Kidnapped
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
Published: 1886
Narrated by: Kieron Elliott
Length: 09:07 (288 pages)
Seventeen-year-old David Balfour finds himself whisked away far from home, against his will, and must attempt to make it back and clear his name. The novel begins just after his parents’ passing, and he learns that he may be the rightful heir to an estate his uncle currently holds. Soon after he visits the estate, his uncle – a somewhat pathetic man – arranges his kidnapping. David awakes a prisoner on a ship destined for America, where he will be sold into slavery.
Soon his path crosses with Alan Stewart, a man with a cheerful and adventurous spirit who is a master with the sword and always up for a challenge. He’s reminiscent of a character you might find in The Three Musketeers. This takes place a few years after the Jacobite rising of 1745, and Alan is still strongly a Jacobite supporter, so he already has to keep a low profile in Scotland. This is a time where it was basically illegal to be Scottish in Scotland. Tartan and kilts and speaking Gaelic were all banned after the uprising. Bagpipes were also banned, as they were classified as instruments of war (which honestly made them much cooler).
Together they are eventually accused of murder. With the English soldiers now on the look for a couple of their likeness, combined with Alan Stewart’s ties to the Jacobites, they must carefully make their way back home undetected to escape prosecution.
One thing I love about blogging is that it often prompts me to read up on novels after I finish them, which I wouldn’t necessarily do otherwise. I understood, on a very basic level, the historical background of this story – the Jacobite uprising and the outlawing of anything deemed to represent Scottishness afterwards – but I had no idea that Alan Breck Stewart was a real man. As in this story, he fled to France after the uprising to serve in the French army. The murder was also a famous case, the Appin Murder, in which Alan Breck Stewart was found guilty by a rigged jury and, as he had already escaped the country, a man named James Stewart was tried in his stead and sentenced to death for being an apparent accessory to murder, despite having a solid alibi. The whole thing is now seen as a dark moment of injustice.
Stevenson apparently noted that he wasn’t aiming for historical accuracy with this. These events were used as inspiration and a backdrop rather than an attempt at a proper history lesson. Maybe that’s why he set this a year before the Appin Murder actually took place? Just to drive home the fact that it’s not entirely accurate? I’m not sure.
This was great fun, and I think this is my favourite Stevenson of the three I’ve now read (Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). Many of the covers I’ve seen of this book make it appear to take place almost entirely on the open sea, I guess to play off of Treasure Island, but I was surprised to find it’s mainly about a couple of men trudging through heather. It’s a fun adventure, though, with memorable characters. I really enjoyed it, and I’ll eventually read its sequel Catriona (which occasionally seems to just be called David Balfour).
18 Comments
E. Michael Helms, writer
Very good review! I read this book when I was around ten years old. Loved the classics. I just might have to give Kidnapped another go. Thanks for a trip down memory lane. 🙂
–Michael
Rob
Thank you! It really was a fun read. I would have loved the adventure of it all when I was a kid.
Ruthiella
My brother read and loved this as a kid. I’ve only read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde which I found disappointing. I think I was just too familiar with the plot. I plan on giving this title or Treasure Island a try someday, however.
Agree that blogging (and in general easy access to information via the internet) makes it fun to do research in to books and their background.
Rob
I think that was my problem with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde too. I enjoyed it, but I think knowing the story so well took something away from the experience.
Bookstooge
I really enjoyed Treasure Island, but Stevenson’s “Black Arrow” put a damper on my desire to search out more of his stuff. Have you read the Black Arrow?
Joelendil
How can you not like the Black Arrow? You can’t take it very seriously, but I think it works as a cheesy escapist Robin Hood tale 🙂
Bookstooge
I couldn’t stand the main character. I found him to be a complete ass 🙂
Joelendil
Hahaha…I can see that.
Rob
I haven’t read that one yet, but it’s on the list. Hopefully I’ll have a bit of a better time with it than you did!
Bookstooge
For your sake I hope so. Just don’t expect Robin Hood and already you’ll be ahead of me 🙂
Joelendil
Great review! I love this book (and Stevenson in general) but had never looked into the historical side of it other than in the most general terms, so thanks for that! Black Arrow is another fun not-very-historical historical fiction by Stevenson that’s basically a Robin Hood knockoff set during the War of the Roses. It’s good cheesy fun.
Rob
Thanks! Either Black Arrow or the sequel to this will likely be my next read of his I think. I also have his non-fiction travelogue Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes that I’m curious about, so one of those three, hah.
I could definitely go for a cheesy Robin Hood knockoff!
Jane
I’ve always avoided Kidnapped but you actually make it sound fun! Bagpipes as instruments of war? that’s funny!
Rob
I loved that categorization! Hope you enjoy it if you give it a go.
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
I legit laughed when i saw “A fun hike with a Jacobite!”
I haven’t read this particular Stevenson story, but this sounds really interesting! I am oddly obsessed with Scotland in general and know quite a bit about the country’s history, so I think I might read this one. Great review!
Rob
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I’ve been trying to read more Scottish fiction these last few years, and it’s been great.
Lashaan Balasingam @ Bookidote
I’ve read Jekyll and Hyde and enjoyed it immensely. I should really get around to reading Treasure Island! This one also sounds pretty cool! Great review.
Rob
Thank you! Both are a lot of fun. Much more on the adventure end of things than J&H.