Reviews

The Picts & the Martyrs by Arthur Ransome

shawn_cernik's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

The Swallows and Amazons series thus far have been fun to read aloud. Book 11 was not a disappointment.

lvgiddings's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Outstanding caper for the ages.

nettelou's review against another edition

Go to review page

fast-paced

5.0

daja57's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Dick and Dorothea are staying with Nancy and Peggy, the Amazons, at Beckfoot. But the Great Aunt comes to visit and she mustn't know the Ds are staying so they go to camp in an old hut in the woods, learning to tickle trout and to skin and cook a rabbit. Meanwhile Timothy is staying in Captain Flint's houseboat and needs Dick to burgle Beckfoot to get important chemicals. In many ways this is one of Ransome's best: the story-telling is mature and he spins a classic adventure yarn from a simple summer holiday. As always the characters are perfect, with the portrayal of Nancy being at its best. You even empathise with the Great-Aunt before the end.

And one of the wonderful things about Ransome is that he never talks down to his audience. This is a children's book: "I'll just hoist the sail for you. You take the halliard through the ring in the bows and it acts as a forestay. Up she goes. Sorry, Dick. Your head was in the wrong place. Spectacles all right? Make fast to this cleat. Then bowse down the tackle to cock the yard. Just till there are up and down ripples in the sail." (Ch 15)

nonnie_09's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

doxamully's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

pilates_mama's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

trongary's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

wenchpixie's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

although well written and a fun read, it is fairly mired in the social mores of the time in which it was written, with casual classism and misogyny on every page. Reader beware of that.

praptip20's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I flew through this one - this year has been full of firsts, and this was my first book by Ransome. This is a part of a long standing series though, but I loved reading this as a standalone. The story reminded me so much of my childhood - I always wanted to camp out and sail my own boat!

This book was full of adventures and I loved the Great Aunt's exaggerated evil character - that is one of my favorite tropes in children's fiction, which I enjoyed most in The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken.

Ransome's past is itself an interesting story - his involvement with the Bolsheviks is infinitely adventurous. Definitely also worth reading.