An awfully big adventure by Bartimeus

"An Awfully Big Adventure" by Bartimeus is a novel written in the early 20th century. The book presents a whimsical yet thought-provoking exploration of childhood imagination set against the backdrop of World War I. The narrative primarily follows young Cornelius James and his interactions with his two siblings and a mysterious stranger named Graeme Jakes, as they navigate the complexities of war-themed play and real-life implications. The opening of the novel invites readers into a playful scene filled with childhood bravado as Cornelius and his friends engage in imaginative wartime adventures along a riverbank. They interact with Jakes, who initially appears to be just another boy but hints at a deeper backstory involving the war, including a suggestion of injury sustained during combat. The children, under the guidance of their governess, Miss Mayne, rebel against societal expectations in which girls and boys are relegated to specific roles. The dialogue is infused with innocence and humor, contrasting with the underlying themes of loss and the harsh realities of war, establishing a poignant atmosphere that hints at personal and societal conflicts yet to unfold. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author Bartimeus, 1886-1967
Title An awfully big adventure
Original Publication London: Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1919, reprint 1920.
Credits Al Haines
Reading Level Reading ease score: 79.0 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
Language English
LoC Class PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
Subject World War, 1914-1918 -- Fiction
Subject War stories, English
Subject Sea stories, English
Subject English fiction -- 20th century
Category Text
eBook-No. 73819
Release Date
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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