The Coral Island (Wordsworth Children's Classics)

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Indeed, Peterkin,” I replied, “there seems to be truth in what you say. Nevertheless, now I think of it, there must be some error in your reasoning; for if I put in but a few very small animals, they will bear the same proportion to this pond that the millions of fish bear to the ocean.”

There is some bad news, though. 'The Coral Island' hasn't aged well, especially the second part of the book. There is a distinct religious tone which seeps into the second part and the caricaturish depictions of the South Sea islanders, mostly as people who are cannibals who eat each other, is laughable and jars our 21st century sensibilities. I think these were probably glossed over in the abridged version that I read as a kid. At last we came among the Coral Islands of the Pacific; and I shall never forget the delight with which I gazed—when we chanced to pass one—at the pure white, dazzling shores, and the verdant palm-trees, which looked bright and beautiful in the sunshine. And often did we three long to be landed on one, imagining that we should certainly find perfect happiness there! Our wish was granted sooner than we expected.

CHAPTER XXIX.

I now raised myself on my elbow, and putting my hand to my forehead, found that it had been cut pretty severely, and that I had lost a good deal of blood. And then, of course, I realised that the little dragons of my childhood, like readers digests, must have aimed to give the story, stripped down for kids. This book says that it is 'a tale based on...' and as such a lot must have been edited out. Despite this it was a fun, fun story. An innocent, childlike and occasionally childish adventure of three impossibly nice and kindly boys between 14-18 years old that ends impossibly happily.

More interesting, though, is Ballantyne’s presentation of the natives on the surrounding islands. It is important to remember that, whilst travel was becoming more popular during this period, there were still many people who had never left Europe. This meant that a lot of fears began to circulate: people did not really know what other countries were like – they were only hearing stories about them from the rich and the adventurous. This is why the villain inBram Stoker’s Draculais from a foreign country; people didn’t understand cultures that were different from their own, and this allowed beliefs in the supernatural to flourish.While on our way up we came to an object which filled us with much interest. This was the stump of a tree that had evidently been cut down with an axe! So, then, we were not the first who had viewed this beautiful isle. The hand of man had been at work there before us. It now began to recur to us again that perhaps the island was inhabited, although we had not seen any traces of man until now. But a second glance at the stump convinced us that we had not more reason to think so now than formerly; for the surface of the wood was quite decayed and partly covered with fungus and green matter, so that it must have been cut many years ago. Chapter Six. An excursion into the interior in which we make many valuable and interesting discoveries—We get a dreadful fright—The bread-fruit tree—Wonderful peculiarity of some of the fruit-trees—Signs of former inhabitants. Hallo!” exclaimed he; “this looks something like a clearing. The axe has been at work here. Just look at these tree-stumps.” The Coral Island was a fantastic book that I absolutely loved. I recommend it to those who enjoy adventure and historical fiction.