During my journey to read 15 books for the Off the Shelf Challenge, I decided it would be wise to throw some classics in my list. One of them is Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. During the first few chapters, I wasn’t as enthralled as I would be with modern literature. But after a few more chapters, I was hooked. If you haven’t read older literature, it may be difficult to get used to the old language style. It’s worth it, though, to invest your time in reading the classics.
My favorite character in Treasure Island turned out to be the one-legged, Long John Silver. He was by far the most dynamic character—stealing the show. I loved how Stevenson developed Long John’s voice. It made me giggle when Long John said things like, “Shiver me timbers” and “By gum.” He is elusive in where his loyalties lie, but regardless, he’s a fun character to get to know.
My favorite sentence in the entire book is, “I could hear hails coming and going between the old buccaneer and his comrades, and this sound of danger lent me wings.” The imagery I felt in this sentence is almost tangible. How it says, “lent me wings” is breath taking on so many levels. You can literally see in your mind how quick the character, Jim, is fleeing from danger.
I’m really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It turned out to be really fun to read a pirate book. The thrilling adventure made me unable to put it down. I hope that you have the same experience if you chose to read this scrumptious book.
Have you read it? What is your opinion of Treasure Island? And what are your favorite classics?
