Book Review - Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Treasure Island

by. Robert Louis Stevenson

Rating: ****(4 stars)

It surprised me that I have never read Treasure Island. That is why it is one of the first books I picked up for my BBC List Challenge. The fact that is also a free Kindle book doesn't help any at all. I was afraid that the book was going to be written in the fashion of long drawn out narration that has nothing to do with the actual plot of the novel. I had no reason to worry. Treasure Island is not too far off from a modern male coming of age story. 

The main character is Jim Hawkings. While is age is not specified I pictured him to be around 13 years old - probably because that is J's age. He could easily be 13-16 years of age. In the beginning of the story Jim is just an inn keepers son. While his inn is playing host to a rough sailor, who is in hiding, Jim's father dies. The sailor is found and subsequently dies. It is during this period that Jim finds a treasure map to a fortune left by a dead pirate. With the help of the doctor and a Squire they take off to discover the treasure, then all the adventuring truly begins. 

Treasure Island is the ultimate adolescent fantasy novel. Every time the boy makes a wrong turn he ends up saving the day. He ends up, nearly by himself, besting over eleven sea worn sailors. It is truly fantasy at its finest.

Why did I not give Treasure Island five stars? The feminist in me can not overlook how the one woman in the novel, Jim's mother, is portrayed. After the sailor dies in their inn both Jim and his mother run away to the village to get help. None of the villagers will come do their aid. So, Jim's mother bravely goes back to the inn to collect the money that is owed them by the sailor. She is risking her neck to provide for her family! Yet, it is all turned around on her. While they are at the inn the bad sailors come back and the mother is cursed for her greed. Once Jim and his mother run out of the inn the mother faints away and Jim has to get them to safety. To make it worse the doctor and the Squire basically kidnap Jim to accompany them on this voyage, and their is not one word of asking the mother for her permission. This alone looses this classic one star.

Overall, if you haven't picked up Treasure Island you should. It is well written and fast paced. Since it is an adolescent novel you don't have to worry about getting to lost in dialogue if you are not big on reading older novels. Their is a reason why this novel has been recreated in so many different fashions.