Review: Le Petit Prince
Author & Year:
Antoine de Saint-Euxpéry, 1943
As expected from the time period, this guy had his fair share of experience with World War II. Piloting for the French Air Force, Saint-Euxpéry used a lot of his own life as a basis for the plot of Le Petit Prince. His disappearance via airplane soon after its publication is also intriguing, to say the least.
Antoine de Saint-Euxpéry, 1943
As expected from the time period, this guy had his fair share of experience with World War II. Piloting for the French Air Force, Saint-Euxpéry used a lot of his own life as a basis for the plot of Le Petit Prince. His disappearance via airplane soon after its publication is also intriguing, to say the least.
Plot:
A nameless pilot finds himself victim of an airplane crash in the middle of the desert. As he starts to fix his plane, he is greeted by a mysterious young prince. Eventually, the two get to talking, and soon enough, the prince's life is slowly revealed... topics include the perfect sheep, adults, and the price of love. And they classify this as a children's book...
By The Cover:
A+! The art in this book is as iconic as the story itself. I really love the simple watercolor pictures, as well as Saint-Euxpéry's childlike style. I've included a French version alongside the English one, but they're pretty much the same (though I believe the English version pictured is more consistent with the original color scheme on the French first-edition).
First Line(s):
"Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book, called True Stories from Nature, about the primeval forest. It was a picture of a boa constrictor in the act of swallowing an animal."
Seriously one of cutest openings to any book, ever. The first chapter, from the story to the pictures, sets the tone of the whole novel perfectly.
Seriously one of cutest openings to any book, ever. The first chapter, from the story to the pictures, sets the tone of the whole novel perfectly.
Last Line:
"Send me word that he has come back."
Oof. That line. It's a little cut down from the French version, but yeah. Aie, those emotions.
A Quote:
"'I know a planet where there is a certain red-faced gentleman. He has never smelled a flower. He has never looked at a star. He has never loved any one. He has never done anything in his life but add up figures. And all day he says over and over, just like you: "I am busy with matters of consequence!" And that makes him swell up with pride. But he is not a man-- he is a mushroom!'"
"Send me word that he has come back."
Oof. That line. It's a little cut down from the French version, but yeah. Aie, those emotions.
A Quote:
"'I know a planet where there is a certain red-faced gentleman. He has never smelled a flower. He has never looked at a star. He has never loved any one. He has never done anything in his life but add up figures. And all day he says over and over, just like you: "I am busy with matters of consequence!" And that makes him swell up with pride. But he is not a man-- he is a mushroom!'"
Favorite Part:
The first chapter, when he talks about the hat and the elephant. Also, the fox. That fox.
Least Favorite Part:
Eventually, the Prince's life story drags for a bit in the later middle. However, it picks up again for the end, so I really didn't mind much at all.
Final Comments:
Le Petit Prince is one of those books that you never forget. If I were to make a list of essential books, it would definitely be in there. Best of all, though it's considered a "classic," it's brevity makes it much less daunting than other books of similar merit. If you haven't read this novella yet, please do! Il est beau, je promets!
Rating*: 4/5
*indeed, my past 2 reviews have all gotten pretty high ratings. However, I by no means put these high ratings here lightly-- I just happened to choose books I really loved. Perhaps I'll do a book that I didn't enjoy as much next, just to add some balance...
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