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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Perfectly summery. This was one of my favourite series growing up. Honestly it holds up quite well even if it's old-fashioned. This first book is a good introduction to the characters, and I can't remember exactly, but I'm assuming throughout the novels our main cast will develop more.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A favourite from childhood. Devoured it in one sitting
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Well this was just lovely. It starts off a little slow, with a long sort of prologue, but once the children meet George and start going to the island, I was firmly gripped by the story. I almost didn't want the story to end, which is always a good sign.
I really liked George, but I wonder if he was being misgendered? George consistently voiced that they weren't/didn't want to be a girl, but the other children, their parents, even the narrator keep using she/her pronouns, putting him in the "girls' room" and sending him off to a girls' boarding school. I know this book is Olde and preferred pronouns are a relatively new thing - it feels to me like the character of George and their gender exploration was probably a progressive thing at the time - and I haven't read the other 20(!) books in the Famous Five series, so I don't 100% know how to feel about the way the author handles George's gender. As a modern-day reader, I felt like he was being misgendered, but I'm lacking context, so I may have to read some essays on the topic (which, I'm sure they must be out there)!
Other than that, I started to really like Julian as the story went on. At the beginning I would confuse Dick and Julian for each other, but once on the island they do develop some of their own singular traits. The children are still a bit one-note, but for a short book like this with four protagonists (and a dog), it was fine. I wonder if the children get some form of character development in the other 20 books?
I really liked George, but I wonder if he was being misgendered? George consistently voiced that they weren't/didn't want to be a girl, but the other children, their parents, even the narrator keep using she/her pronouns, putting him in the "girls' room" and sending him off to a girls' boarding school. I know this book is Olde and preferred pronouns are a relatively new thing - it feels to me like the character of George and their gender exploration was probably a progressive thing at the time - and I haven't read the other 20(!) books in the Famous Five series, so I don't 100% know how to feel about the way the author handles George's gender. As a modern-day reader, I felt like he was being misgendered, but I'm lacking context, so I may have to read some essays on the topic (which, I'm sure they must be out there)!
Other than that, I started to really like Julian as the story went on. At the beginning I would confuse Dick and Julian for each other, but once on the island they do develop some of their own singular traits. The children are still a bit one-note, but for a short book like this with four protagonists (and a dog), it was fine. I wonder if the children get some form of character development in the other 20 books?
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced