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kathieboucher's review against another edition
5.0
All the stars! A great adventure; a great tragedy. This tale of children captive on a Caribbean pirate ship is written in an understated way that captures a child’s perception of strange events, but reads in a way that leaves no doubt about danger, horror, and its aftermath. A wow of a read.
scheu's review against another edition
3.0
This book could have been great, with the premise and the children and the stabbing and the humor, if only it had been written by someone else. As it stands, the book was written by the author, and it was not that great.
ajreader's review against another edition
3.0
Read my full thoughts on my blog.
"The key to High Wind lies in the infantile perspective. [The children's] innocence and self-absorption commands their worldview. Hughes does not tell the story directly from their viewpoint, thus allowing the reader some further understanding of the actual events taking place. Even still, the whole story is painted with their emotions and perceptions of people and events. Hughes spends significant time showing their emotional responses to the events surrounding them. This gives a simple adventure story an air of magic and childlike belief, couple with the darkness of losing one's innocence."
"The key to High Wind lies in the infantile perspective. [The children's] innocence and self-absorption commands their worldview. Hughes does not tell the story directly from their viewpoint, thus allowing the reader some further understanding of the actual events taking place. Even still, the whole story is painted with their emotions and perceptions of people and events. Hughes spends significant time showing their emotional responses to the events surrounding them. This gives a simple adventure story an air of magic and childlike belief, couple with the darkness of losing one's innocence."
dawnlizreads's review against another edition
2.0
This book is apparently now out of print (I had to buy my copy from an online second-hand bookshop; I was reading it for my book group) and it quickly becomes apparent why - it's really racist. Black people are referred to as "negroes" and are generally portrayed to be ignorant and childlike (with questionable morals). There's even one use of the "n" word. I know that this was written in less enlightened times (1929), but it makes for uncomfortable reading.
I am not sure if this is meant to be a children's book or an adult book that just happens to have children as the protagonists, but it certainly has dark themes. I'd certainly agree with the view that it's a precursor to Lord of the Flies (ie, what happens when usual social conventions are not enforced).
I am not sure if this is meant to be a children's book or an adult book that just happens to have children as the protagonists, but it certainly has dark themes. I'd certainly agree with the view that it's a precursor to Lord of the Flies (ie, what happens when usual social conventions are not enforced).
sverville's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent satire, very grotesque and very disturbing, but excellent all the same. Interesting portrayal of childhood, very different than the romantic view.
stat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
emilypeartree's review against another edition
1.0
Turns out this book is pretty heavy handed with its racism, even for a book written 100 years ago. Read (and enjoyed - Richard Hughes was a funny man) the intro and preface, but stopped dead after a few pages into the first chapter. Definitely not for me.
sarahdenn27's review against another edition
5.0
What a curious book. I still don't know entirely what to make of it, and I don't know if I'll figure that anytime soon. I was struck by Hughes' depictions of innocence and childhood. He certainly conveyed the randomness and strangeness of children that is often left out in romanticized versions of children. This was somehow a really beautifully written book and a grim and gruesome one as well. Some of the death in this book we shockingly violent and vivid, and I was genuinely uncomfortable and sad when the animals died or were being mistreated. Hughes' writing was beautiful and evocative, and I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this tale, despite its intense darkness and not so happy ending.