Reviews

The Rescuers by Margery Sharp, Garth Williams

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dgrachel's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

This could not be much more different from the 1977 animated Disney movie. It’s my favorite Disney film, so I know I am biased. I didn’t enjoy the writing style, but there isn’t anything wrong with it. What irritates me is the misogyny. It’s so egregious Sure, it fits with the time when the book was written, but the characterization of Miss Bianca is not something I’d want to children to internalize.

saroz162's review against another edition

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4.0

I read this as a kid—actually, three or four in the series—and coming back to it as an adult, my opinion didn't really change much. It's a sweet and frothy little story, but only because of how it's told: it's quite "jolly hockey sticks," with a narrative voice that feels as pampered and at a remove as Miss Bianca herself. It's all a bit camp, making tiny, fussy details of the mice's world important, while at the same time downplaying the true danger. The stereotypical Big Bad Cat obstacle, when he shows up, speaks in velvety, George Sanders-esque tones, calling Miss Bianca "my dear little lady." It's that kind of book, and I remember it feeling that way even when I was eight years old.

All of this is slightly contrasted by Garth Williams' wonderfully textured drawings, which bring back the action and terror to the story—particularly with Mamelouk, the aforementioned Big Cat (who, in Williams' depiction, is little more than a giant mountain of fur with a face). Sharp has also chosen, oddly, to write about what is clearly a political prisoner who needs "rescuing"—but we never learn why, or which government is in charge of the Black Castle, or what relevance any of this has to the humans. It's just important—and we have to accept it—which feels more than a little underdeveloped and, again, removed. (I don't think it's any mistake that the sequel, Miss Bianca, focuses on a child that needs rescuing. Sharp clearly understood the weakness of that first book, and it's similarly no mistake that the second book forms most of the basis of the Disney film.)

However, I offer all of this up less as criticism than as simple analysis. The Rescuers was very pleasant to read and frequently delightful, and I would be happy to spend more time in the company of these characters.

avocadomilquetoast's review against another edition

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2.0

Whenever someone boils down their opinion of a book/movie/show whatever to simply saying "it was cute," I take that to mean that it wasn't terrible but wasn't substantial or didn't leave enough of an impression to really recommend it to me.
"The Rescuers" is cute.
It's as if Margery Sharp had a great idea for an exciting rescue tale and an insightful look on country mouse/city mouse-style class differences, but she didn't completely follow through on either of those themes. We spend too much time too much time waiting around for the big rescue (I hope it's not a huge spoiler that this book involves rescuing) but too little time with the rescue itself - which you would expect to be more interesting, right?
But it's not so badly done as to warrant one star, and the characters are likeable enough. For the unavoidable Disney movie comparison, I thought Mamelouk the cat was a more interesting villain than either Madame Medusa or, um, what's-his-name, the George C. Scott character.
I've gotta mention the work of illustrator Garth Williams, who has a great knack for making mice look adorable and humans look repulsive.
But if you're looking for something for a kid to read, or for something to read to a kid, don't let my two-stars put you off. It's cute in a good way, too.