If my German was better, I'd try my hand at reading it in its original language, but alas, mein Deutsch ist nitch so gut.
For what it is, the tale is cute and endearing and I can see why it's a popular classic for kids, but unlike some other children's books, this doesn't have that "even as an adult, this is a delightful read" feeling that really drives home how great a story really is, at least it doesn't for me personally.
Anyway, my Puffin in Bloom edition is super cute and was cheap, so even if this isn't a story I'll want to revisit a whole lot, I think it's still a nice edition to my collection and was worth reading at least once as an adult.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
After the first 2 chapters I worried this book would bore me going on and on about the mountains/flowers/goats. I wasn’t sure what else the author could possibly bring in to make the story interesting. I was pleasantly surprised!
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
Tearing up. A beautiful reminder of the healing power of nature, God's strange methods and gratitude
A must read for every year ❤️
A must read for every year ❤️
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Very sweet book - kinda got emotional at a few parts. A lot of talk of God and stuff which is whatever, but a nice story nonetheless
A reread--I actually probably read this one a dozen times as a kid and I could have sworn I'd read it as an adult too, but certainly not in a long time, as I'd forgotten a lot about it. It's a lovely story about a plucky orphan (my favourite kind of protagonist as a kid) is left with her hermit of a grandfather and gradually changes his life and the lives of all those around her. Basically, Anne of Green Gables set in the Swiss Alps.
Which is not to diminish Spyri's work--it's an engrossing series of adventures Heidi undertakes, and all of the characters are sweetly simply drawn. The kids and old people in the novel (there are not many young or middle aged adults here) are not wildly dimensional in the telling, but the details that are given are true to life. And the landscape descriptions are out of this world--Spyri really makes everything Heidi sees vivid and compelling.
The thing that I had never understood about the novel until this reading is that it not only has great deal of Christian content but that content is intended as lessons for young readers in how to live a good Christian life. Of course, as a little reader I understood that Heidi learns to pray, to sing hymns, and eventually to go to church, and it is through doing these things that she believes her life and the lives of those around her improved. Back then, I simply believed it was a story about someone who thought differently than I do--much as Heidi prefers to live in an isolated hut and I like to live in cities. I was happy to let our religious differences stand--learning about lives different from ours is one reason why one reads, after all, right?
In this later reading, the propagandistic aspect of the story disturbed me a little--there were quite a number of conversations on how to pray, and how never to embrace good fortune without giving thanks to "the dear lord." These didactic chats clog up the story a bit, but I'm glad I was able to filter them out in my early reading, because it truly is a charming story with a happy happy happy ending. My love now is qualified but not diminished.
Which is not to diminish Spyri's work--it's an engrossing series of adventures Heidi undertakes, and all of the characters are sweetly simply drawn. The kids and old people in the novel (there are not many young or middle aged adults here) are not wildly dimensional in the telling, but the details that are given are true to life. And the landscape descriptions are out of this world--Spyri really makes everything Heidi sees vivid and compelling.
The thing that I had never understood about the novel until this reading is that it not only has great deal of Christian content but that content is intended as lessons for young readers in how to live a good Christian life. Of course, as a little reader I understood that Heidi learns to pray, to sing hymns, and eventually to go to church, and it is through doing these things that she believes her life and the lives of those around her improved. Back then, I simply believed it was a story about someone who thought differently than I do--much as Heidi prefers to live in an isolated hut and I like to live in cities. I was happy to let our religious differences stand--learning about lives different from ours is one reason why one reads, after all, right?
In this later reading, the propagandistic aspect of the story disturbed me a little--there were quite a number of conversations on how to pray, and how never to embrace good fortune without giving thanks to "the dear lord." These didactic chats clog up the story a bit, but I'm glad I was able to filter them out in my early reading, because it truly is a charming story with a happy happy happy ending. My love now is qualified but not diminished.