Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

How hard is Kidnapped to read?

Kidnapped scores 58 out of 100 for difficulty on ReadingRate, making it quite demanding. The score is a weighted composite of nine measures: four of how hard the prose is to parse, five of how hard the meaning is to extract.

Vocabulary: 62 out of 100

The text frequently employs archaic English and 18th-century Scottish dialect, including terms like 'dominie,' 'parritch,' 'pit-mirk,' 'slockens,' and 'bouman.' While context often aids understanding, the consistent presence of unfamiliar vocabulary places it significantly above accessible contemporary fiction, approaching the complexity of '2666' (65) or 'Moby-Dick' (72) in its specialized language.

Sentence structure: 60 out of 100

Stevenson utilizes long, elaborate sentences with multiple subordinate clauses and parenthetical asides, demanding sustained attention from the reader. Despite this, the narrative maintains a clear, formal structure, avoiding the extreme hypotaxis or fragmented styles found in higher-scoring works like 'The Golden Bowl' (88) or 'Absalom, Absalom!' (85).

Abstraction: 48 out of 100

The narrative is a concrete adventure story, focusing on David Balfour's physical journey, observations, and direct interactions. While themes of loyalty, justice, and political conflict (Jacobite rebellion) are present, they are explored through events and character actions rather than abstract philosophical discourse, making it more grounded than 'The Great Gatsby' (58).

Information density: 65 out of 100

The text is rich with descriptive detail, rapidly introducing new characters, settings, and plot developments within a historical context. The combination of period language, vivid imagery, and a fast-paced sequence of events requires continuous engagement, placing it on par with '2666' (65) for its demanding attention requirements.

Narrative indirection: 68 out of 100

David's first-person narration is largely direct, but his youth and naivety mean the reader must constantly infer the true motives and dangers that David himself often misses or misinterprets. For instance, the reader understands Uncle Ebenezer's villainy and the ship's true purpose long before David does, requiring active reading against the narrator's initial perceptions. This creates a consistent, though not extreme, level of inference, placing it above direct exposition like '1984' but below the complex unreliability of 'Lolita'.

Symbolic density: 65 out of 100

The novel employs clear, recurring symbols that carry meaning beyond literal events. The 'silver button' represents loyalty and a bond, the 'House of Shaws' embodies David's lost heritage and the family's moral decay, and the 'Covenant' brig's name is ironically juxtaposed with its true purpose. Alan's allegorical tale of the Man and the Good People directly reflects David's own misjudgment, requiring the reader to connect the symbolic narrative to the main plot.

Ironic distance: 70 out of 100

A significant ironic distance exists between David's naive first-person narration and the author's implied critique of the world David inhabits. David's initial trust in his uncle, his moral judgments of Alan, and his delayed understanding of the dangers around him create a consistent gap, inviting the reader to perceive the underlying treachery and moral ambiguities that David only gradually grasps. This is akin to the subtle critique found in 'The Great Gatsby', where the narrator's perspective shapes, yet also reveals, deeper truths.

Resolution withholding: 60 out of 100

While immediate dangers like the siege of the round-house and David's escape from Earraid find resolution, the larger narrative arc remains open-ended. The true culprit of the Red Fox's murder is not definitively revealed, and David's quest to reclaim his inheritance and clear Alan's name is only just beginning. This creates significant suspense and leaves the reader awaiting future developments rather than providing immediate closure on central conflicts.

Structural complexity: 28 out of 100

The narrative maintains a consistently linear and chronological structure, told entirely from David Balfour's first-person perspective. There are no significant timeline jumps, shifts in point of view, or experimental formal elements. The story progresses in a straightforward manner, making it easily accessible in terms of its construction, similar to the conventional structure of 'Beach Read' but with more detailed prose.

How Kidnapped is regarded

Kidnapped holds a literary regard score of 68 out of 100, weighing its place in the canon, its critical reception, its influence on other writers, and the standing of its author. Regard is measured separately from difficulty: a demanding book is not necessarily an admired one.

About the author

Robert Louis Stevenson