Tom Sawyer - what a scamp :-) (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain)

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Product:	The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
Date:	08/09/00 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap

Disadvantages: Not entirely consistent in it`s audience view

Tom Sawyer is a small boy living in a Southern village in the 18th century. The story itself isn`t that good, the plot isn`t termendous but it serves to tie the book together. I found the book to be essentially a series of stories about the adventures of one boy, Tom Sawyer, with a number of his friends, addequately tied together with the plot.

Don`t get me wrong - the book isn`t bad by any possible stretch of the imagination. I think the plot could have been better contrived and tied the stories together better, but it is still an excellent book. I`m sure everyone can sympathise with the boys feelings as they play, and remember the lessons they learn. Tom runs away from home, witnesses a murder, falls in love at first sight with a girl who moves into his village. Basically he lives a stylised version of the childhood we all had (or wished we had). A few of the stories do have lessons to teach you, but it is done in a very nice, unobtrusive way - you wll probably learn the lesson without realising what has happened. Unfortunately, due to the way the book works, attempting to give a more detailed view of either the plot or the characters would probably spoil a few of the surprises the book has in store fr you, and hat is something I desperately do not want to do. You should enjoy the book with no warning as to what will happen.

I think one problem with the book is that it isn`t entirely sure who it is being read by - children or adults. The majority of the book is certainly suitable for both, but there are occasional moments where yuo think it is being a bit too childish - and others where you think it is beign a bit too mature for any child who might be reading it. Then again you must bear in mind that this book was wrtten a long time ago, and that children`s tastes have probably changed atiny bit since.

I don`t think anyone could possibly find fault with this book, especially at the asking price of £1. If you get the chance
in the near future then go to your local bookshop and spend £5-£10 on the Penguin Classic series. Every book is £1 and they are all classics. You can`t possibly fault the vaue fr money you got buying 10 of the greatest books ever written for £10.

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