Kidnapped (Scholastic Classics) by Robert Louis Stevenson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Kidnapped (Scholastic Classics)
Book Review: Kidnapped is so awesome
Summary: 5 Stars
Kidnapped Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson is about a boy that gets kidnapped by pirates. He is traveling on a boat to other places. Then allan,one of the pirates, show's him how to be a pirates. But then he and his teacher get kidnapped by soldiers. And then the action begins... This book is action packed with adventures. The theme is that if you are all alone don't try to be someone you aren't. In the book,Dave's dad is dead and he gets kidnapped by pirates. Now he is fighting other pirates. I really liked this book because it seems so real. It seemed like I was really in the book with them. I think the book is about the greatest book I have read.Book Review: IS IT JUST ME?
Summary: 3 Stars
I helped my son read this book for summer reading. Is it just me, or is this "classic" a painstaking book to read. Sure the story itself is somewhat interesting, but reading the dialect and trying to understand and define some of the gaelic words was tiresome. I would say after reading some of the words, "WHAT DID HE SAY?". Some of the words were not in the glossary at the back of the book. I thought this writer needs to learn to breath, with all the commas used to connect his run on sentences. I was tired by the time I read one sentence. While I was reading this with my son, I was thinking that the school needs to select a better book for any future summer reading! Save your time from this "classic" drudge and go out and rent the DVD. It makes the story A LOT more interesting and follows the book to the end. Sorry, perhaps I learned that I'm just not a fan of Mr Stevenson's books.Book Review: Thrilling
Summary: 5 Stars
Despite its age, this book still thrills readers, adults and children alike. It is said that Robert Louis Stevenson was one of the creators of the thriller genre, and KIDNAPPED doesn't fail to thrill. It is the story of David Balfour, a young man who has recently lost his father. He receives instructions to go the house of his uncle, and he is surprised to find that his uncle is a rich manor lord. He comes to find out that the manor rightfully belongs to him, but before he can make a claim, his uncle has David knocked out, and put aboard a ship to be sold into slavery in the Carolinas. The adventure builds from there.
Many people have the impression that this is a book for children, but I believe that readers of all ages can enjoy it. In fact, some scenes may be a bit much for children. I was really amazed to read the scene of the sword battle on the ship. At the end of the battle, the floor of the cabin is covered with human blood sloshing back and forth with the movement of the ship.
It's a very exciting book and I hightly recommend it.
Book Review: A quick summary
Summary: 5 Stars
After the death of his father in 1751, David Balfour, a young Scottish lad seventeen years of age, sets out in search of his inheritance. He leaves Essandean, where he was born and raised, to find his Uncle Ebenezer Balfour and to claim his rightful name, David Balfour of Shaws. Upon arrival, David finds the House of Shaws in ruin and his uncle the same. Despite his uncle's situation, Ebenezer takes David in and gives him food and shelter, but later he secretly arranges for the kidnapping of David by the captain of a slavery ship bound for the American plantations.
During the voyage, the death of a sailor earns David the position of a servant in the roundhouse, a cabin for the Captain and his officers. After several days of fog the ship strikes a smaller vessel who's hull crushes and leaves but one survivor. He is brought aboard the ship and introduces himself as Alan Breck. After negotiating with the Captain, Alan agrees to pay for transport to his destination. David hears of the Captain's plot to murder Alan for his money and warns Alan of his peril. Agreeing to defend each other, David and Alan use the roundhouse as a defensive base against the Captain's attack, who surrenders. The battle results in the loss of the navigator and the eventual loss of the ship to a coral reef.
David is washed ashore where he spends much time in despair. He is rescued a few days after the sinking of the ship. Once back on the mainland, David discovers that Alan is alive and has left word for him to follow behind. Along the way, David is involved in the murder of the "Red Fox". While fleeing the scene, David is again joined with Alan Breck. Although innocent, both are accused of the murder, Alan being the murderer, David being an accomplice. Their flight from the English soldiers brings them through mountains, desert, and forest. "The Flight in the Heather" binds their friendship as they make for David's homeland, which is out of English jurisdiction.
Once in safety, David reclaims his inheritance with the help of Alan and Mr. Rankeillor, who is the town lawyer. David and Alan part their ways, but it is said that the two remained long-time friends.
In my opinion, Kidnapped is a book that even the most serious of literature readers can enjoy. It is written with a wonderful style that transports the reader from page to page with such an ease that he/she will forget time and place. Characters such as Alan Breck and Ebenezer Balfour are drawn so well I felt as if I actually knew them when I finished the novel. Although the use of dialect presented some difficulty at first, it was easily mastered after a few pages of reading. Dialect also helped to establish personality in the characters.
The lack of a thorough conclusion did disappoint me. This also explains why this summary lacks in a complete conclusion. Despite the book's shortcomings, I feel it was well worth the effort in reading it. I look forward to reading it's sequel, David Balfour: Being Memoirs of the Further Adventures of David Balfour at Home and Abroad.
Book Review: phil from shanghai
Summary: 4 Stars
Robert Louis Stevenson's kidnapped takes place in1751 in Scotland. The book starts where David Belfour, a young man who grew up in the lowlands of Scotland, leaves town to find a new life after his father died. He goes to search for his uncle which he just found out about, and to his surprise is rich. But he finds out his uncle is not a very popular person and after a harsh welcoming his uncle plays many tricks on David and also tries to kill him, because David is the rightful heir to all the money and the estate that the uncle took. Finally his uncle tricks him to get on the ship covenant, captained by captain hoseason, and before David realizes what is going on he is knocked unconscious and carried to the deck of the ship. Over the next few months he becomes friends with the crew and then moves to the roundhouse. One night when the covenant hits a smaller boat and one survivor, Alan Stewart, a skilled fighter from the highlands of, becomes a friend of David. After a conflict between the pair and the crew they become good friends. Everything is going well until... the ship hits the Taron Rocks and the ship is ruined. David floats to an island and once he manages to get to the mainland starts searching for any members of the crew that survived. He got directions of where to find Alan and while he was searching for him he meets up with Alan unexpectedly. At alas friends house they learn that they are the main suspects of murder of a king's loyal officer. They flee to the woods and have many quarrels between them. Finally they both get to their destinations and David forces his uncle to give him two thirds of his family inheritance.
I compare this book to hamlet because in both books the evil relative betrays the innocent one for the benefit of himself. In both stories the evil twin tries to kill the other one to get the inheritance. They play tricks on the other one to try to get rid of them. I think all readers would like this book because it is a mix between an adventure book and a travel book. The reason I chose this book was because it looked interesting to me, of how a young man is searching for a new life in the middle of betrayal, friendships, and loyalties. I strongly recommend this book to all readers.