The Wind in the Willows (Signet Classics)
by Kenneth Grahame
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Book Summary Information
Author: Kenneth GrahameBrand: Penguin Group USA
Introduction: Luanne Rice
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-04-04
ISBN: 0451530144
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: Signet Classics
Book Reviews of The Wind in the Willows (Signet Classics)
Book Review: "Ingenious Mr Toad!"
Summary: 4 Stars
First things first: I never read "The Wind in the Willows" as a child. And since the word `nostalgia' is the word most used to describe Kenneth Grahame's beloved book, I felt that I was perhaps at a disadvantage when beginning to read it for the first time at the grand old age of twenty-three. Would my cynical, twenty-first century brain let me enjoy a book about talking animals wandering around the English countryside when I had neither read it as a child, nor was enjoying for a second time as a mature adult that *had* read it as a child?
Well, this is an odd little book and it's no wonder that Grahame's contemporaries were baffled by it, especially after the publication of Grahame's well-received The Golden Age (Dover Books on Literature & Drama). Like Lewis Carroll, author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (Signet Classics), Grahame wrote this story specifically for a child (in this case, his son), and it shows. Both books show a certain disregard for sophisticated world-building and the "rules" of fantasy that other authors adhere to so rigorously in today's fantasy stories, and so there is a definite sense of freedom and innocence within the text, being part of a genre that had not yet found itself. One cannot help but get the sense that Grahame is simply making it all up as he goes along, and having a great time doing it!
There are some things that are unmistakably odd. For instance, I couldn't seem to reconcile the sizes of the animal characters. Are they human-sized or animal-sized? Certain passages would lead one to assume that they are small, and yet there are many instances throughout the book that have them interacting with human beings - presumably humans of a normal size. It's not a big deal, and it certainly didn't destroy my enjoyment of the story in any way (which of course, is the most important part) but it is an odd aspect of this world that grated on my imagination.
The quiet and domesticated Mole ventures out of his burrow one spring and makes the acquaintance of the worldly Water-Rat, who likes nothing better than "messing about in boats." It is through Ratty that Mole meets the gruff, mysterious Badger and the boisterous, volatile Toad who rushes from one obsession to the next with the single-mindedness of a small child. After getting Ratty and Mole on board with his newest scheme - caravanning across the countryside - Toad is soon distracted by the sight and sound of a motorcar. With a new catchphrase: "Poop! Poop!" Toad is soon speeding in a car of his own, much to the disgruntlement of Badger, who knew Toad's father and considers the current lord of Toad Hall a disgrace.
From here the plot separates into two very different storylines. The first deals with Mole and Rat as they continue to potter around the countryside, dealing with weasels, the disappearance of a young otter, Mole's homesickness and even a sublime meeting with the Great God Pan (which directly inspired C.S. Lewis in his treatment of Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia)), in which the animals are stuck with both fear and adoration. Grahame is incredible in is evocation of awe and worship in this scene, just as he also captures the longing for home that grabs at Mole, and the wanderlust that suddenly strikes down the Water-Rat when he meets a traveling Sea-Rat. Some of these scenes may be a little lost on young readers, but for adults Grahame is the master at capturing these almost-indescribable metaphysical emotions that most people feel at least once in their lifetimes. It's hard not to nod one's head in recognition at the feelings that Grahame invokes in these striking passages.
The second (which will appeal more strongly to children) concerns the comic adventures of Toad and the increasing amount of trouble he finds himself in. After crashing a string of cars, Badger, Rat and Mole try to intervene for his own good, only to find that Toad is more devious than they gave him credit for. It would be wrong of me to give away the craziness that follows, save to say that the story wraps up satisfactorily when all four animals band together in order to win back Toad Hall from the weasels, stoats and ferrets that have usurped Toad's home. Perhaps the battle is over a little sooner than I would have liked, but on restoring the status-quo, Grahame finishes his famous story with a sense of homeliness and comfort that permeates the entire book.
Reading "The Wind and the Willows" as an adult makes me wish I had had it read to me as a child. It is truly one of those books that grows and changes with a person as they grow older, with depth and meaning becoming more apparent with each re-read. Its longetivity speaks for itself - since its publication in 1908, it is still in print, and considered a golden classic - Mole, Rat, Toad and Badger are character that have become ingrained in the canon of children's literature (is there anyone who hasn't *heard* of them, even if they haven't read the book?) and the story is the source of several equally famous film adaptations, including The Wind in the Willows: The Feature Films Collection and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.
My advice to you: if you have young children, make sure they have a copy of "The Wind and the Willows" in their bedrooms. It may not have the sophistication of other, more recent children's books out there, but I can't imagine any child growing up to regret ever reading about the adventures of Mole, Ratty, Badger and the irrepressible Toad.
Summary of The Wind in the Willows (Signet Classics)
Hailed as one of the most enduringly popular works of the twentieth century, The Wind in the Willows is a classic of magical fancy and enchanting wit. Penned in lyrical prose, the adventures and misadventures of the book?s intrepid quartet of heroes?Mole, Water Rat, Badger, and, of course, the incorrigible Toad?raise fantasy to the level of myth. Reflecting the freshness of childhood wonder, the story still offers adults endless sophistication, substance, and depth. The animals? world embodies the author?s wry, whimsical, and unfailingly inventive imagination. It is a world that succeeding generations of both adult and young readers have found irresistible. But why say more? To use the words of the estimable Mr. Toad himself: ?Travel, change, interest, excitement!?Come inside.?
If you ever feel like falling into a beautiful comic-book story--in the same way one falls back into a warm field of grass--reach for Michel Plessix's lush adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows. The artwork is an aquarelle, with thin, precise, detailed lines. It's no wonder he received numerous awards for his previous effort, Julien Boisvert, a contemporary take on the Tintin character type. In Wind in the Willows, Plessix breathes life into Mole, Rat, and Toad (of Toad Hall) as they picnic on the riverbank, indulge in Toad's latest fad, and get lost in Wild Wood. The pacing is masterful: each panel lingers just long enough to make you appreciate the simple pleasures of life.
This review refers to ISBN 1561631965.
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