 Book ReviewKim was a fun discussion. Don't write it off as just another book about a white kid growing up in India. Kipling will introduce you to a cast of colorful characters and cultures. | We had our book chat at The Wild Detectives--a unique coffee/drinks/books joint located in a house on W 8th street. Good luck with parking; may the odds be in your favor, says Charity. The inside has a brown, shiny-wood feel, and they have a fantastic book collection despite its small size. The poetry section was surprisingly fruitful. I ended up getting two books--a Charles Wright and a Tranströmer. The place also has some good beers and local pastries.  314 W Eighth St Dallas, TX 75208 |
He'll also tug at your heartstrings. Kim is Huck Finn meets Aladdin, an orphan street kid out to fulfill the vague prophesy left by his father. He joins a Tibetan lama on a spiritual journey, and their relationship drives the story. Kim is also a British spy delivering covert messages. Kipling's prose is another reason to read the book. He manages to juggle the syntax and images to give English readers the impression of the other languages--Urdu and Punjabi among others. Really, the book doesn't take place in English, which is cool. There are also some simple, beautiful images. One of my favorite passages is the following:
"The lama looked forth, a hand on either sill, with eyes that shone like yellow opals. Form the enormous pit before him white peaks lifted themselves yearning to the moonlight. The rest was as the darkness of interstellar space."
"The lama looked forth, a hand on either sill, with eyes that shone like yellow opals. Form the enormous pit before him white peaks lifted themselves yearning to the moonlight. The rest was as the darkness of interstellar space."
Star Count
Ok, so Charity throws our star count a little off. She hates the book and thinks Kim is a brat. She gives 1 star, Robert 4, Me 4, and Megan 5.
