Book Review : Kim
Kim by Rudyard Kipling
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
I grew up with the Guinness Book of World Records - the long gnarled fingernails, the McGuire Twins on their motorcycles and the most selling postcard ever- a professorial type asking his ditzy student if she liked Kipling. “I don’t know” she answers in the punchline “I’ve never Kippled”.
Which I didn’t get either as a kid, but now I have to admit in a world where the movie Airplane doesn’t exist is pretty great.
I wanted to read Kipling due to his influence. I wanted to read Kim because it’s largely regarded as the first spy novel.
Having read it, I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a thriller.
I have noticed that since Kim is a child, the book is classified as a kid’s book. I find this odd and because it is a classic, it is classified as such, but I can only imagine books like this made me want to read less.
I thought my knowledge of India and its geography would be enough.
But it wasn’t. This book - whatever it is- a picaresque novel or a discussion of various philosophies- was not for me.
It wasn’t necessarily that I found the title character Gary Stu-ish, I didn’t find much interesting in him at all.
At various times, I sat the book down for months, thinking that the action might pick up down the road. It never did and the biggest sense I got at the end was one of relief. I suspect an audiobook might improve the experience somewhat, but even then, the promise of adventure within seems to be overstated.
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