read an illustrated and abridged version of this when I was a kid, Now reading the unabridged version as an adult I really liked it, The story is solid, the characters are meaningful and interact well, and the plot was good and comprehensible, There is nothing deep or subliminal about this, That's not to say the story is shallow but is good because everything is surface level,
Throughout the story I kept wondering if the main character David Balfour was resilient and mentally strong, or just lucky, Maybe I'm looking too deep into it,
I enjoyed this solid adventure story and would recommend Robert Louis Stevenson to anyone who likes a good story, I'll probably read it again, Thanks! Maravillosa novela de aventuras, que me ha recordado a la Isla del Tesoro del mismo autor, son el añadido de tener un trasfondo histórico real y muchísimo sabor escocés.
Deseando leer Catriona la segunda parte, .stars rounded down
I made a mistake, And no, I'm not talking about my personal life this time, but about this reading experience, that was not at all how I imagined it would be.
I know Kidnapped should have been an entertaining and compelling adventure novel, that it was supposed to be easy to read and easy to follow, in short, a novel to have a good time.
Besides, it was first published in the magazine Young Folks, a weekly children's literary magazine, that was, to my understanding, mainly for children, thereforeagaina straightforward story.
Other novels by Stevenson were also published in this magazine, such as Treasure Island and The Black Arrow,
Since May I started listening to audiobooks in English without reading the book at once, basically just the audiobook and my optimism.
Everything seemed to go well since then, a novella by Wilkie Collins, a couple of books for my Pride Month reads, and especially children's books, until I came across Kidnapped on LibriVox, and then everything just fell apart.
I picked up this novel in this format for two reasons: it is an adventure novelhence a compelling, gripping storyand a 'children' book.
Well, I didn't notice anything wrong with the book at the very beginning, as I was enjoying the novel quite a bit, probably during the firstchapters everything was understandable and enjoyable, though I was struggling a little bit with some dialogues never ignore those hints again, but overall everything seemed to be fine.
By the way, the story depicts the adventures of David Balfour, ayearold boy whose parents have recently passed away, and who must visit his uncle Ebenezer in Scotland, after receiving a letter that has to be delivered to him.
Thus, after some terrible circumstances, David will live a series of adventures throughout Scotland, where will be friends with Alan Stewart at some point in the story, and will try to come back home.
So, what was my main problem with this book I suppose you know the answer: that's right, the language, Once some sailors and a boat were introduced in the story, I knew some things might be a little hard to follow, though I guess I was so naïve: it was not only really hard to understand the nautical vocabulary, but also some parts of the book turned into a confusing and beyondmyunderstanding story.
As for the dialogues, they were literally incomprehensibleespecially when Alan or the sailors said somethingand even some expressions/words didn't sound like anything I had heard before, it was like a completely different language.
It turns out that it was indeed a different language I googled it and it is apparently something called Lowland Scots so, in a nutshell, the reason why I couldn't make out the story from that moment on was very clear to me.
Either way, I'm assuming this would not be a problem for a native English speaker characters are speaking both English and this Scottish language, mixing both languages together while speaking, but clearly it was a problem for meI'm neither a native English speaker nor a fluent English speaker yet, so it is comprehensibleand I have to admit it was also frustrating to struggle with this situation at this point in the story.
Fortunately, David as a narrator is always speaking English, which was the reason why I was able to finish the book, and therefore, to understand his adventures, or at least, to figure out what was happening sometimes I was missing something, yet I knew what was going on because of the context and the story as a whole.
Also, if you asked me why I didn't give up on this one or why I didn't pick up another format, simply because I could actually understand the audiobook narrator and his accentthe narrator is American, and I'm really familiar with some American accents, though I know some people won't be happy listening to a novel by Stevenson in American accentand besides, I didn't miss all the dialogues, but just some parts of them especially when some characters didn't speak English, as you know, and finally because I'm kind of a perseverant person, I usually don't give up.
Finally, I would like to correct my first statement and to say the truth regarding this book: "I know Kidnapped is an entertaining and compelling adventure novel, that is easy to read and easy to follow, in short, a novel to have a good time.
" Now, if I had to describe this novel by saying just one word, that one would be friendship, Alan and David's friendship is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read, and Stevenson really knows how to portray a true, unconditional friendship.
I truly loved these two characters, being essentially their friendship the cherry on top of the cake for this story,
I'm also sure I have to reread this book in the future, not only because it deserves to have a better place among my reading experiences I hope so, but also because I believe it won't catch me completely off guard the next time my English journey somehow must make a difference.
P. S. Sorry if I ended up talking about my life when I said my mistake had nothing to do with it, I guess sometimes it is inevitable,
I minded me of all Alans kindness and courage in the past, how he had helped and cheered and borne with me in our evil days and then recalled my own insults, and saw that I had lost for ever that doughty friend.
You are seventeen Mr, David Balfour, alone in the world of, in troubled Scotland, a futile bloody revolt was crushed a few years ago, by England, the parents are no more, father never spoke about his family, or the distant past , the poor, quiet introvert, a widowed school master, of the lowlands, has left his good, loving son a.
. .
Mysterious letter, both of them had deep secrets for you, Go from your birthplace , a small village, the only one you know, and take the message to a lawyer Mr, Rankeillor, in the frightening, huge, cosmopolitan city of Edinburgh by foot you must travel, a two day walk, Meeting strangers good or bad on the roads, . . who can tell Should you turn back,
it would be so easy or follow your late father's wishes and risk the unknown dangers, But first he arrives at the home of his Uncle Ebenezer, a person he never knew existed, that name alone for most people would give them a clue about this gentleman's character.
His father's brother is a great miser, so cheap he lives like a pauper in his big mansion, uncompleted, the reason, obviously he can't spend any money, will not light a fire but in one fireplace, eats porridge and drinks a little beer the cheapest he can find.
Paranoid in the extreme, his sick mind hates anybody that threatens him even if it is not true, After an unsuccessful plot to eliminate his naive nephew in the dark tower, a better one bears fruit, A sea captain named Elias Hoseason, agrees to kidnap the boy, for a nice fee, and sell him in the colonies of the Carolinas in America , they need slaves for the cotton plantations.
. . However, plans are plans and you can not tell what the future brings, storms, reefs, fogs and the unexpected, anything is possible on a liquid surface.
Alan Breck Stewart, with a sack of money is wanted by the Crown as a Scottish rebel, the only survivor of a shipwreck off the coast of Britain, caused by the less than honorable captain, picked up in a thick fog.
Nevertheless, greed wins out and the crew desires the valuable coins, killing a man doesn't bother them, Mr. David, is appalled, helps the fugitive escape and he too, later in the best section of the classic novel, . .
A long grueling crossing , the highlands of Scotland, trying to avoid capture by the Red Coats and the hangman's rope, a murder has just occurred.
And Alan blamed Such splendid adventures follow, as the two new friends flee on the rugged terrain of the north country's hills, valleys, rivers and bays, always moving, never resting, hiding in woods, the tall grass, on top of rocks, in caves, anywhere available, getting assistance from loyal relatives of Alan and his clan.
A wonderful book for the young at heart, indubitably, .