ooo arrr me hearties! (Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson)

Member Name: ~*pink-pilgrim*~

Product:	Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Date:	20/11/08 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A good read, a typical classic!

Disadvantages: The language is a little difficult to read as it was written years ago.

I managed to get this book free when I placed an order at WH Smiths for the new JK Rowling book. Knowing it's a classic I though it'd be interesting to give it a go.

It is a story of a boy called Jim Hawkins who lives a normal life with his mother and father working at an inn called the Admiral Benbow until one day an old sea dog called Flint stops by.

Jims whole life is turned upside when Captain Flint dies and Jim has taken position of a map which he shows to Dr Livessey and Squire Trelawney who both admit that it is a map that gives coordinates to the a vast amount of money and other mysterious objects buried on treasure island.

The map is also being tracked down by two very vicious men called Black dog and the blind Pew who happen to be men of fortune.

And so here begins the adventure as we set sail on the Hispaniola with Captain Smollett, Dr Livesey, Squire Trelawney, Jim Hawkins and of course the ships cook the legendary Long John Silver.

As we set sail it soon becomes clear that Long John Silver and the rest of the crew are actually pirates (other wise known as men of fortune) and are only interested in taking the treasure hidden on the island for themselves and thus begins the battle between good and bad.

I could say more on the story but it would give too much away about this classic story of adventure and suspense.

The tale of Treasure Island was written by an author called Robert Louis Stevenson who wrote over 50 books and also wrote the famous novel The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The idea for Treasure Island came about when Robert Louis Stevenson was helping his stepson draw a treasure map and they got talking about famous pirates Blackbeard and Captain Kidd so Robert came up with the idea for Treasure Island and decided to set his story in the 1700's when piracy was rife.

Treasure Island was first published back in the 1880's and was a huge success and is classed today as the Harry potter of its time and was wrote from the point of view of young Jim Henson so the book incorporates the way they used to talk back in the 1700's which is very strong in this book from noble English men to the unique language of the pirates.

Robert Louis Stevenson was born on the 13th November 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland and suffered from tuberculosis at a young age, he was forced to spend most of his childhood in bed and when he was older he made up for being stuck inside by becoming an adventurer and travelled all over the world, he was also accused of being a spy by the French police and chased his lover Fanny Osbourne half way around the world so he could marry her, he also became deeply involved in native South Pacific Cultures and probably picked some ideas and language and incorporated them into his book to give the impression on how pirates use to speak and act. Robert Louis Stevenson sadly died at the age of 44 of Tuberculosis (which in those days was incurable) on the 3rd December 1894 in Valima, Samoa.

But I'm glad to say that before he passed away he wrote this now legendary book which has been enjoyed by young and old alike for many years and has been made into several films.

I would recommend this book to anyone as it is a must read for any person and lose yourself in the magical world of pirates and adventure.

Summary: A good read, but the language can get a bit tricky - you will need some patience!