Review of Andrew Motion, Silver

Our School Programme proved to be a big hit this year. We’ve had some lovely feedback, including this review of Andrew Motion’s event by Joe from Freshford School.

Silver, Bath Literature Festival
Andrew Motion

At the Children’s Bath Literature Festival Andrew Motion told us all about his book (Silver). We found out all about how Silver and Treasure Island went together. He read out a tiny bit of book; it was full of fabulous descriptions. He left me full of questions about both the plot and Treasure Island! What would happen to Natty and Jim? Would they find the silver?

I now really want to read both of the books because of his inspirational talk! I found myself thinking up my own story of what would happen but I just couldn’t pull the loose ends together, which made me want to read it all the more! It’s a really big and complicated and so I recommend it to people who are 10 and over. If you like Adventure thrillers, like Alex Rider or Young Bond, I reckon that that you will love this!

Jim who has always obeyed his father decides that he wants to have an adventure of his own. Natty (the daughter of long John Silver) and he journey to Treasure Island together but find that their mission isn’t as easy they thought. Jim is mostly obedient apart from when he decides to steal the map and Natty is really kind and caring to her father but can get really cross with Jim.

Some of the secondary characters are the hired ship’s crew that keep the ship going, Long John Silver who is blind and quite snappy and Jim’s father, Jim, who is disrespectful to all of Jims work and gives him chores if he answers back.

He has carried on from Treasure Island perfectly by changing the era, characters and by putting made up character in it. You just didn’t know whether they would get caught up in a storm or not. Would disaster fall? If they found the silver would they keep a bit for themselves? Would there be any romance? Would evil pirates on island, from Treasure Island, play a part in the story or steel the silver?

I found it fascinating the way he talked about his life, where he lived, why he started reading at 16, why he was into poems, why he started reading novels and why he wrote Silver. It made me want to be a writer when I was older.

I found the whole experience fascinating and it’s one I will keep in my heart for ever!

by Joe
Joyce Class, Freshford School