Saturday, January 29, 2011

Treasure Island by Robert L Stevenson

How could I go wrong with this one? I have read it many times, but did so this time with the hope of finding something new. Well, Long John Silver is nothing like Robert Newton, but he is a powerful and dangerous man. Captain Smollett was very much a cipher when I read the book before, but he emerges as an uncelebrated hero. Even the terrible old blowhard buccanneer, Billy Bones, has an extra dimension on the umpteenth re-reading, singing a wistful song about a lost love on one occasion, a sort of an interlude between his innumerable terrible sea shanties.

The book has everything, excellent pacing, strong characters, a great story line (even if it is the zillionth version of the well-worn quest theme) and an idyllic setting. Who would not be Jim Hawkins? I can't find anything bad to say about it.

10 out of 10

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