Kidnapped
David Balfour, a young Scotsman orphaned by the death of his father, is betrayed by his uncle, shanghaied, and carried to the New World for a life in bondage–until a swashbuckling highlander, Alan Breck Stewart, comes to his rescue. Balfour escapes to the Highlands with the help of his friend but encounters further danger and intrigue as he tries to clear his name and regain his rightful property.
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Review by T. Simons for Kidnapped
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Originally written as a boy’s adventure novel, modern readers will probably consider it more a book for adults. My father gave it to me when I was eight, after I’d read _Treasure Island_, and I disliked it then immensely, put off by the lack of plot movement, the Scots dialect, and the total absence of pirates. Re-reading it now on the Kindle, I admit it’s a lot more enjoyable, partly because the Kindle’s dictionary helps translate some of the Scots dialect, partly because I’m a more mature reader.
The plot is fairly straightforward (skip this paragraph if you want to avoid spoilers): Our Hero, David Balfour, is tricked out of his rightful inheritance by an evil uncle, shanghaied, shipwrecked, partnered with a historical figure (one Alan Breck Stewart) and caught up in the events of an unsolved historical mystery (the “Appin Murder”). The body of the novel is a day-by-day description of their flight through the Scottish highlands, on the run from the Redcoat troops searching them out.
Overall, the novel succeeds in creating some degree of tension and suspense, especially in the first half or so, with some classic melodrama elements. The latter half of the novel drags a bit, though, and would probably be less appealing to younger readers and more enjoyable for readers more interested in Stevenson’s prose style. There is a great deal of Scots dialect, but the most obscure words are footnoted and some (but not all) of the less-obscure words are in the Kindle’s dictionary.
Overall, I’d recommend this highly to a fan of books like Sir Walter Scott’s _Waverly_ or _Rob Roy_, or to anyone who had a particular love of historical fiction set in the 18th-century scottish highlands.
There is a sequel, written by Stevenson, with the alternate titles of _David Balfour_ and _Catriona_. Those wishing more information about the “Appin Murder” can find a chapter discussing it in Andrew Lang’s “Historical Mysteries” (also available as a free Kindle download).
Review by G. B. Talovich for Kidnapped
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I was surprised to see some reviewers didn’t like this wonderful book. If you have trouble with the Scottish accent, read it out loud, use your imagination, and if you still can’t figure it out, skip a bit. (Do you insist on understanding every single word spoken in a movie?)
This is the story of a young man overcoming adversity to gain maturity and his birthright. It moves right along, in Stevenson’s beautiful prose. Read, for example, this sentence from Chapter 12: “In those days, so close on the back of the great rebellion, it was needful a man should know what he was doing when he went upon the heather.” Read it out loud; it rolls along, carrying the reader back to Scotland, even a reader like me, who doesn’t know all that much about Scottish history. Kidnapped is by no means inferior, and in many ways superior to the more famous Treasure Island.
Only two points I would like to bring up: I bought the Penguin Popular Classics issue, and have sort of mixed feelings. Maybe some day I’ll get the version illustrated by Wyeth. I’m not sure whether this book needs illustrations, though. Stevenson’s vivid writing is full of pictures.
In Chapter 4, David makes a point of saying that he found a book given by his father to his uncle on Ebenezer’s fifth birthday. So? Is this supposed to show how much Ebenezer aged due to his wickedness? If anybody could explain this to me, please do.
This was originally posted in 2000. I am updating it in June 2006: many thanks to alert reader Beth Smith, who very kindly informed me that the significance is that David’s father was older than the uncle. Therefore the father, and now David, was the rightful owner of the estate of Shaws.
Ok, gotcha, clear now, and I’ll reread it. Thanks to Ms Smith, and to Amazon for this forum.
Review by frumiousb for Kidnapped
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I missed this one as a kid, which is too bad, because I think I would have appreciated it then as well. Set following the failed Scottish rebellion, ‘Kidnapped’ tells the story of young David Balfour, whose greedy uncle tries to cheat him out of his inheritance by having him kidnapped and sold in the American colonies as a slave. On the way, however, he befriends a Jacobite rebel and is instead caught up in the Scottish troubles and has to fight his way back to his home and claim his inheritance. The adventure is all the more exciting because it feels like such a real world with all the careful place-related detail Stevenson employs. While the language can be difficult in places, that quickly fades once you get into the rhythm of the book.
Review by Adam Rafkin for Kidnapped
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Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson, is the tale of a young man named David Balfour, and of all the misfortunes that fall upon him. When David’s parents die, he is sent to live with his treacherous and evil uncle, and before he knows it he finds that his uncle has tricked him and he is kidnapped and thrown on a ship and heading to America, where he will be sold into slavery. David meets another “captive” aboard the ship, Alan Breck, and they make a plan to escape. But will they succeed? And even if they do, where will they go, and how will they stay alive?
Overall, this is an excellent book. Stevenson delivers, as in his other books, an exciting and gripping story line with few slow points. The characters in the story are believable and personal, each with their strengths and flaws. This makes it very easy to put yourself in one of the character’s shoes, which tends to help when reading a novel. Also Stevenson describes the many different landscapes that are in the novel extremely well; enough that it is easy to play a movie of Kidnapped in your head, but not details that are so unnecessary and useless that they actually confuse you and slow you down. The same goes for the story line itself; Stevenson gives you a vivid understanding of what is going on, but he gets the point across and moves on, which keeps the book from being a great adventure slowed down by being overly descriptive, such as Moby Dick, in which a whole chapter is used to describe a priest’s pulpit.
However, very few novels are perfect, and this is no exception. The book is written in old-fashioned English, which can eventually be adjusted to, but it does take some getting used to. Also, one must be very literate in Scottish geography if they want to truly get every aspect this book, for it mentions many certain places in Scotland; however, it is easy to imagine what you think Scotland looks like in your mind and still understand what is going on, for that is what I did and I never lost track of what was happening. Furthermore, in the end of the book, which would be roughly the last three chapters, it seems that Stevenson overdoes his habit of getting the point across and moving on. In fact, these chapters seem quite rushed; they should be four chapters instead of three, or atleast longer chapters. Indeed, Stevenson doesn’t even actually finish the book; it ends very suddenly, leaving certain things unexplained.
Despite the old fashioned English, Scottish geography, and abrupt ending, I still recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure novels (you probably will not like this novel if you are not into the adventure genre), or anyone who likes other Stevenson novels, for this one is of similar style. Overall, I give Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson, a seven out of ten, for I found it to be a very enjoyable and gripping read.
Review by Le Roy Leong for Kidnapped
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I believe that Kidnapped is one of the books that will keep the reader at the edge of his seat. Kidnapped is a book, which is suitable for all children and adults. No matter how many times you have read it, you will want to read it over and over. Adventure, suspense and treachery, Kidnapped has all of it.
The adventure starts with David Balfour, a young boy whose father has just recently passed away. David inherits his will and sets off to claim it. Upon claiming his inheritance, he meets his uncle. His uncle obviously wanted the inheritance, kidnapped David in a ship and sets him off far away. David survives the shipwrecked and is rescued by Alan, a dare devil rogue. There they built a long lasting friendship and together, escapes to freedom. In the end, courage, hope and believing in faith help David to his destination.
To end this paragraph, Kidnapped is a must read book for those who love suspense, adventure and treachery. The book makes the reader as if he’s David Balfour and has to escape to freedom.