The Wind in the Willows in Never too Late to Read Classics

May 09, 2020 Manybooks rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: too-anthropomorphic, book-reviews, too-creepy, childrens-literature, could-not-finish, tried-to-start-three-times

I have finally decided (after stalling once again and this indeed being my third time in a row) to not continue with Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows and yes, to also and equally give up altogether and by this consider The Wind in the Willows as a novel permanently on my "could not finish" shelf. For no, I simply do not (and since my early childhood at that) generally enjoy reading novels (or any kind of stories in fact) where animal protagonists, where animal characters wear human garb I have finally decided (after stalling once again and this indeed being my third time in a row) to not continue with Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows and yes, to also and equally give up altogether and by this consider The Wind in the Willows as a novel permanently on my "could not finish" shelf. For no, I simply do not (and since my early childhood at that) generally enjoy reading novels (or any kind of stories in fact) where animal protagonists, where animal characters wear human garb and act and talk as humans generally tend to, and I am therefore (and of course) also just not in any manner interested and engaged enough to continue with The Wind in the Willows (for yes indeed, Kenneth Grahame's animal characters all being dressed and acting, emoting like human beings, they have and this has also felt rather majorly creepy to and for me).

Now I do know and realise that many readers seem to consider The Wind in the Willows a personal childhood favourite and that it certainly is very much deemed to be a classic of British children's literature (and this even though Kenneth Grahame originally did not even pen his story as children's fare and that characters like Mole, Toad, Badger et al are in fact and actually supposed to represent adult males, are meant to be adult Edwardian era British men). But very much personally (and primarily as already mentioned above due to my not really if at all liking or even being able to appreciate and accept as for pleasure reading stories, novels featuring totally and completely human based, anthropomorphic animas even at the best of times) I just do not and cannot see any (even minor) charm and readability for me in The Wind in the Willows and have thus also not in any way liked my (admittedly short) reading time enough to keep going with the book (and albeit that I do feel a trifle guilty at abandoning The Wind in the Willows and only granting a one star rating, I do stand by this, as I have neither enjoyed Kenneth Grahame's premise nor how weirdly and anthropomorphically human most of the animal characters of The Wind in the Willows appear and behave). ...more

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Dec 12, 2013 Laura marked it as to-read

Shelves: audio-books, e-books, gutenberg

Free download available at Project Gutenberg.

3* The Golden Age
CR The Wind in the Willows ...more

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Jun 04, 2022 Sean rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics

This book is bittersweet for me.

I found myself laughing out loud at the antics of the infuriating Toad. The charming Ratty, brave Mole and wise Badger are some of my favourite characters in English literature.

Tragically for Grahame however were the circumstances surrounding the death of his only son Alastair. He based the book on the bedtime stories that he told young Alastair. His son’s headstrong personality provided him inspiration for Toad. However Alastair committed suicide when he was jus ...more

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