My Family and other animals, by Gerald Durrell

Sergio Sánchez Sánchez-2ºavmA

The Durrells are fed up and depressed by the unfriendly climate of England, so they decide to go to the Greek island of Corfú where the climate is much milder and where they will be able to recover themselves from their personal problems. The book is divided into three sections represented by the three villas in which the family lived on the island and is told from the point of view of a 10-year-old boy.

The members of this unusual family are:

Gerry,10 years old, the youngest one in the family, amateur in the study of nature. He tells about his expeditions around the island while studying the native fauna of the zone and collecting new species to add to his personal collection. At the same time he talks about the weird,funny and embarrasing situations caused by bringing a new pet into the family and the consequences that follow. His 23-year-old brother Larry is the eldest followed by Leslie, Gerry and Margo. He loves hunting and is a big support for his mother. Leslie, 19 years of age; their diet-obsessed sister Margo ,aged 18 and finally their widowed mother,Lovie, who is always peaceful and seems to be very relaxed. There's also a pet, Roger,the dog. They are all protected by Spiro Hakiaopulos the wise “guide”who is like another member of the family and gets the whole family involved in the customs of the local life and their way of living in that area. All of this is mixed with a particular sense of humour creating an entertaining story.



Personal opinion


First of all I must say that I had no idea who Darrell was before I read this book. I certainly reckon that the book was quite readable although sometimes it seemed a bit too heavy on references about the landscape, animal life,very descriptive about the fauna and imaginative, as everything is seen through the eyes of an imaginative 10-year-old child. All in all recommendable .