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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Such a whimsical story, and the descriptions of Ratty, Mole and Badger’s homes is like settling down in front of a roaring fire under a blanket with a steaming cup of hot chocolate, just cosy and comforting. Mr Toad is insufferable but you can’t help but laugh and cheer him on as he escapes prison, gets thrown in the canal and bargains to sell a horse that isn’t his! The battle for Toad hall is still memorable as i remember from childhood, but now reading this as an adult you see the underlying views of the era. That being said its a enjoyable read for what it is and the descriptions of the countryside that Kenneth Grahame evokes is truly magical and should makes us all treasure the wildlife and countryside for what it is and preserve it.
☆ 8/10 ☆
- read this in grade 3 and the nostalgia it holds might be better than the story itself, however, the story is still amazing even after ive reread it
- such a cute story that isn't talked about enough
- read this in grade 3 and the nostalgia it holds might be better than the story itself, however, the story is still amazing even after ive reread it
- such a cute story that isn't talked about enough
Wonderful stories that I will definitely be reading to my kids one day.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
I never read (or watched) any of these stories when I was a kid, and I'm glad I didn't. While the vocabulary isn't exactly difficult, the style of writing is and even as an adult I found myself having to reread some parts. It would be a great read aloud, but having an actual grade schooler read it at this day in age would probably make most of them frustrated.
While I was disappointed this didn't live up to my expectations, it is still an important work establishing animal kids fiction--I can definitely see this is where at least some character stereotypes (weasels are evil!) and setting ideas come from in more modern animal fiction (Redwall in particular). It also teaches morals and proper actions, although these may be seen as outdated.
It was a very sensory book and encouraged reminiscing via recalling or re-experiencing natural occurrences. The fwoomp of the snow, the changing of the flowers and seasons, the migrations, the smells, are all described, it all is exactly as I see/have seen it happening in real life. Multiple times there were descriptions where I immediately vividly recalled the same or similar scene, and it brought a nostalgia for that point in the season. As someone who struggles to write these sorts of naturally connected emotions, it will definitely provide me with some inspiration and proof that it can be successfully and beautifully done.
The theme of friendship is strong here, but there are mixed messages. While all four main characters (plus Otter) are good friends, with different personalities and tastes, when one of them has an obsession or a drive (literally, in Toad's case), the other friends violently try to prevent them from doing anything. While Toad's driving is reckless, it's something he deeply enjoys (and it's shown that he goes through phases of hobbies, so it's only a matter of time before he finds something else to do). And rather than taking an understanding view of Toad's hobbies--expressing concern for his and others' safety for example-- the friends literally keep Toad a prisoner in his house to try and prevent him from driving. It's extreme, and while there are good intentions behind it, it just seemed over the top.
Most of the storylines are very fable-like. I had seen a few reviews mention that they're like extended length Aesop's Fables, and I can definitely see why. All four of our main characters take on stock personalities from fables and fairy tales--Mr. Toad is the "don't be like this guy" one, Mole is the naive but secretly smart one, Ratty is the friendly know it all, and Badger is the wise introvert. However, the actual conclusions of the stories--where the morals are usually placed--are very elusive and not very direct, at least the way I read them. They do still give important lessons on friendship, sacrifice, and humility, but just not in a "here is the lesson you must learn" kind of way.
My main issues with the book were with Mr. Toad. While he is supposed to be the guy who shows the readers what not to do, the way they're written seem to glorify the actions. For example, paying your way out of prison never was painted in a truely "this is wrong" way. It was more just like a plot point to show how rich Toad is and how he has a way with the ladies. That leads to the other main issue: the lack of female characters. While I could overlook this for the first few stories, since the societal rules and structure was never made clear and I didn't know what was supposed to be normal, when Toad starts simultaneously mocking women and their work, and then exploiting this features, it didn't sit well in the modern mind. Additionally, it's enforced that men can't and shouldn't do household chores, and that lying to get your way is totally fine because you can just run away from your lies in the end, rather than face up to them.
Again, Toad is the character that's supposed to be showing us what not to do, but the concluding chapters, while they do show Toad changing his attitude, never convinced me that he truly learned from his mistakes and will not be an idiot any more. If anything, it sounds like he's now going to exploit being the innocent, humble one, which is just as bad as being a reckless a-hole.
Of course, you can simply read this as a fun story about friends and their idyllic lives on the waterbank, but the fable elements were too strong for me to overlook them.
Overall, I'm glad that I read it, I'm happy to have it on my shelf, and I will likely reread some stories again. However, I can't see myself ever seeing the book, as a whole, as more than a 3 (maaaaaybe a 3.5) star read, due to the above issues. The edition I have also does not have very nice illustrations (the characters are too anthropomorphically human, rather than just cute animals), so that also figured a tad bit into my rating (Nancy Barnhart was the illustrator, who appears to be the original illustrators of the 1922 edition).
(Cross posted on my blog.)
While I was disappointed this didn't live up to my expectations, it is still an important work establishing animal kids fiction--I can definitely see this is where at least some character stereotypes (weasels are evil!) and setting ideas come from in more modern animal fiction (Redwall in particular). It also teaches morals and proper actions, although these may be seen as outdated.
It was a very sensory book and encouraged reminiscing via recalling or re-experiencing natural occurrences. The fwoomp of the snow, the changing of the flowers and seasons, the migrations, the smells, are all described, it all is exactly as I see/have seen it happening in real life. Multiple times there were descriptions where I immediately vividly recalled the same or similar scene, and it brought a nostalgia for that point in the season. As someone who struggles to write these sorts of naturally connected emotions, it will definitely provide me with some inspiration and proof that it can be successfully and beautifully done.
The theme of friendship is strong here, but there are mixed messages. While all four main characters (plus Otter) are good friends, with different personalities and tastes, when one of them has an obsession or a drive (literally, in Toad's case), the other friends violently try to prevent them from doing anything. While Toad's driving is reckless, it's something he deeply enjoys (and it's shown that he goes through phases of hobbies, so it's only a matter of time before he finds something else to do). And rather than taking an understanding view of Toad's hobbies--expressing concern for his and others' safety for example-- the friends literally keep Toad a prisoner in his house to try and prevent him from driving. It's extreme, and while there are good intentions behind it, it just seemed over the top.
Most of the storylines are very fable-like. I had seen a few reviews mention that they're like extended length Aesop's Fables, and I can definitely see why. All four of our main characters take on stock personalities from fables and fairy tales--Mr. Toad is the "don't be like this guy" one, Mole is the naive but secretly smart one, Ratty is the friendly know it all, and Badger is the wise introvert. However, the actual conclusions of the stories--where the morals are usually placed--are very elusive and not very direct, at least the way I read them. They do still give important lessons on friendship, sacrifice, and humility, but just not in a "here is the lesson you must learn" kind of way.
My main issues with the book were with Mr. Toad. While he is supposed to be the guy who shows the readers what not to do, the way they're written seem to glorify the actions. For example, paying your way out of prison never was painted in a truely "this is wrong" way. It was more just like a plot point to show how rich Toad is and how he has a way with the ladies. That leads to the other main issue: the lack of female characters. While I could overlook this for the first few stories, since the societal rules and structure was never made clear and I didn't know what was supposed to be normal, when Toad starts simultaneously mocking women and their work, and then exploiting this features, it didn't sit well in the modern mind. Additionally, it's enforced that men can't and shouldn't do household chores, and that lying to get your way is totally fine because you can just run away from your lies in the end, rather than face up to them.
Again, Toad is the character that's supposed to be showing us what not to do, but the concluding chapters, while they do show Toad changing his attitude, never convinced me that he truly learned from his mistakes and will not be an idiot any more. If anything, it sounds like he's now going to exploit being the innocent, humble one, which is just as bad as being a reckless a-hole.
Of course, you can simply read this as a fun story about friends and their idyllic lives on the waterbank, but the fable elements were too strong for me to overlook them.
Overall, I'm glad that I read it, I'm happy to have it on my shelf, and I will likely reread some stories again. However, I can't see myself ever seeing the book, as a whole, as more than a 3 (maaaaaybe a 3.5) star read, due to the above issues. The edition I have also does not have very nice illustrations (the characters are too anthropomorphically human, rather than just cute animals), so that also figured a tad bit into my rating (Nancy Barnhart was the illustrator, who appears to be the original illustrators of the 1922 edition).
(Cross posted on my blog.)
Great nostalgic read. I never actually read it as a child, but I enjoyed it as much as a child would.
I was on holiday in a little cottage and this was on the shelf so I thought, why not? Never read the books but was familiar (or so I thought) with the story. I decided to read with an audiobook which helped speed up the process. And there were some lovely illustrations in the editor I read. Now for the book: it’s if it’s time shall we say. There are a few random events that don’t seem to make much sense and there isn’t much explanation for the reader other than to accept it. Toad is “an ass” for a lot of it but there were some likeable characters. I liked the book and I’m pleased I’ve given it a go but I doubt I’d reach for it again.
Very conflicted whether to give this three or four stars. Basically, the writing is wonderful. Grahame pours charm and wit into every scene, every sentence and in these moments, it's just lovely to read. A similar kind of wit to Milne's Winnie-The-Pooh. It's also genuinely creepy at times, showing a real skill. BUT this is not a novel. It's a series of short stories connected by recurring characters, until the last couple which form one narrative. While the repulsive Toad is off being arrested and escaping prison (something they never resolve - won't the police just arrest him again later?) the Water Rat and Mole have a series of utterly unrelated adventures, that they pretty much never mention again.
Sometimes the narrative drive stumbles so completely to a halt that there's no motivation to continue reading. The main culprit for this being the chapter in which Rat is annoyed at all his friends who migrate at the end of summer until he meets a sea rat and gets hypnotised by this life and Mole has to basically tie him down until he is cured. The whole chapter nearly is Rat listening to someone else wax lyrical.
And then when Toad gets reunited with the Water Rat towards the end, Rat tells him that Mole has been living at Toad Hall until he was attacked, and since then has been spending all his time keeping an eye on it... WHEN did that happen? Last time we see Mole, he's still living with Rat!
So, in detail and style, it's absolutely charmingly wonderful. But in content and as an actual story, it's just a bunch of random stuff.
Sometimes the narrative drive stumbles so completely to a halt that there's no motivation to continue reading. The main culprit for this being the chapter in which Rat is annoyed at all his friends who migrate at the end of summer until he meets a sea rat and gets hypnotised by this life and Mole has to basically tie him down until he is cured. The whole chapter nearly is Rat listening to someone else wax lyrical.
And then when Toad gets reunited with the Water Rat towards the end, Rat tells him that Mole has been living at Toad Hall until he was attacked, and since then has been spending all his time keeping an eye on it... WHEN did that happen? Last time we see Mole, he's still living with Rat!
So, in detail and style, it's absolutely charmingly wonderful. But in content and as an actual story, it's just a bunch of random stuff.