Puck of Pook's Hill (1906)

I was fortunate enough to escape reading this as a child, so I could have the pleasure of reading it as an adult, directly after a visit to Kipling's house in Sussex (on a beautiful summer day, too). As the story is so intimately connected with the grounds of Bateman's and their immediate surroundings, I think that little bit of local knowledge, fresh in my mind, did really make the book much more enjoyable.

Kipling's language is wonderful, as always, but the story in this case is a slightly awkward mixture of twee fairy story, historical adventure à-la-Walter-Scott, and didactic history lessons. The stirring patriotic poem that closes the book is likely to challenge the forbearance of even the most tolerant modern reader. ( )

There's a vague sense of Whiggish history to the tales which form the core of the work [The Sir Richard tales and the final tale, "The Treasure and the Law"], with a definite feel of progression from the pre-Norman Saxons through to Runnymede. (Which can be fun to contrast with the Toryism that runs through the tales, both these but particularly the Roman tales and their story of empire.)

Pity about that final tale though, as I had until that point been describing the book as reminding me of a more engaging Scott, but without the anti-Semitism. It's still more engaging, though that certainly leaves a bit of a sour taste at the end of it all. ( )

I think this is a charming way to learn about British history. There's a faun, an English soldier from the reign of Richard I, a Roman soldier from the seiges with the Picts, tales of faeries, and lots more. Besides, you have the beauty of Kipling's language and his lovely poetry. Recommended. ( )

This is a delightful, imaginative account of English history for kids, told by the people who lived it: Sir Richard the Norman, Hugh the Saxon, Parnesius the Roman. Although of course attitudes (e g: to race) have changed, mostly for the better, Kipling needs to be read on his own terms before you judge him; he is not the jingoistic sabre-rattling imperialist of popular belief, but a subtle and humane writer of great storytelling power, both for adults and children.

I adored this book till the last chapter. ( )