Kidnapped (Bantam Classics)
by Robert Louis Stevenson
published
January 1st 1982
(first published 1886)
by Bantam Classics
edit
binding
Mass Market Paperback, 240 pages
isbn
0553212605
(isbn13: 9780553212600)
description
Spirited, romantic, and full of danger, Kidnapped is Robert Louis Stevenson's classic of high adventure. Beloved by generations, it is the sag...more
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of this book.
discuss this book
friend reviews (0)
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
lists with this book
Where's the love? Add this book to your favorite list.
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 1851)
All ratings |
5 stars (252)
|
4 stars (515)
|
3 stars (464)
|
2 stars (120)
|
1 star (31)
|
avg 3.62
Read in January, 1962
recommends it for:
Fans of 19th century fiction, and of adventure fiction
While the above description suggests, misleadingly, that all of protagonist David Balfour's adventures take place on the "high seas" (he only gets as far as the treacherous coastal waters of his native Scotland, and the great majority of the story takes place on land), the rest of it is pretty apt. This is Romantic historical adventure fiction at its finest (that is, fiction from the Romantic school, with its stress on appeal to emotions --here, excitement, fear, sympathy, moral indig...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
The young David Balfour goes to seek out his miserly uncle upon the death of his father. When David suspects that the estate of the Shaws may rightfully be his, his uncle has him kidnapped to be sold in the Americas. A shipwreck soon puts him in the wild Highlands of Scotland with the hot-headed Jacobite Alan Breck for a friend and guide. But the Highlands are dangerous for Alan as the Campbells (in league with King George) control much of the country, and soon David too finds himself on the run...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in June, 2008
"Alan," cried I, "what makes ye so good to me? What makes ye care for such a thankless fellow?"
"'Deed and I don't know," said Alan. "For just precisely what I thought I liked about ye, was that ye never quarrelled--and now I like ye better!"
Historical fiction, an adventure story, but also a great "buddy story". The plot follows young David, who is cheated out of his inheritance by a greedy uncle, and kidnapped into servitude on a sailing s...more
"'Deed and I don't know," said Alan. "For just precisely what I thought I liked about ye, was that ye never quarrelled--and now I like ye better!"
Historical fiction, an adventure story, but also a great "buddy story". The plot follows young David, who is cheated out of his inheritance by a greedy uncle, and kidnapped into servitude on a sailing s...more
Like this review?
yes
(2 people liked it)
add a comment
Read in April, 2008
I first read Kidnapped when I was in junior high school. I remember tearing through it in the course of a few hours. That first read was twenty years ago. Since then I've been meaning to reread it. I chose to do so last week when I was suffering from the flu. Take the fact that I was feverish, tired and not quite myself when considering my review.
When I first read the novel I was completely taken in with David Balfour's adventures, from meeting his despicable uncle, to being kidnapped and se...more
When I first read the novel I was completely taken in with David Balfour's adventures, from meeting his despicable uncle, to being kidnapped and se...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
I did the absolute coolest book report on this book in the fourth grade. It was a white paper bag (ok stick with me here, it's going to get better) on which I had written "KIDNAPPED" and drawn a sweet picture of a boat which I had actually traced using tracing paper from someone else's picture of a boat and then colored in carefully with colored pencils. Then inside there were lots of tiny action figures of all the characters that I had made also by tracing and coloring in with color...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Kidnapped Book by: Robert Lewis Stevenson
Review by Joe Rutkowski
This book is a great action adventure story involving battles, romance, and death. It takes place in the Scottish highlands in the year 1751. Young David Balfour takes a journey to the House of Shaws with a letter introducing him to his uncle. The next thing he knows, he is kidnapped by his uncle, attacked by a blind man, and has to fight off a bunch of ragged seamen who end up being murderers. But of c...more
Review by Joe Rutkowski
This book is a great action adventure story involving battles, romance, and death. It takes place in the Scottish highlands in the year 1751. Young David Balfour takes a journey to the House of Shaws with a letter introducing him to his uncle. The next thing he knows, he is kidnapped by his uncle, attacked by a blind man, and has to fight off a bunch of ragged seamen who end up being murderers. But of c...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in August, 2008
This was fun, a book I'd wanted to read for a long time. I enjoyed the Scottish brogue Stevenson uses to spice up the story. I'd like to visit Scotland some day and visit the places mentioned.
I also enjoyed reading the works of Stevenson, who's life ended early, living in Samoa, where I served my mission.
He had gone there for his health, and built his famed home, Vialima on the top of a tall hill overlooking the ocean.
The Samoan people loved him and called him "Tusitala",...more
I also enjoyed reading the works of Stevenson, who's life ended early, living in Samoa, where I served my mission.
He had gone there for his health, and built his famed home, Vialima on the top of a tall hill overlooking the ocean.
The Samoan people loved him and called him "Tusitala",...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Young adult, action packed. Very much a boy's book that I read in preperation for a trip to Scotland. A boy cheated of his inheritance when makes his way to his dastardly Uncle who tries to do away with the boy. The lowland lad, loyal to the crown, through a series of adventures forms a friendship and bond with a highlander jacobite supporter of Bonney prince Charlie in opposition to the British crown. After travelling across Scotland to Edinburgh, the two part ways, the boy to get his right...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in July, 1985
Kidnapped is a historical fiction adventure novel by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Written as a "boys' novel" and first published in the magazine Young Folks from May to July 1886, the novel has attracted the praise and admiration of writers as diverse as Henry James, Jorge Luis Borges and Seamus Heaney.
As historical fiction, it is set around 18th century Scottish events, notably the "Appin Murder", which occurred near Ballachulish in 1752 in the aftermath o...more
As historical fiction, it is set around 18th century Scottish events, notably the "Appin Murder", which occurred near Ballachulish in 1752 in the aftermath o...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in July, 2008
recommended to . r a c h a b e t h . by:
i picked it up myselfrecommends it for: adventure lovers
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
I have yet to read a Robert Louis Stevenson book that I didn't enjoy. He has the ability to completely transport you as a reader and you feel immersed in the culture and dialect of his characters. I liked learning all of the old Scottish terms. (The translation was conveniently provided at the bottom of the page.) Perhaps the most inspiring part of the book for me was found in the introduction. I keep saying that "someday" I will write a novel and thinking that I am still so young....more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in October, 2007
I listened to most of this book on a plane ride home from Scotland, where the story takes place. It is a classic I had never read before or even seen any of the movie versions of, and I would recommend it, although I think my pleasure in reading it had quite a bit to do with just having been in some of the places described in the book. I wouldn't rate it above _Jekyl and Hyde_ among the other Stevenson titles I've read, but it is extremely entertaining and I was again impressed by the author's...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in April, 2008
If I were a twelve-year-old boy and it was 1885, I bet this would be my favorite book ever. It's got adventure, it's got intrigue, it's got kidnapping and vile relatives. What's not to like? Personally, though, I didn't find it the breezy read it might have been during its heyday, and you can write that off partly to the fact that I didn't find the glossary containing all the old timey Scottish words until I was almost done with the thing. Still, it had its exciting moments, and it's actually an...more
Like this review?
yes
1 comments
This is a story about a boy named David Balfour who is tricked out of his inheritance by his greedy uncle, after his parents die. He is kidnapped under his uncles trick by some pirates. He is forced to join there crew and from there he endures the dangers of the sea and many other things.
This is a great book, it is full of action and adventure. This book made me feel how i did when i was kindergarten, i began picturing everything i was reading in the book, and it played a movie in my head. I r...more
This is a great book, it is full of action and adventure. This book made me feel how i did when i was kindergarten, i began picturing everything i was reading in the book, and it played a movie in my head. I r...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 1995
recommends it for:
everyone
One of the greatest adventure books ever written. This guy is amazing. He claims that everything he ever wrote came to him in his dreams and takes no credit for it. Well it is some of the most realistic and creative dreaming ever. I model my creative efforts after this guy, he is my hero (see Creative Dreaming). You gotta read this book It is part of the series that includes Treasure Island. This book is fun for all ages, it gets your heart pumping, your imagination creating beautiful landscapes...more
Like this review?
yes
1 comments
Read in December, 2006
Who could ask for more? In this book, a Scottish Highlander and a Lowlander clash in religion, ethics, and outlooks on nearly everything, but they become the best of friends! It's fun to watch the main character, David, develop from the beginning to the end. Insightful, yet exciting and fast-paced.
Disclaimer: If you expect the first few chapters to be the exposition for the main plot, you're going about this book the wrong way. The first few chapters and the last few chapters are more l...more
Disclaimer: If you expect the first few chapters to be the exposition for the main plot, you're going about this book the wrong way. The first few chapters and the last few chapters are more l...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in July, 2008
Glad to have finally read this book. I liked the descriptions of David's mental state during physical hardship of crossing the Scottish desert without water. In chapter 21 an elaborate symbol is used, a cross of birch and pine with burned ends and a button tied to it. Paraphrased, Alan says that he only cares to have John's aid if John is able to interpret the symbol, otherwise John is not worth the salt in his porridge. Interesting to see esteem for the intellect of John, an illiterate man....more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
I loved this book and I really love Robert Louis Stevenson. I love the storytelling and I really enjoyed how fast it moved along. There is a lot of Scottish Brogue that was fun to learn (I had an edition with translations in the back) and I learned a lot of Scottish History (onces again my book had footnotes-- a great asset.) I was only a little disappointed in how it ended, but learned that Stevenson was actually very ill when he was trying to finish the novel and so ended the story a bit mo...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Robert Louis Stevenson is one of my favorite authors (if not my favorite). Kidnapped is probably my favorite of his novels. I love adventure stories! Plus it is the place of one of my all times favorite book quotes, "The comfort of the sunshine is a thing I cannot tell. It set me thinking hopefully of my deliverance, of which I had begun to despair..." Great book. Granted, I haven't read it since high school (I want to re-read it) but it has always stuck with me as a book i truly love
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 1959
recommends it for:
everyone
I love Robert Louis Stevenson, and this is a very fine book. As a child, I longed for the sort of adventures that came to all of Stevenson's characters. In this book, the scheming uncle sending David Balfour out to sea to be rid of him is just the right setting for this tale fraught with peril, vice and virtue. Age nine or ten is not too young to share this book with a child. I was nine when I read it, and it just whetted my appetite for the rest of Stevenson's stories.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
