This is a classic book written, I think, for children, especially boys. I read it with my 13 year old son. We first attempted it on CD, but he really disliked it. So we switched to an annotated version and he really liked that one. I read a regular copy.
Kipling used lots of phonetically spelled brogue in the dialogue for some characters that was challenging to understand sometimes. There were also some marine terms that I didn't really know and some archaic words that I didn't understand. These were, I think, what made the CD difficult for my son to enjoy. But the book he read defined many of these terms so he was able to understand and get into the story. I didn't find the unfamiliar words too distracting, but I am a more experienced reader so it was easier for me to guess at a meaning from the context. I'm glad we both read it at the same time. We were able to discuss and clarify some of the things from the book.
This is a coming-of-age tale, a growing-up story. This boy grows from an indulged, self-centered son of a rich man to a hard-working respectful young man. He falls from a yacht and is rescued by a fisherman and there begins the tale.
I really liked the book. I loved the story and I especially loved some of the beautiful language that Rudyard Kipling used--no surprise there. I was surprised at how much I liked it. I guess that's the reason this is a "classic"--because it never gets old and it has entertained readers of varied ages for many years.
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