Before I start this review, I just want to make it clear that I desperately wanted to like this book. The Jungle Book is one of my most loved childhood films (both live-action and Disney animated) and I couldn't wait to revisit this book.
I'm not sure if I unintentionally tripped myself up by expecting great things or that I'm too used to the heavily adapted film versions, but I struggled to enjoy this book. It's a lot more violent and revenge-filled than the adaptation and it worked in parts, however at times I found the uproar unnecessary.
The book is a collection of various short stories about the wildlife that live in the jungle. Well-loved characters Mowgli, Baloo and Bagheera are the subjects of quite a few of the stories, but not all. Although the theme of friendship and family is constant throughout, I think the message often got lost amongst fighting scenes.
Each short story was used as a fable to teach moral lessons to children at the time it was written. It was also speculated that they represented the politics of society at the time. I usually enjoy novels that encompass those themes, however, I think that I am too used to the adapted versions to fully appreciate this book.
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