Minding Spot: Silver by Andrew Motion Review & Giveaway

It's almost forty years after the events of Robert Louis Stevenson'sTreasure Island: Jim Hawkins now runs an inn called the Hispaniola on the English coast with his son, Jim, and Long John Silver has returned to England to live in obscurity with his daughter, Natty. Their lives are quiet and unremarkable; their adventures have seemingly ended.

I loved the book and the movie of Treasure Island when I was growing up. Stevenson has big shoes to fill for a sequel, but I'm delighted to say that Motion does it splendidly.

Silver may be incapable now of sailing on the high seas, fighting pirates or seeking treasure, but that doesn't mean he still doesn't want. He knows that there is still treasure on Treasure Island and the only way he knows how to get it is to send his daughter Natty and young Jim. Silver will outfit the whole thing, but he needs Jim Hawkin's to give the map to his son, or young Jim to steal it.

Jim and Natty have spent their whole lives hearing about their fathers's adventures and they want a taste of it themselves. With Natty dressed as a boy and the Silver Nightingale and it's crew, they set off for the island. What they don't anticipate is how hard the journey is - what with the pirates and a big storm.

I found Silver to be an exciting read. While I wish there had been more sword scenes, Motion does a decent job of keeping the story moving. There were a few slow points, but those were mostly scenic details and character thoughts. There is some romance, but it really doesn't begin to bud until your about three-fourths into the book but it isn't overly lavish so that Silver can still be read as a young adult book. I thought Motion did a decent job; I was entertained and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Definitely pick this one up if you like pirate, mystery and a good story!