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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Oh, reading this one made me long to sit atop a wildflower-carpeted mountain meadow, pet goats, and eat milk and cheese.
This gets a solid 3.5 from me. The first half was worthy of 4 stars but there was a little too much god talk in the second half. And look, I know that it’s a characteristic from the time it was written but like there was just so much…
I was about ten years old when I read this book and I must admit that I found it incredibly boring. Maybe I will reread it sometime in the future, but we'll see.
4 stars overall, but sort of a book of two halves.
The first part is excellent, the sections in Frankfurt are great, and the contrast with life in the Alps is really well done.
The second half, frankly, drags quite a bit, not much happens, and the author lays it on a bit thick with the churchy stuff and Heidi's power to make everyone around her feel better.
The first part is excellent, the sections in Frankfurt are great, and the contrast with life in the Alps is really well done.
The second half, frankly, drags quite a bit, not much happens, and the author lays it on a bit thick with the churchy stuff and Heidi's power to make everyone around her feel better.
I know I am in the minority on my opinion of this book. Maybe it is because I never read it as a child. Maybe it is because I listened to the audiobook, which can highlight faults whereas in printed text is easier to disguise faults. Maybe I am just heartless and can't appreciate the simplicity of this story. It is probably a combination of these factors but the truth is I didn't really enjoy this book. When I picked up the audiobook there were two on the shelf. They both said they were unabridged, but one was two disks and one was seven. I chose the seven disk book thinking it was probably the more complete telling. I am sure that was correct, but I was wishing for the two disk set several times during my listen.
Heidi is the story of a young orphan girl who is sent to live with her grumpy grandfather in the Swiss Alps. She becomes friends with the goatherder Peter and his blind grandmother. Her aunt sends her to live with a family in Frankfurt where she is horribly unhappy even though she wants for nothing. She is a companion for invalid Klara. Because Heidi is so unhappy they send her back to the mountains where she blossoms again. The family doctor decides to visit Heidi and comes to believe the mountains are a cure for what ails you. He recommends Klara come to stay and when she does she is miraculously cured of her unspecified illness. Fresh air and goat milk does cure all.
First the good. I do think this book has some good messages about the joys of rural life, being honest with each other, and trusting in God. The messages are a bit heavy-handed for my tastes, but this is a book written 150 years ago and probably fits quite well into the style of that time. I am not sure it is a book that would even get published today nor do I think modern readers will welcome the message quite as well as past readers did.
I wanted a bit more reality in the story. There is no way Heidi was as perfect as she seemed. Everyone loved her instantly and she never caused any problems. The doctor met her one time and came to love her so much he spent a vacation with her and her grandfather and decided to make Heidi his heir. The blind grandmother doesn't think she can go on if Heidi is not in her life (what kind of message does that send to her daughter and grandson?).
My other issue was with the character of Klara. We are told she is an invalid and has to use a wheelchair because she cannot walk. We do not know what is actually wrong with her. However, a few weeks on the mountain drinking goat's milk and breathing the fresh air cures her and suddenly she can walk within a day or so of trying. I am all for fresh air and sunshine since I think people spend too much time indoors these days, but I don't think it is a cure-all.
I looked at this book through the eye's of a modern reader and at times the style just didn't work for me. I wanted people to say what they meant instead of talking all around an issue. I wanted their to be more honesty between the characters about their feelings and intentions. But this was a book written at a time when people did not do that. It was also a time when children were property and you could do with them as you with. It was a time when the upper classes thought they were superior to the lower classes. Those things are all reflected in this book. However there is also the message that rural life is better than city life and that God does what is best for you.
I know why this book is considered a classic. I can appreciate its good qualities. I just can't overlook what I consider faults in the story; I wish I could.
Heidi is the story of a young orphan girl who is sent to live with her grumpy grandfather in the Swiss Alps. She becomes friends with the goatherder Peter and his blind grandmother. Her aunt sends her to live with a family in Frankfurt where she is horribly unhappy even though she wants for nothing. She is a companion for invalid Klara. Because Heidi is so unhappy they send her back to the mountains where she blossoms again. The family doctor decides to visit Heidi and comes to believe the mountains are a cure for what ails you. He recommends Klara come to stay and when she does she is miraculously cured of her unspecified illness. Fresh air and goat milk does cure all.
First the good. I do think this book has some good messages about the joys of rural life, being honest with each other, and trusting in God. The messages are a bit heavy-handed for my tastes, but this is a book written 150 years ago and probably fits quite well into the style of that time. I am not sure it is a book that would even get published today nor do I think modern readers will welcome the message quite as well as past readers did.
I wanted a bit more reality in the story. There is no way Heidi was as perfect as she seemed. Everyone loved her instantly and she never caused any problems. The doctor met her one time and came to love her so much he spent a vacation with her and her grandfather and decided to make Heidi his heir. The blind grandmother doesn't think she can go on if Heidi is not in her life (what kind of message does that send to her daughter and grandson?).
My other issue was with the character of Klara. We are told she is an invalid and has to use a wheelchair because she cannot walk. We do not know what is actually wrong with her. However, a few weeks on the mountain drinking goat's milk and breathing the fresh air cures her and suddenly she can walk within a day or so of trying. I am all for fresh air and sunshine since I think people spend too much time indoors these days, but I don't think it is a cure-all.
I looked at this book through the eye's of a modern reader and at times the style just didn't work for me. I wanted people to say what they meant instead of talking all around an issue. I wanted their to be more honesty between the characters about their feelings and intentions. But this was a book written at a time when people did not do that. It was also a time when children were property and you could do with them as you with. It was a time when the upper classes thought they were superior to the lower classes. Those things are all reflected in this book. However there is also the message that rural life is better than city life and that God does what is best for you.
I know why this book is considered a classic. I can appreciate its good qualities. I just can't overlook what I consider faults in the story; I wish I could.
Just a delightful book. Even as a jaded, cynical adult, I teared up a couple of times. I do wish I had read it as a kid, only because I think I would have enjoyed it even more.
I do have to admit, the "GOD LOVES YOU!" message is beat into you over and over, but somehow, it didn't annoy me in this book.
EDITED: Unfortunately, I have just learned that this is a vastly inferior translation of the book, not only dumbed down, but also abridged. This is most distressing to me. I look forward to reading an old, 1920s translation to compare them.
I do have to admit, the "GOD LOVES YOU!" message is beat into you over and over, but somehow, it didn't annoy me in this book.
EDITED: Unfortunately, I have just learned that this is a vastly inferior translation of the book, not only dumbed down, but also abridged. This is most distressing to me. I look forward to reading an old, 1920s translation to compare them.