Kidnapped takes place in the Scottish Highlands in 1751. It tells the story of David Balfour, an orphan whose uncle deceives him, tries to kill him and later, kidnaps him. Young David escapes with the help of his friend Alan Stewart. Together they have a lot of exciting adventures.
The plot
After his parents’ death David Balfour lives with his parents’ friends, Mr and Mrs Robertson. When David is 17 years old, Mr Robertson gives him a letter from his father, which he has to take to his uncle. David takes it to his uncle, a violent man that actually wants to kill him. He stays at his uncle’s house for a while and one day when both David and his uncle go to an inn to meet the captain of a ship, David finds out that his uncle has killed his father.
David feels scared but he doesn’t have much choice. When he goes with the captain and his uncle to see a ship, he is informed that he is on his way to America to be sold as a slave to a plantation. He is worried and desperate until he makes friends with Alan Steward, a man that the sailors save from a boat on a foggy night. David offers to help him fight against the captain and the crew who want his money. They manage to kill the captain and make the sailors run away. Alan gives David one silver button to remind him of his first battle.
Suddenly, the ship hits a big rock and they all fall into the sea. David sees land and swims towards it. Then, he starts looking for his friend Alan, who hides from the English soldiers that hate him because he supports the English king’s enemy. Alan helps David find his father’s family lawyer who tells him that the house where his uncle lives belongs to David. They make a plan and convince David’s uncle to give him every year two thirds of the money that he earns from the House of Shaws.
The main characters
My favourite character is Alan Stewart, a member of the French army who is not afraid of the English soldiers when he is in Scotland.
Another important character of the story is David Balfour, a brave young boy.
The most important event
I think that the most important event is when David Balfour helps Alan Stewart and saves him from the captain and the crew. They both become best friends and start supporting each other.
My opinion
This book is awesome! You feel that you can’t stop reading it since you want to find out what is going to happen next.
Angel Tsitsiridakis
