Kim by Rudyard Kipling

[Daisey]

I've now read all of the stories in The Jungle Book and this book by Kipling. For the most part, I like his stories about animal characters, but I did not enjoy this book at all. I could not stay involved in the story, and I did not feel connected to the characters. I had read that it should e something of an adventure, but I never got caught up in what they were doing or where they were traveling. There were a few interesting parts, but overall this is just a book I can mark off the list.

[Diane]

Rating: 4 stars


I feel as though was so overdue to read this one. The story is an interesting one. The main character is an orphaned boy of European descent who has been raised in pre-Partition British India by a half-caste woman. His skin was darkened from many hours in the sun, making him appear like a convincing native Indian. Kim befriends a Tibetan lama and embarks upon an adventure.

I enjoyed this book and loved Kipling's vivid descriptions of India. Yes, there is bias from colonialism and Victorian attitudes here that are off-putting. I just had to remind myself that these were the views of a time that held a different mindset. Still, I think Kipling's love for India shines through.