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Very Rich
Ten-year-old Rupert Brown comes from an ordinary family. They live in a small house in the poorest section of Steelville, Ohio, and have little money or food. So when Rupert inadvertently finds himself spending Christmas at the house of Turgid River -- the richest boy in town -- he is blown away to discover a whole other world, including all the food he can eat and wonderful prizes that he wins when the family plays games, prizes he hopes to take home to his family so they can have Christmas presents for the very first time. But this windfall is short-lived when Rupert loses it all in one last game and goes home empty-handed. Each member of the Rivers family feels guilty about what happened and, unbeknownst to each other, tries to make it up to Rupert in their own unique way, taking him on one unlikely adventure after another.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 25, 2018
24 people are currently reading
775 people want to read
About the author
Polly Horvath
45 books300 followersPolly Horvath is the author of many books for young people, including Everything on a Waffle, The Pepins and Their Problems, The Canning Season and The Trolls. Her numerous awards include the Newbery Honor, the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, the Mr. Christie Award, the international White Raven, and the Young Adult Canadian Book of the Year. Horvath grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She attended the Canadian College of Dance in Toronto and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City. She has taught ballet, waitressed, done temporary typing, and tended babies, but while doing these things she has always also written. Now that her children are in school, she spends the whole day writing, unless she sneaks out to buy groceries, lured away from her desk by the thought of fresh Cheez Whiz. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and two daughters.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/pollyh...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
December 6, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada , but man oh man, this book felt like a bunch of random ideas cobbled together. I often enjoy middle grade fiction, however there were so many things happening here that the plot never did pull me in. And Rupert's everlasting hunger, that was just too much for me to bear.
January 3, 2019
First sentence: Rupert Brown came from a large family. They lived in a very plain small house on the edge of Steelville, Ohio. Rupert had so many brothers and sisters that it was like living in a small city-state.
Premise/plot: Rupert Brown is very poor. When he mistakenly walks to school on Christmas day-- which brings him through a very rich neighborhood--an accident leads him to spending the whole day with the richest family in town. The Rivers have their own unique--own CRAZY--notions of how to spend Christmas. And Rupert soon finds himself caught up in their madness--their quest to win all the prizes. Was Christmas just the beginning of his adventures with the other side?
My thoughts: I have very mixed feelings about Polly Horvath's Very Rich. It is a comic novel with dark undertones. The message seems to be that rich or poor most humans lack empathy and compassion. Most remain trapped in a world of me, me, me. OR else trapped in conditions completely out of their control.
I couldn't help being reminded of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Rupert spends every single day hungry. Rupert sleeps on the floor because there aren't enough beds--let alone bedrooms--for all the kids. Rupert is always cold; he's dressed in rags with no winter clothes. When Rupert is introduced to the Rivers it is to him just as bizarre and surreal as the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory is to Charlie. Could anyone really live like this? Rupert finds himself swept up into this fantasy that now that he's met the Rivers his life will change forever and ever. He's been found and rescued. But that isn't necessarily the truth. Charlie may have won it all--been permanently removed from his troubles and hard times. Charlie may have his own crazy happily ever after. But Rupert, well, he's left with nothing but a memory that confuses as well as haunts.
Love is achingly absent throughout the novel. The Browns do not love Rupert. The Browns do not have the capacity to love--to want--any of their children. The only Brown children to be noticed are the trouble-makers, the cat-stealers. The Rivers don't have much love to share either. They have an abundance of stuff, an abundance of staff, but no connections to one another, and no connections to the world.
Hope is absent as well. Rupert certainly has only the dimmest notion of it. He doesn't dare hope that he can be happy in his own home. Hope that he will be loved by his parents--actually seen, known, valued. Hope that he and his brothers and sisters will have food to eat on a daily basis, or clothes to wear that actually keep them warm. To live with that hope might prove too much. The tiny bit of hope that Rupert has is that somehow, someway the Rivers will save him from his mess of a life.
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
I guess what bothered me about this one was how Rupert is taken on and treated by the family. He's seen not as a person with emotions and feelings, with real-life needs. He's an amusement--a temporary amusement. He's like a throw-a-way toy in a Christmas cracker.
Original (intended) audience born circa 2007 to 2010.
Premise/plot: Rupert Brown is very poor. When he mistakenly walks to school on Christmas day-- which brings him through a very rich neighborhood--an accident leads him to spending the whole day with the richest family in town. The Rivers have their own unique--own CRAZY--notions of how to spend Christmas. And Rupert soon finds himself caught up in their madness--their quest to win all the prizes. Was Christmas just the beginning of his adventures with the other side?
My thoughts: I have very mixed feelings about Polly Horvath's Very Rich. It is a comic novel with dark undertones. The message seems to be that rich or poor most humans lack empathy and compassion. Most remain trapped in a world of me, me, me. OR else trapped in conditions completely out of their control.
I couldn't help being reminded of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Rupert spends every single day hungry. Rupert sleeps on the floor because there aren't enough beds--let alone bedrooms--for all the kids. Rupert is always cold; he's dressed in rags with no winter clothes. When Rupert is introduced to the Rivers it is to him just as bizarre and surreal as the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory is to Charlie. Could anyone really live like this? Rupert finds himself swept up into this fantasy that now that he's met the Rivers his life will change forever and ever. He's been found and rescued. But that isn't necessarily the truth. Charlie may have won it all--been permanently removed from his troubles and hard times. Charlie may have his own crazy happily ever after. But Rupert, well, he's left with nothing but a memory that confuses as well as haunts.
Love is achingly absent throughout the novel. The Browns do not love Rupert. The Browns do not have the capacity to love--to want--any of their children. The only Brown children to be noticed are the trouble-makers, the cat-stealers. The Rivers don't have much love to share either. They have an abundance of stuff, an abundance of staff, but no connections to one another, and no connections to the world.
Hope is absent as well. Rupert certainly has only the dimmest notion of it. He doesn't dare hope that he can be happy in his own home. Hope that he will be loved by his parents--actually seen, known, valued. Hope that he and his brothers and sisters will have food to eat on a daily basis, or clothes to wear that actually keep them warm. To live with that hope might prove too much. The tiny bit of hope that Rupert has is that somehow, someway the Rivers will save him from his mess of a life.
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
I guess what bothered me about this one was how Rupert is taken on and treated by the family. He's seen not as a person with emotions and feelings, with real-life needs. He's an amusement--a temporary amusement. He's like a throw-a-way toy in a Christmas cracker.
Original (intended) audience born circa 2007 to 2010.
July 13, 2019
As with nearly all of Polly Horvath’s books, I didn’t ever want to put this down. Also as usual, this book is so (pardon the pun) very rich and layered, so filled with wisdom and insight, that you overflow with so much joy and sadness and delight that you want to turn back to the beginning and start all over again as soon as you’ve finished it. If you’re anything like me, anyway. ;)
Based on some of the reviews I’ve read here, I think the magical realism might have thrown some people off. Personally, I’ve been so drawn to this genre lately that I just devoured it. I don’t understand why so many readers seem confused by the narrative, or why they feel it seems cobbled together; I found it brilliant. As almost every Polly Horvath novel does, it will give me plenty to think about for a long time.
Based on some of the reviews I’ve read here, I think the magical realism might have thrown some people off. Personally, I’ve been so drawn to this genre lately that I just devoured it. I don’t understand why so many readers seem confused by the narrative, or why they feel it seems cobbled together; I found it brilliant. As almost every Polly Horvath novel does, it will give me plenty to think about for a long time.
December 13, 2020
So very, very odd. Not a new Christmas favorite like I thought it might be from the description, but I did enjoy it enough to finish it.
May 15, 2021
What a strange book. It was confusing at times and I almost DNF, but I’m glad I stuck it out. The end of the book was great!
October 11, 2018
I'll start this out by admitting I was confused for themajority of the book. There was A LOT happening. Yet I still enjoyed it!
The writing is super easy to read, and I flew through this book in less than 24 hours. Now that might be because the target audience is younger than I am, but I've read some middle grade books that read like molasses. Way too slow to keep even my attention, let alone an actual middle grade student. However, this one is something I would have loved as a 12 year old!
There are quite a few characters introduced but you only really need to keep track of a few, and I love that they all maintain different personalities well enough to not confuse them even when there is so much going on. The main character, Rupert, goes on some incredible adventures with members of the Rivers family and it all starts on Christmas day. Perfect little magical book that also addresses a handful of real life concerns in such a fun way.
This book was all around just better than I anticipated!
The writing is super easy to read, and I flew through this book in less than 24 hours. Now that might be because the target audience is younger than I am, but I've read some middle grade books that read like molasses. Way too slow to keep even my attention, let alone an actual middle grade student. However, this one is something I would have loved as a 12 year old!
There are quite a few characters introduced but you only really need to keep track of a few, and I love that they all maintain different personalities well enough to not confuse them even when there is so much going on. The main character, Rupert, goes on some incredible adventures with members of the Rivers family and it all starts on Christmas day. Perfect little magical book that also addresses a handful of real life concerns in such a fun way.
This book was all around just better than I anticipated!
June 16, 2019
With it's wacky adults, quirky children, and unpredictable magical plot, Very Rich reads like a Roald Dahl Christmas story. This is classic Horvath and would make a great family read-aloud.
March 5, 2019
I adore Polly Horvath. This isn't her best book, but as always I love her fearlessness--she will go anywhere her story leads her, and is unafraid to explore the darkness with her small, steady, beam of hope and joy.
Rupert Brown lives in Steelville, Ohio, and he is poor. Very poor. He has no coat, no boots, and he sleeps on the floor. He has so many siblings he barely knows some of them, despite living in a tiny house. “Close proximity does not always make for coziness. Sometimes it is just crowded.” Rupert’s heart is far more generous than his circumstances, and when Steelville’s wealthy Rivers family takes a liking to him, things seem to be looking up. Horvath’s signature wackiness is at work as Rupert has one preposterous and magical experience after another, only to be left back where he started--but not quite. Fans of Roald Dahl will find a kindred spirit here.
Rupert Brown lives in Steelville, Ohio, and he is poor. Very poor. He has no coat, no boots, and he sleeps on the floor. He has so many siblings he barely knows some of them, despite living in a tiny house. “Close proximity does not always make for coziness. Sometimes it is just crowded.” Rupert’s heart is far more generous than his circumstances, and when Steelville’s wealthy Rivers family takes a liking to him, things seem to be looking up. Horvath’s signature wackiness is at work as Rupert has one preposterous and magical experience after another, only to be left back where he started--but not quite. Fans of Roald Dahl will find a kindred spirit here.
December 26, 2020
A kind of fun but also sad adventure about a Charlie Bucket type character who is super poor who gets sort of taken in by these self absorbed rich people who take him on adventures while continuing to be self absorbed. Idk! I did like that it took place around Christmas but I hated how poor Rupert never got any food and was always starving. Get this kid a hamburger! This is a decent middle grade book with lots to think about, but not sure who I’d recommend it to! I have a lot of mixed feelings, clearly.
January 7, 2019
A hilarious read about poverty and wealth, hunger and hamburgers from Polly Horvath. Rupert is very poor and always hungry; there is never enough food at home. A ridiculous accident happens on Christmas Day that introduces him to the ultra-wealthy Rivers family. The book is a series of bizarre adventures hungry Rupert goes on with various members of the Rivers family, from time travel to a simple restaurant. None of the Rivers understand how badly Rupert just needs to eat. In the end, it is his father who understands how important the next meal is. This one is not as fabulous as her classic, The Trolls, but it does supply some horvath-esque humor when you need it.
Read
November 15, 2019The theme was all good things come to the end but you may be rewarded later.
September 25, 2022
Das war mal ein sehr skurilles Buch, irgendwie viele verschiedene Ideen zusammengewürfelt
December 29, 2025
needed a V for the alphabet challenge lol this was a bit odd but interesting
August 28, 2018
Release date - September 25, 2018
At first I thought this was a Christmas book, but while the first few chapters take place on Christmas Day, the majority of the book does not. The story follows Rupert Brown, who comes from a poor family, and his interactions with the wealthy Rivers family.
This reminded me a lot of A Series of Unfortunate Events, especially in terms of its portrayal of adult characters. They’re quirky and somewhat ineffectual, while also comedic and entertaining to read about.
I liked Rupert a lot. He was really cute. I don’t read a lot of middle grade novels, but this one was enjoyable with a good message.
At first I thought this was a Christmas book, but while the first few chapters take place on Christmas Day, the majority of the book does not. The story follows Rupert Brown, who comes from a poor family, and his interactions with the wealthy Rivers family.
This reminded me a lot of A Series of Unfortunate Events, especially in terms of its portrayal of adult characters. They’re quirky and somewhat ineffectual, while also comedic and entertaining to read about.
I liked Rupert a lot. He was really cute. I don’t read a lot of middle grade novels, but this one was enjoyable with a good message.
May 30, 2025
Read this out loud to my 8 year old and found it so delightfully quirky and funny I wanted it on my Goodreads shelf.
January 9, 2021
Polly Horvath is great. This book is not. The characters were both over-the-top and flat at the same time. All of the Rivers adults being so clueless about Rupert's need for food and warmth was incredibly aggravating and made it impossible for me to feel anything but exasperation with them. Also, not a strong plot.
December 30, 2019
A little like Roald Dahl meets a choose your own adventure story, without a satisfying payoff.
February 3, 2019
I enjoy Polly Horvath's books. I was eager to read this new title. However, it was a bit messy for me. There were the quirky characters I expect and unusual happenings but it just did not come together. There seemed to be some heavy-handed themes of rich vs poor that were too caricatured for me. I have known rich people and they are not as clueless about the daily condition of the poor as the Rivers family. The people I know would have let poor Rupert eat his hamburger!
October 2, 2020
Arm trifft reich
Super reich ist ein Buch für Leser ab ca. 10 Jahren von der in Kanada lebenden Schriftstellerin Polly Horvath. Das Buch beeindruckt durch ein schön gezeichnetes Cover.
Der 10jährige Rupert lebt in einer sehr armen Familie.
Durch Zufall gerät er an Weihnachten an die wohlhabende Familie Rivers.
Rupert ist von deren Reichtum beeindruckt, aber wie diese exzentrische Familie ihn behandelt, war schon unangenehm zu lesen. Es hatte etwas übergriffiges und man war geradezu unangenehm berührt. Das spricht natürlich nicht direkt gegen das Buch, denn skurrile Figuren haben auch etwas reizvolles, aber etwas übertrieben fand ich das beschriebene Verhalten und die Dialoge schon.
An überraschenden Einfällen mangelt es nicht. Neben einer Zeitreise gibt es auch einen Banküberfall samt Entführung, dann sogar noch ein Geheimagent. Vielleicht ein wenig viel auf einmal, aber die Autorin gestaltet es einigermaßen ausgewogen.
Super reich ist ein Buch für Leser ab ca. 10 Jahren von der in Kanada lebenden Schriftstellerin Polly Horvath. Das Buch beeindruckt durch ein schön gezeichnetes Cover.
Der 10jährige Rupert lebt in einer sehr armen Familie.
Durch Zufall gerät er an Weihnachten an die wohlhabende Familie Rivers.
Rupert ist von deren Reichtum beeindruckt, aber wie diese exzentrische Familie ihn behandelt, war schon unangenehm zu lesen. Es hatte etwas übergriffiges und man war geradezu unangenehm berührt. Das spricht natürlich nicht direkt gegen das Buch, denn skurrile Figuren haben auch etwas reizvolles, aber etwas übertrieben fand ich das beschriebene Verhalten und die Dialoge schon.
An überraschenden Einfällen mangelt es nicht. Neben einer Zeitreise gibt es auch einen Banküberfall samt Entführung, dann sogar noch ein Geheimagent. Vielleicht ein wenig viel auf einmal, aber die Autorin gestaltet es einigermaßen ausgewogen.
December 7, 2022
What a bizarre book... and I don't mean that in a good way. I decided to pick up this up on a random whim—mostly because I thought that it would be a cozy and fun book to read around Christmastime and that it would have a Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-esque feel to it—but Polly Horvath's Very Rich didn't serve either of those purposes for me, unfortunately.
First of all, this novel is marketed as a kind of Christmas read but I don't think that's entirely accurate; yes, the first few chapters take place on Christmas and most of the plot stems from what happens on Christmas Day but I wouldn't necessarily classify this as "Christmas book," by any means. Most of the novel actually takes place in the next few months after Christmas and it also delves into magical realism [something that took me off guard because I didn't expect it at all] as the main character is taken on new adventures with members of this rich family he gets to know unexpectedly. I don't think that all "Christmas books" need to take place solely in December or on Christmas itself but this was a much smaller portion of the story than I expected and didn't fulfill what I wanted in that regard, if you know what I mean.
This story just felt somewhat disjointed and random and it seemed to me that it couldn't really decide on a message to deliver, which left me extremely confused by the end.
Accurate Rating: 2.5 stars [⭐️⭐️]
I will say that my review should be taken with a grain of salt because this is a Middle Grades novel and I am not the target audience for this type of book. Although I do enjoy delving into this genre from time to time, I feel like it's not completely fair for me to critically judge this when it's not necessarily intended for me but these are just my thoughts.
Let me start my proper review of this book by talking about the setting: it was decent. Most of this takes place in what I assume to be the made-up town of Steelville, Ohio and we are introduced to a lot of different neighborhoods around this town that are separated by socio-economic class. While Rupert, the main character, lives in the Very Poor district on the outskirts of town, we also explore the Rivers' mansion in the Very Rich district as the plot progresses.
The setting was just okay and we, as readers, are whisked to different locations and time periods throughout the book but I wished that the author would have delved into this aspect of the story more and made things more atmospheric than they really ended up being.
The plot was where I had the most problems with this book. While the first few chapters flowed well and had a main theme to them—these being the ones that take place on Christmas and all that happens to Rupert at the Rivers' mansion—, the rest of the book felt almost episodic as Rupert comes to meet different members of the family and they go on adventures together. There's nothing necessarily wrong with this approach but it just doesn't suit my tastes in book format and it left the plot feeling somewhat disorganized, I thought.
The biggest thing that I struggled with the most was, as mentioned above, the message that the author was trying to send with this story. I honestly couldn't really figure out what Horvath was trying to go for and that just left me confused, even by the end. It seemed to me that the Browns were presented as being very angry and unloving towards their sons and daughters [mostly stemming from their financial troubles] while the Rivers came with their own unique set of problems [also stemming from their wealth and status in the community].
I guess that there was supposed to be a motif about how everyone is selfish, no matter rich or poor, but I found the development of the Rivers family to be strange? It was presented that each family member felt bad about Rupert losing all of his winnings and prizes from the games that took place on Christmas Day and so they wanted to make that up to him in some way; this is fine but all of the "adventures" he is taken on, Rupert is used as just another accessory for the Rivers to achieve something that they want and something that solely benefits them. Was this a criticism of the rich and their selfish desires? Was this to show how even acts that are presented as selfless are really self-serving in the end? Or, on a more basic level, was this overlooked and just trying to show that the rich can be caring for the poor? I still really don't know what the author was trying to get at and it wasn't presented clearly enough, I feel...
The characters were okay. I wish that there was more development in regards to Rupert and the rest of the Brown family but I feel like the author put most of her effort into expanding each of the Rivers family members instead.
Poor Rupert still never got a decent meal to eat, even by the last chapter, too...
I just noticed that this book doesn't even have four hundred ratings and barely a hundred reviews on here... this, despite the fact that this novel has been out for nearly five years now. Not that I think that books should be judged by how popular they are on social media [Lord knows how many awful books have been hyped up BookTube and BookTok over the years] but I think, in this case, that's a tell-tale sign.
Overall, this was a pretty forgettable book that is marketed as a cozy Christmas read but doesn't really serve that purpose. If you are looking to find a Middle Grades novel to curl up by the fireplace over the next few weeks, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this one.
First of all, this novel is marketed as a kind of Christmas read but I don't think that's entirely accurate; yes, the first few chapters take place on Christmas and most of the plot stems from what happens on Christmas Day but I wouldn't necessarily classify this as "Christmas book," by any means. Most of the novel actually takes place in the next few months after Christmas and it also delves into magical realism [something that took me off guard because I didn't expect it at all] as the main character is taken on new adventures with members of this rich family he gets to know unexpectedly. I don't think that all "Christmas books" need to take place solely in December or on Christmas itself but this was a much smaller portion of the story than I expected and didn't fulfill what I wanted in that regard, if you know what I mean.
This story just felt somewhat disjointed and random and it seemed to me that it couldn't really decide on a message to deliver, which left me extremely confused by the end.
Accurate Rating: 2.5 stars [⭐️⭐️]
I will say that my review should be taken with a grain of salt because this is a Middle Grades novel and I am not the target audience for this type of book. Although I do enjoy delving into this genre from time to time, I feel like it's not completely fair for me to critically judge this when it's not necessarily intended for me but these are just my thoughts.
Let me start my proper review of this book by talking about the setting: it was decent. Most of this takes place in what I assume to be the made-up town of Steelville, Ohio and we are introduced to a lot of different neighborhoods around this town that are separated by socio-economic class. While Rupert, the main character, lives in the Very Poor district on the outskirts of town, we also explore the Rivers' mansion in the Very Rich district as the plot progresses.
The setting was just okay and we, as readers, are whisked to different locations and time periods throughout the book but I wished that the author would have delved into this aspect of the story more and made things more atmospheric than they really ended up being.
The plot was where I had the most problems with this book. While the first few chapters flowed well and had a main theme to them—these being the ones that take place on Christmas and all that happens to Rupert at the Rivers' mansion—, the rest of the book felt almost episodic as Rupert comes to meet different members of the family and they go on adventures together. There's nothing necessarily wrong with this approach but it just doesn't suit my tastes in book format and it left the plot feeling somewhat disorganized, I thought.
The biggest thing that I struggled with the most was, as mentioned above, the message that the author was trying to send with this story. I honestly couldn't really figure out what Horvath was trying to go for and that just left me confused, even by the end. It seemed to me that the Browns were presented as being very angry and unloving towards their sons and daughters [mostly stemming from their financial troubles] while the Rivers came with their own unique set of problems [also stemming from their wealth and status in the community].
I guess that there was supposed to be a motif about how everyone is selfish, no matter rich or poor, but I found the development of the Rivers family to be strange? It was presented that each family member felt bad about Rupert losing all of his winnings and prizes from the games that took place on Christmas Day and so they wanted to make that up to him in some way; this is fine but all of the "adventures" he is taken on, Rupert is used as just another accessory for the Rivers to achieve something that they want and something that solely benefits them. Was this a criticism of the rich and their selfish desires? Was this to show how even acts that are presented as selfless are really self-serving in the end? Or, on a more basic level, was this overlooked and just trying to show that the rich can be caring for the poor? I still really don't know what the author was trying to get at and it wasn't presented clearly enough, I feel...
The characters were okay. I wish that there was more development in regards to Rupert and the rest of the Brown family but I feel like the author put most of her effort into expanding each of the Rivers family members instead.
Poor Rupert still never got a decent meal to eat, even by the last chapter, too...
I just noticed that this book doesn't even have four hundred ratings and barely a hundred reviews on here... this, despite the fact that this novel has been out for nearly five years now. Not that I think that books should be judged by how popular they are on social media [Lord knows how many awful books have been hyped up BookTube and BookTok over the years] but I think, in this case, that's a tell-tale sign.
Overall, this was a pretty forgettable book that is marketed as a cozy Christmas read but doesn't really serve that purpose. If you are looking to find a Middle Grades novel to curl up by the fireplace over the next few weeks, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this one.
November 21, 2019
I give this book A 5 OUT OF 5! This is my all time favorite book that I have ever read. It is about a boy and his family who are very poor and he makes a new friend that is very rich and they have a Christmas party and he was invited and some exiting stuff happens when he is there. I didn't really not like anything it was just hilarious and exiting and AWESOME. I would 100% recommend this to any one with a sense of humor and someone who likes a lot suspense.
October 1, 2018
I received a copy of this book for free in return for an honest review.
First off, let me say that it was a very fast read. Polly Horvath is a good writer, and pages turned quickly. I found the families interesting, and the main character endearing and heartbreaking as well, which leads me to the problem I had with the book... all the characters that Rupert interacts with, while quirky and somewhat charming, are also very selfish and thoughtless, even when they claim they are trying to remedy an earlier injustice regarding the rules of a game he played at Christmas that resulted in him losing all the prizes he had won. I kept waiting for them to redeem themselves and notice Rupert, but instead they just seemed so self-absorbed and downright rude, using him more for their own benefit when it suited them, rather than actually trying to do anything to help him. Their charming qualities began to pale in the face of their selfishness and lack of concern over this young boy who clearly needed real help. How many of them noticed that despite the extreme cold he had no coat or boots, or that his clothing was in tatters, yet they did not even offer him a loan of clothing. It seemed to be all about what they wanted, or what was convenient for them and they rarely seemed to give Rupert a second thought once he had served his purpose.
Even his parents disgusted me. Going back in time to see their back story did nothing to change my impression of either of them. They both seemed incredibly selfish and uncaring about the hardships their children were enduring. The father was horribly lazy and couldn't even be bothered to sit and talk to Rupert without suddenly growing bored and telling him to go away. I felt like all the kindness and thoughfulness resided only in Rupert and his caring about his siblings, his little sister in particular. He certainly seemed to care far more than either of his parents, or any of the other adults who had so much more in their lives than most. Rupert is a bright and inquisitive child who so desperately wants to have a true friend, and while he does forge some relationships with many of the adults in the strange Rivers family, they never feel genuine, but rather all about the adult and some goal they have. They make promises they don't keep over and over, and Rupert, as always make the best of the rare opportunities he has to see the world and be dazzled by the wonders he sees. The parable at the end rings hollow. I feel like the author was trying to make a sweet, uplifting story out of a horrible, ugly, situation in which a child is being horribly abused ... sleeping under a bed with no heat in the house and rarely enough to eat, improper clothing and extreme neglect, and praising him for still being able to see the beauty in the world. I just felt so sad for Rupert who deserved so much better. There was nothing sweet or cute about living in extreme poverty with parents who care more about themselves than providing for their kids. I kept turning the pages and waiting for things to turn around and the adults to learn something about how horrible they were... how self absorbed they were... but they don't. They just go on their merry way, thinking only of themselves. Money doesn't bring happiness, that's true, but neither does neglect, poverty and being hungry all the time, and being shamed for it. If meant to be an inspiration for children growing up in horrible homes, I feel like it fell short in giving them any real hope of any better from the adults around them or the world in general.
Readers who enjoy the books in A Series of Unfortunate Events might enjoy this book as it has a similar feel. I'm not a fan of that series either. Having grown up in a dysfunctional and abusive home, I tend not to find selfish and abusive adults particularly amusing, as others might.
First off, let me say that it was a very fast read. Polly Horvath is a good writer, and pages turned quickly. I found the families interesting, and the main character endearing and heartbreaking as well, which leads me to the problem I had with the book... all the characters that Rupert interacts with, while quirky and somewhat charming, are also very selfish and thoughtless, even when they claim they are trying to remedy an earlier injustice regarding the rules of a game he played at Christmas that resulted in him losing all the prizes he had won. I kept waiting for them to redeem themselves and notice Rupert, but instead they just seemed so self-absorbed and downright rude, using him more for their own benefit when it suited them, rather than actually trying to do anything to help him. Their charming qualities began to pale in the face of their selfishness and lack of concern over this young boy who clearly needed real help. How many of them noticed that despite the extreme cold he had no coat or boots, or that his clothing was in tatters, yet they did not even offer him a loan of clothing. It seemed to be all about what they wanted, or what was convenient for them and they rarely seemed to give Rupert a second thought once he had served his purpose.
Even his parents disgusted me. Going back in time to see their back story did nothing to change my impression of either of them. They both seemed incredibly selfish and uncaring about the hardships their children were enduring. The father was horribly lazy and couldn't even be bothered to sit and talk to Rupert without suddenly growing bored and telling him to go away. I felt like all the kindness and thoughfulness resided only in Rupert and his caring about his siblings, his little sister in particular. He certainly seemed to care far more than either of his parents, or any of the other adults who had so much more in their lives than most. Rupert is a bright and inquisitive child who so desperately wants to have a true friend, and while he does forge some relationships with many of the adults in the strange Rivers family, they never feel genuine, but rather all about the adult and some goal they have. They make promises they don't keep over and over, and Rupert, as always make the best of the rare opportunities he has to see the world and be dazzled by the wonders he sees. The parable at the end rings hollow. I feel like the author was trying to make a sweet, uplifting story out of a horrible, ugly, situation in which a child is being horribly abused ... sleeping under a bed with no heat in the house and rarely enough to eat, improper clothing and extreme neglect, and praising him for still being able to see the beauty in the world. I just felt so sad for Rupert who deserved so much better. There was nothing sweet or cute about living in extreme poverty with parents who care more about themselves than providing for their kids. I kept turning the pages and waiting for things to turn around and the adults to learn something about how horrible they were... how self absorbed they were... but they don't. They just go on their merry way, thinking only of themselves. Money doesn't bring happiness, that's true, but neither does neglect, poverty and being hungry all the time, and being shamed for it. If meant to be an inspiration for children growing up in horrible homes, I feel like it fell short in giving them any real hope of any better from the adults around them or the world in general.
Readers who enjoy the books in A Series of Unfortunate Events might enjoy this book as it has a similar feel. I'm not a fan of that series either. Having grown up in a dysfunctional and abusive home, I tend not to find selfish and abusive adults particularly amusing, as others might.
January 19, 2021
Super reich ist auf den ersten Blick ein Buch über einen (finanziell gesehen) armen Jungen, der durch einen (mehr oder weniger) günstigen Zufall im materiellen Schlaraffenland der Wohlhabenden landet. Ein wenig erinnerte es mich zunächst an Charlie und die Schokoladenfabrik, allerdings mit weniger Süßigkeiten, weniger Schokoladenfabrik und weniger Oompa Loompas. Einfach ein bettelarmer Junge, der in einer zutiefst schrulligen, reichen Familie landet und mit ihnen Weihnachten verbringt. Bis dahin hatte mich das Buch zu einhundert Prozent, ich habe die Familie Rivers total gefeiert und Rupert, den bemitleidenswerten Jungen, sofort ins Herz geschlossen. So weit, so gut.
Ruperts Lebensumstände sind für einen „normalen“ Menschen wirklich nur schwer vorstellbar. Aufgewachsen in einer Familie, in der sich die Kinder nur so stapeln, ständig frierend, ständig hungrig. Mir hat das Herz geblutet, als er und seine Situation den Lesern vorgestellt wurden und umso mehr habe ich mich gefreut, als er bei den Rivers gelandet ist, auch wenn die Art und Weise mehr als makaber war.
Allgemein ist der Humor an einigen Stellen sehr.. speziell. Ich habe oft mit offenem Mund dagesessen und mich gefragt „Was war das denn jetzt gerade? Hat der das echt gesagt?�� Zwar nicht auf eine negative Art und Weise, einfach auf eine überraschte.
Das Buch und ich sind aber leider ab dem ersten Drittel in zwei verschiedene Richtungen gelaufen. Der Schreibstil sorgte dafür, dass ich zwar stetig am Ball bleiben konnte und geradezu im Lesefluss gefangen war, doch das, was passierte, passte überhaupt nicht in das Bild dessen, was ich erwartete. Ich nahm nach dem anfänglichen Reichtum, dem Rupert begegnet, an, dass der Leser eine Lektion darüber lernt, dass es nicht immer auf materiellen Überfluss oder zumindest Wohlstand ankommt und man das Leben, das man hat, zu schätzen wissen sollte, schließlich ist es das einzige, was man bekommt. In gewisser Weise stimmte das auch, doch der Weg dahin driftete zusehends ins fantasievolle ab, was ich ehrlich gesagt in diesem Buch nicht erwartet und entsprechend auch nicht kommen sehen hatte.
Rupert erlebt zahlreiche Abenteuer mit der Familie Rivers, bei denen ich teils allerdings nicht anders konnte als mit dem Kopf zu schütteln über die Abstrusität dieser Entwicklungen. Zwischendurch war ich zwar vermeintlich einem tieferen Sinn des Ganzen auf der Spur, der sich allerdings als fehlerhafte Idee meinerseits entpuppte. Ich war verzweifelt auf der Suche nach einem Zusammenhang zwischen all diesen verqueren Dingen, konnte ihn aber nur in Teilen finden. Angepriesen wurde die Erzählung der Autorin als phantasiereich und doppelbödig.. ich bin den Weg unter den ersten Boden aber leider nicht gegangen.
Das hat mich zwar etwas verwirrt, das Buch an sich gefiel mir jedoch trotz seiner schrägen Art und Weise, ziemlich gut. Man konnte beobachten, wie Rupert aufblühte, vom schüchternen Jungen zu einer selbstbewussten Version seiner Selbst wurde. Wo er anfangs noch flüsterte und ich ihm jedes Mal einen Schubs geben wollte, ist er später mehr für sich eingetreten. Und auf einem eigenartigen Weg hat das Buch sogar zu einem Ende gefunden, mit dem ich zufrieden bin.
Mein Fazit:
Stellenweise sehr, sehr, seeehr schräg. Unerwartet schräg, was ich eigentlich gar nicht mal so gut fand. Und dennoch hat die Geschichte von Rupert mich derart fasziniert, sodass es sich irgendwie richtig anfühlt, 4,5 von 5 Sternen zu geben, selbst wenn ich mich immer noch ab und zu frage, was ich da eigentlich gerade gelesen habe.
Ruperts Lebensumstände sind für einen „normalen“ Menschen wirklich nur schwer vorstellbar. Aufgewachsen in einer Familie, in der sich die Kinder nur so stapeln, ständig frierend, ständig hungrig. Mir hat das Herz geblutet, als er und seine Situation den Lesern vorgestellt wurden und umso mehr habe ich mich gefreut, als er bei den Rivers gelandet ist, auch wenn die Art und Weise mehr als makaber war.
Allgemein ist der Humor an einigen Stellen sehr.. speziell. Ich habe oft mit offenem Mund dagesessen und mich gefragt „Was war das denn jetzt gerade? Hat der das echt gesagt?�� Zwar nicht auf eine negative Art und Weise, einfach auf eine überraschte.
Das Buch und ich sind aber leider ab dem ersten Drittel in zwei verschiedene Richtungen gelaufen. Der Schreibstil sorgte dafür, dass ich zwar stetig am Ball bleiben konnte und geradezu im Lesefluss gefangen war, doch das, was passierte, passte überhaupt nicht in das Bild dessen, was ich erwartete. Ich nahm nach dem anfänglichen Reichtum, dem Rupert begegnet, an, dass der Leser eine Lektion darüber lernt, dass es nicht immer auf materiellen Überfluss oder zumindest Wohlstand ankommt und man das Leben, das man hat, zu schätzen wissen sollte, schließlich ist es das einzige, was man bekommt. In gewisser Weise stimmte das auch, doch der Weg dahin driftete zusehends ins fantasievolle ab, was ich ehrlich gesagt in diesem Buch nicht erwartet und entsprechend auch nicht kommen sehen hatte.
Rupert erlebt zahlreiche Abenteuer mit der Familie Rivers, bei denen ich teils allerdings nicht anders konnte als mit dem Kopf zu schütteln über die Abstrusität dieser Entwicklungen. Zwischendurch war ich zwar vermeintlich einem tieferen Sinn des Ganzen auf der Spur, der sich allerdings als fehlerhafte Idee meinerseits entpuppte. Ich war verzweifelt auf der Suche nach einem Zusammenhang zwischen all diesen verqueren Dingen, konnte ihn aber nur in Teilen finden. Angepriesen wurde die Erzählung der Autorin als phantasiereich und doppelbödig.. ich bin den Weg unter den ersten Boden aber leider nicht gegangen.
Das hat mich zwar etwas verwirrt, das Buch an sich gefiel mir jedoch trotz seiner schrägen Art und Weise, ziemlich gut. Man konnte beobachten, wie Rupert aufblühte, vom schüchternen Jungen zu einer selbstbewussten Version seiner Selbst wurde. Wo er anfangs noch flüsterte und ich ihm jedes Mal einen Schubs geben wollte, ist er später mehr für sich eingetreten. Und auf einem eigenartigen Weg hat das Buch sogar zu einem Ende gefunden, mit dem ich zufrieden bin.
Mein Fazit:
Stellenweise sehr, sehr, seeehr schräg. Unerwartet schräg, was ich eigentlich gar nicht mal so gut fand. Und dennoch hat die Geschichte von Rupert mich derart fasziniert, sodass es sich irgendwie richtig anfühlt, 4,5 von 5 Sternen zu geben, selbst wenn ich mich immer noch ab und zu frage, was ich da eigentlich gerade gelesen habe.
October 8, 2018
Sometimes I struggle with stories told in a somewhat episodic fashion and that was the case here as well, a strong start though my interest waned with each subsequent adventure.
Ten year old Rupert comes from a large inattentive family with little money to spare for food or warm clothing. Cold and hungry, Rupert is frequently on the verge of collapse, and one day he does exactly that on the lawn of the richest family in town, leading to a Christmas celebration and other experiences beyond anything he’s known.
I very much enjoyed the first section of this book, it nicely sets up a loving relationship between Rupert and his quiet little sister, and on Christmas day, the high stakes for Rupert to win those prizes, what the boots and books and even a simple deck of cards mean to him, had me eagerly turning the pages to see how it would work out and what would be the reception he would or would not receive upon his homecoming. I loved how many emotions were at play, the frustration of dealing with ever-changing rules and eccentricities, the tenderness and heartbreak, anxiety and exhilaration.
After Christmas, some members of this wealthy family continue to seek out Rupert, taking him along on whimsical escapades that involve magic and time travel, and though there is humor and imagination in those adventures, unfortunately, I mostly felt an emotional disconnect.
Maybe it’s because I’m an adult reader that for the most part I just wasn’t able to go with the flow of things, maybe if I were a kid I would have been more inclined to simply be along for the ride, maybe I wouldn’t have thought how odd it was that Rupert went off with these adults he barely knows, or that most of the adults in the book didn’t seem to care that this boy is starving and neglected. My concerns rarely meshed with the cavalier narrative, so maybe I was just too old for this, or too prone to overthinking, I don’t know, though I do question whether children reading Very Rich would feel any more engaged than I did with adults towing Rupert along into their mid-life crisis’ while they ignored his early-life crisis.
There is a cleverness in the tone of this book that’s enjoyable, however, to me, the last three quarters desperately needed more of the balance between cleverness and heart that it achieved during the Christmas scenes.
I received this book through a giveaway.
Ten year old Rupert comes from a large inattentive family with little money to spare for food or warm clothing. Cold and hungry, Rupert is frequently on the verge of collapse, and one day he does exactly that on the lawn of the richest family in town, leading to a Christmas celebration and other experiences beyond anything he’s known.
I very much enjoyed the first section of this book, it nicely sets up a loving relationship between Rupert and his quiet little sister, and on Christmas day, the high stakes for Rupert to win those prizes, what the boots and books and even a simple deck of cards mean to him, had me eagerly turning the pages to see how it would work out and what would be the reception he would or would not receive upon his homecoming. I loved how many emotions were at play, the frustration of dealing with ever-changing rules and eccentricities, the tenderness and heartbreak, anxiety and exhilaration.
After Christmas, some members of this wealthy family continue to seek out Rupert, taking him along on whimsical escapades that involve magic and time travel, and though there is humor and imagination in those adventures, unfortunately, I mostly felt an emotional disconnect.
Maybe it’s because I’m an adult reader that for the most part I just wasn’t able to go with the flow of things, maybe if I were a kid I would have been more inclined to simply be along for the ride, maybe I wouldn’t have thought how odd it was that Rupert went off with these adults he barely knows, or that most of the adults in the book didn’t seem to care that this boy is starving and neglected. My concerns rarely meshed with the cavalier narrative, so maybe I was just too old for this, or too prone to overthinking, I don’t know, though I do question whether children reading Very Rich would feel any more engaged than I did with adults towing Rupert along into their mid-life crisis’ while they ignored his early-life crisis.
There is a cleverness in the tone of this book that’s enjoyable, however, to me, the last three quarters desperately needed more of the balance between cleverness and heart that it achieved during the Christmas scenes.
I received this book through a giveaway.
October 12, 2018
I'm sure many upper elementary readers will love this book, but all I can say is that it made me terribly hungry. I felt so sorry for the protagonist, ten-year-old Rupert Brown because every time he got close to being able to eat a decent meal, the chance slipped away from him, and back to his regular life he went. One thing the story definitely has to recommend it is Rubert and the very quirky and seemingly-selfish Rivers family. Rupert's family is struggling financially, and neither of his parents can summon much holiday spirit at Christmas. His mother is downright cruel, and while readers eventually come to realize that this cruelty stems from her disappointment about how life has turned out, the scenes featuring her made me wince. When Rupert finds himself inside the Rivers' family's property on Christmas, he plays a strange game with them, at first winning and then losing everything. But the various members of the family feel guilty about what happened, and each one secretly approaches him later to make up for what happened. Crazy doings ensue as he visits an exclusive restaurant, is involved in a robbery, and travels back in time. Although he has plenty of adventures and comes to terms with life as it is, he realizes that each person's life can still be filled with small joys, no matter how full or empty one's bank account. I liked the message and this quote that sums all that up ["Some lives contained more money, but all lives contained equal wonder. Although to see it you had to see everything else as well, and seeing came at the terrible price of feeling" (p. 293)], but I still was left with the feeling of wanting more and wishing for Rupert to have a cupboard full of groceries. And yes, given the present state of the world, I wouldn't say that money buys happiness, but it can make life a whole lot easier. It's clear from the book that being very rich is no guarantee of contentment, and yet...
January 15, 2019
I was very fortunate to receive a copy of this book in a giveaway. Thank you!
I read some of the reviews for this book prior to reading it (I really shouldn't do this!) and was prepared to be disappointed. However, after reading it, I was and I wasn't disappointed. Now, there is a contradiction for you. The book centres around 10-year old Rupert Brown who comes from an extremely poor family. They are so poor that they eat kitchen scraps gathered from restaurant garbage cans. The many Brown children are forced to share bed space meaning that some of the kids sleep on the bed and some sleep under it. In order to keep warm in the winter, Rupert wears all of his three shirts at one time. In other words, they are poorer than poor.
He has the misfortunate to get entangled one day in the electrified fence around the Rivers' mansion on the way home from school because he was so faint from hunger. When he comes to, he is invited into the house by Turgid Rivers (I know...the name is a bit much to get over but once you meet the rest of the Rivers, you get it) a schoolmate, and so begins the quirky, weird interactions with various members of the well-to-do family. He does, in fact, eat his fill at this first visit (which just happens to be Christmas) but food becomes a little more elusive as the book goes on. Without giving away the adventures that happen in the rest of the book, it is this part that does not disappoint. The part that does disappoint is the conclusion (which I won't divulge) but you feel for Rupert. I felt a little let down by it but this did not stop my enjoyment of the book. It is an easy read and one I would recommend.
I read some of the reviews for this book prior to reading it (I really shouldn't do this!) and was prepared to be disappointed. However, after reading it, I was and I wasn't disappointed. Now, there is a contradiction for you. The book centres around 10-year old Rupert Brown who comes from an extremely poor family. They are so poor that they eat kitchen scraps gathered from restaurant garbage cans. The many Brown children are forced to share bed space meaning that some of the kids sleep on the bed and some sleep under it. In order to keep warm in the winter, Rupert wears all of his three shirts at one time. In other words, they are poorer than poor.
He has the misfortunate to get entangled one day in the electrified fence around the Rivers' mansion on the way home from school because he was so faint from hunger. When he comes to, he is invited into the house by Turgid Rivers (I know...the name is a bit much to get over but once you meet the rest of the Rivers, you get it) a schoolmate, and so begins the quirky, weird interactions with various members of the well-to-do family. He does, in fact, eat his fill at this first visit (which just happens to be Christmas) but food becomes a little more elusive as the book goes on. Without giving away the adventures that happen in the rest of the book, it is this part that does not disappoint. The part that does disappoint is the conclusion (which I won't divulge) but you feel for Rupert. I felt a little let down by it but this did not stop my enjoyment of the book. It is an easy read and one I would recommend.
August 25, 2020
Bei "Super Reich" von Polly Horvath hat mich einfach das Cover magisch angezogen. Das veträumte Winter Cover, das geheimnisvolle Haus von Turgid Rivers, dem reichsten Jungen der Stadt, verspricht schon eine spannende Geschichte. Und ich wurde nicht enttäuscht. Denn es stellt sich die Frage: Liebe reich oder glückich? Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist klasse, sie lässt mich von Anfang an in diese herrliche, unterhaltsame und phantasiereiche Geschichte eintauchen.
Wir lernen den zehnjährigen Rupert Brown und seine Familie, die aus unzähligen Kindern besteht - Rupert kennt nicht mal all seine Geschwister näher - ist das nicht erschreckend? Er besitzt keinen Mantel und muss sogar unter dem Bett schlafen, wiel einfach kein Platz mehr ist. Rupert träumt davon, seiner Familie zu helfen und eines Tages bekommt er die Gelegenheit dazu. Ausgerechnet an Weihnachten landet Rupert unverhofft im Haus von Turgid Rivers, dem reichsten Jungen der Stadt. Er taucht in eine völlig neue Welt ein und sieht sich bald am Ziel seiner Wünsche. Doch dann zerplatzt dieser Traum wie eine Seifenblase und jetzt beginnt Rupperts großes Abenteuer. Er bekommt einige Aufgaben, die es zu lösen gibt. Ich lerne die unterschiedlichsten Charaktere kennen, von liebevoll bis unglaublich skurril. Bei manchen Szenen konnte ich mir ein Grinsen nicht verkneifen, auf der andere Seite hat mich die Geschichte auch berührt. Ich finde, dies ist ein spannendes, interessantes und unterhaltsames Buch für Kids ab 9 Jahren. Gerne vergebe ich dafür 5 Sterne.
Wir lernen den zehnjährigen Rupert Brown und seine Familie, die aus unzähligen Kindern besteht - Rupert kennt nicht mal all seine Geschwister näher - ist das nicht erschreckend? Er besitzt keinen Mantel und muss sogar unter dem Bett schlafen, wiel einfach kein Platz mehr ist. Rupert träumt davon, seiner Familie zu helfen und eines Tages bekommt er die Gelegenheit dazu. Ausgerechnet an Weihnachten landet Rupert unverhofft im Haus von Turgid Rivers, dem reichsten Jungen der Stadt. Er taucht in eine völlig neue Welt ein und sieht sich bald am Ziel seiner Wünsche. Doch dann zerplatzt dieser Traum wie eine Seifenblase und jetzt beginnt Rupperts großes Abenteuer. Er bekommt einige Aufgaben, die es zu lösen gibt. Ich lerne die unterschiedlichsten Charaktere kennen, von liebevoll bis unglaublich skurril. Bei manchen Szenen konnte ich mir ein Grinsen nicht verkneifen, auf der andere Seite hat mich die Geschichte auch berührt. Ich finde, dies ist ein spannendes, interessantes und unterhaltsames Buch für Kids ab 9 Jahren. Gerne vergebe ich dafür 5 Sterne.
November 23, 2020
skurrile, deprimierende Geschichte mit fragwürdiger Moralvermittlung
Ich bin nach der Lektüre dieser Geschichte ziemlich ratlos. Offensichtlich habe ich das Buch nicht verstanden. Zumindest kann ich ihm nichts Positives abgewinnen und empfinde es keinesfalls als schönes Kinderbuch mit weihnachtlicher Stimmung.
Es geht um den zehnjährigen Rupert. Rupert lebt mit seinen Eltern und seinen zahlreichen Geschwistern am Stadtrand. Die Familie ist arm, sie besitzen nicht genug Betten, keine warmen Sachen und die Mahlzeiten, die aus dem Müll anderer Leute bestehen, reichen nie, um auch nur halbwegs satt zu werden. Auf dem Weg zur Schule kommt Rupert an den Villen der Reichen vorbei. Durch einen (un-?)glücklichen Zufall gerät Rupert am Weihnachtstag ins Haus der Familie Rivers, eine der reichsten Familien der Stadt. Er isst mit ihnen und kann sich richtig vollstopfen. Danach wird er dazu eingeladen, mit der Familie um eine Vielzahl an Geschenken zu spielen. Rupert ist zunächst unsicher, schöpft aber mehr und mehr Hoffnung, er könnte das Haus vielleicht mit warmen Stiefeln oder gar einem Spielzeug für seine Geschwister verlassen. Letztlich verliert Rupert und geht mit leeren Händen. Keine Ausnahme möglich. So sind einfach die Regeln…
In den folgenden Wochen und Monaten kommen einige der Familienmitglieder auf ihn zu und verwickeln ihn in aufregende Abenteuer.
Nun hätte sich eine interessante, herzliche Geschichte entwickeln können, in der Rupert allerlei Gutes hätte wiederfahren können.
Aber das komplette Gegenteil ist der Fall. Unter dem Vorwand, ein schlechtes Gewissen wegen der Weihnachtsspiele zu haben, kommen die Familienmitglieder auf ihn zu und nehmen ihn zu einem Ausflug mit – schnappen ihn auf dem Weg von der Schule oder wecken ihn mitten in der Nacht -, aber keinesfalls um wirklich etwas für ihn zu tun. Letztlich geht es jedem einzelnen darum, die eigenen Bedürfnisse zu befriedigen und dabei wird Rupert teilweise noch als Handlanger ausgenutzt. Und jedes Mal geht es irgendwie um Essen. Rupert ist von Essen umgeben oder ihm wird eine Mahlzeit versprochen – doch immer wieder geht er leer aus. Unter den unglücklichsten Umständen kehrt Rupert jedes Mal hungrig heim. Soll es witzig sein, wie das hungernde Kind jedes Mal anderen beim Essen zuschauen muss, immer wieder Hoffnung auf eine Mahlzeit schöpfen darf und immer wieder aufgrund skurriler Ereignisse enttäuscht wird…?
Schräge Ereignisse gibt es nämlich einige. Die Geschichte bekommt etliche fantastische Elemente. Ich empfand das Geschehen allerdings insgesamt als zu überdreht und oft auch einfach absurd. Ausflug reiht sich an Ausflug, während dazwischen die Zeit verstricht und sich in Ruperts Leben nichts verändert. Dabei empfand ich die Geschichte streckenweise nicht nur als wirr, sondern auch zäh. Auch den Schreibstil empfand ich, für ein Kinderbuch, das ab 9 Jahren empfohlen wird, nicht leichtgängig genug.
Und dann ist da auch noch Ruperts Familiensituation, welche ganz nüchtern als absolut grausam beschrieben wird – was ich für ein Kinderbuch schon sehr extrem fand. Als wäre es normal und ok, dass Kinder so aufwachsen. Zum Hunger und der fehlenden winterfesten Kleidung kommen auch noch regelmäßige Schläge und seelische Quälereien. So ist der Geburtstag der Kinder eine der wenigen Gelegenheiten, wo die Mutter etwas „besonderes“ kauft – Bonbons, die nur sie allein mag. Diese schenkt sie den Kindern jedes Jahr aufs Neue in dem Wissen, dass sie die Bonbons am Ende zurückbekommt und selbst essen darf.
Während die Mutter einem schlecht bezahlten Job nachgeht, sitzt der Vater den ganzen Tag nur auf dem Sofa. In einer Art Rückblende wird sie als absolutes Dummchen dargestellt, welches einen Blender anhimmelt, der nur Nichtigkeiten von sich gibt.
Ähnlich rückständig ist auch das Familienbild, welches in der Familie Rivers skizziert wird, in der die Frauen ihren Berufstraum höchstens heimlich nachgehen können, weil die Frauen an der Seite der erfolgreichen Geschäftsmänner nicht zu arbeiten haben.
Und auch darüber hinaus steckt der Buch voller Vorurteile, Stereotype und Sticheleien – vor allem von „den Reichen“ gegenüber „den Armen“.
Eigentlich nehmen die Rivers sowohl Ruperts optischen Zustand (kaputte dünne Kleidung, ausgehungertes Kind) als auch seine Familiensituation wahr (ein River beobachtet 2 Tage sein Haus, bevor es auf den Ausflug geht), und dennoch scheinen sie die Wahrheit nicht sehen zu können oder schlichtweg nicht sehen zu wollen. Statt ihm etwas Nützliches zukommen zu lassen, ihm etwas zu essen zu geben oder warme Kleidung, bekommt er beispielsweise einen völlig nutzlosen dünnen Anzug.
Was ich letztlich von der Geschichte mitnehme:
– reiche Leute sind Idioten
– als reicher Mensch kannst du machen, was du willst, es hat keine Konsequenzen
– wenn du den ganzen Tag faul auf dem Sofa sitzt, fällt dir vielleicht irgendwann zufällig doch ein netter Job zu
– vielleicht hast du irgendwann durch Zufall Glück – Hilfe von anderen musst du zumindest nicht erwarten
Einen positiven Punkt gibt es dann aber doch, denn zumindest wird schon auch vermittelt, dass Geld allein nicht glücklich macht. Alle Rivers lassen Rupert an ihren Sorgen und Wünschen teilhaben. Zudem kommt immer mal wieder der Gedanke auf, dass sie Rupert ein anderes Leben aufzwängen möchten, doch er hält an seinem eigenen fest. Auch wenn dies keineswegs rosig ist, sehnt er sich nach seinem zuhause und besonders einer Schwester zurück. Weil das eigene Leben einzigartig ist.
Fazit
Für mich handelt es sich bei „Super reich“ nicht um ein besinnliches positives Kinderbuch. Stattdessen reihen sich immer neue Grausamkeiten aneinander, in denen Rupert (der unter katastrophalen, lieblosen Umständen aufwächst) immer wieder Hoffnung schöpfen darf, um dann doch hungernd und frierend zurückzubleiben.
Erstaunlich dabei ist eigentlich nur, wie der Junge alles wegsteckt. Obwohl er von den Rivers auf gewisse Weise immer wieder entführt wird, ist er hilfsbereit und neugierig, wie ihre Pläne weitergehen. Nur dass sich hinterher, bis auf eine Ausnahme, niemand mehr für ihn interessiert. Sie haben mit ihrem Ausflug schließlich ihr Gewissen beruhigt und ihre Schuldigkeit getan.
Ich empfinde die Geschichte insgesamt als sehr deprimierend mit eigenwilligen Werten, die hier vermittelt werden.
Ich bin nach der Lektüre dieser Geschichte ziemlich ratlos. Offensichtlich habe ich das Buch nicht verstanden. Zumindest kann ich ihm nichts Positives abgewinnen und empfinde es keinesfalls als schönes Kinderbuch mit weihnachtlicher Stimmung.
Es geht um den zehnjährigen Rupert. Rupert lebt mit seinen Eltern und seinen zahlreichen Geschwistern am Stadtrand. Die Familie ist arm, sie besitzen nicht genug Betten, keine warmen Sachen und die Mahlzeiten, die aus dem Müll anderer Leute bestehen, reichen nie, um auch nur halbwegs satt zu werden. Auf dem Weg zur Schule kommt Rupert an den Villen der Reichen vorbei. Durch einen (un-?)glücklichen Zufall gerät Rupert am Weihnachtstag ins Haus der Familie Rivers, eine der reichsten Familien der Stadt. Er isst mit ihnen und kann sich richtig vollstopfen. Danach wird er dazu eingeladen, mit der Familie um eine Vielzahl an Geschenken zu spielen. Rupert ist zunächst unsicher, schöpft aber mehr und mehr Hoffnung, er könnte das Haus vielleicht mit warmen Stiefeln oder gar einem Spielzeug für seine Geschwister verlassen. Letztlich verliert Rupert und geht mit leeren Händen. Keine Ausnahme möglich. So sind einfach die Regeln…
In den folgenden Wochen und Monaten kommen einige der Familienmitglieder auf ihn zu und verwickeln ihn in aufregende Abenteuer.
Nun hätte sich eine interessante, herzliche Geschichte entwickeln können, in der Rupert allerlei Gutes hätte wiederfahren können.
Aber das komplette Gegenteil ist der Fall. Unter dem Vorwand, ein schlechtes Gewissen wegen der Weihnachtsspiele zu haben, kommen die Familienmitglieder auf ihn zu und nehmen ihn zu einem Ausflug mit – schnappen ihn auf dem Weg von der Schule oder wecken ihn mitten in der Nacht -, aber keinesfalls um wirklich etwas für ihn zu tun. Letztlich geht es jedem einzelnen darum, die eigenen Bedürfnisse zu befriedigen und dabei wird Rupert teilweise noch als Handlanger ausgenutzt. Und jedes Mal geht es irgendwie um Essen. Rupert ist von Essen umgeben oder ihm wird eine Mahlzeit versprochen – doch immer wieder geht er leer aus. Unter den unglücklichsten Umständen kehrt Rupert jedes Mal hungrig heim. Soll es witzig sein, wie das hungernde Kind jedes Mal anderen beim Essen zuschauen muss, immer wieder Hoffnung auf eine Mahlzeit schöpfen darf und immer wieder aufgrund skurriler Ereignisse enttäuscht wird…?
Schräge Ereignisse gibt es nämlich einige. Die Geschichte bekommt etliche fantastische Elemente. Ich empfand das Geschehen allerdings insgesamt als zu überdreht und oft auch einfach absurd. Ausflug reiht sich an Ausflug, während dazwischen die Zeit verstricht und sich in Ruperts Leben nichts verändert. Dabei empfand ich die Geschichte streckenweise nicht nur als wirr, sondern auch zäh. Auch den Schreibstil empfand ich, für ein Kinderbuch, das ab 9 Jahren empfohlen wird, nicht leichtgängig genug.
Und dann ist da auch noch Ruperts Familiensituation, welche ganz nüchtern als absolut grausam beschrieben wird – was ich für ein Kinderbuch schon sehr extrem fand. Als wäre es normal und ok, dass Kinder so aufwachsen. Zum Hunger und der fehlenden winterfesten Kleidung kommen auch noch regelmäßige Schläge und seelische Quälereien. So ist der Geburtstag der Kinder eine der wenigen Gelegenheiten, wo die Mutter etwas „besonderes“ kauft – Bonbons, die nur sie allein mag. Diese schenkt sie den Kindern jedes Jahr aufs Neue in dem Wissen, dass sie die Bonbons am Ende zurückbekommt und selbst essen darf.
Während die Mutter einem schlecht bezahlten Job nachgeht, sitzt der Vater den ganzen Tag nur auf dem Sofa. In einer Art Rückblende wird sie als absolutes Dummchen dargestellt, welches einen Blender anhimmelt, der nur Nichtigkeiten von sich gibt.
Ähnlich rückständig ist auch das Familienbild, welches in der Familie Rivers skizziert wird, in der die Frauen ihren Berufstraum höchstens heimlich nachgehen können, weil die Frauen an der Seite der erfolgreichen Geschäftsmänner nicht zu arbeiten haben.
Und auch darüber hinaus steckt der Buch voller Vorurteile, Stereotype und Sticheleien – vor allem von „den Reichen“ gegenüber „den Armen“.
Eigentlich nehmen die Rivers sowohl Ruperts optischen Zustand (kaputte dünne Kleidung, ausgehungertes Kind) als auch seine Familiensituation wahr (ein River beobachtet 2 Tage sein Haus, bevor es auf den Ausflug geht), und dennoch scheinen sie die Wahrheit nicht sehen zu können oder schlichtweg nicht sehen zu wollen. Statt ihm etwas Nützliches zukommen zu lassen, ihm etwas zu essen zu geben oder warme Kleidung, bekommt er beispielsweise einen völlig nutzlosen dünnen Anzug.
Was ich letztlich von der Geschichte mitnehme:
– reiche Leute sind Idioten
– als reicher Mensch kannst du machen, was du willst, es hat keine Konsequenzen
– wenn du den ganzen Tag faul auf dem Sofa sitzt, fällt dir vielleicht irgendwann zufällig doch ein netter Job zu
– vielleicht hast du irgendwann durch Zufall Glück – Hilfe von anderen musst du zumindest nicht erwarten
Einen positiven Punkt gibt es dann aber doch, denn zumindest wird schon auch vermittelt, dass Geld allein nicht glücklich macht. Alle Rivers lassen Rupert an ihren Sorgen und Wünschen teilhaben. Zudem kommt immer mal wieder der Gedanke auf, dass sie Rupert ein anderes Leben aufzwängen möchten, doch er hält an seinem eigenen fest. Auch wenn dies keineswegs rosig ist, sehnt er sich nach seinem zuhause und besonders einer Schwester zurück. Weil das eigene Leben einzigartig ist.
Fazit
Für mich handelt es sich bei „Super reich“ nicht um ein besinnliches positives Kinderbuch. Stattdessen reihen sich immer neue Grausamkeiten aneinander, in denen Rupert (der unter katastrophalen, lieblosen Umständen aufwächst) immer wieder Hoffnung schöpfen darf, um dann doch hungernd und frierend zurückzubleiben.
Erstaunlich dabei ist eigentlich nur, wie der Junge alles wegsteckt. Obwohl er von den Rivers auf gewisse Weise immer wieder entführt wird, ist er hilfsbereit und neugierig, wie ihre Pläne weitergehen. Nur dass sich hinterher, bis auf eine Ausnahme, niemand mehr für ihn interessiert. Sie haben mit ihrem Ausflug schließlich ihr Gewissen beruhigt und ihre Schuldigkeit getan.
Ich empfinde die Geschichte insgesamt als sehr deprimierend mit eigenwilligen Werten, die hier vermittelt werden.
December 1, 2018
This was an unusual story. It follows many adventures that Rupert has with the members of the Rivers family.
Rupert comes from a very poor family. They eat oatmeal for every meal because they can’t afford much else. The Rivers family is the opposite. They have every extravagance possible. Rupert ends up spending Christmas with them, but his great evening takes a horrible turn when Rupert loses all of the prizes he won in the games. Then over the following weeks, the members of the Rivers family try to make up for taking all of Rupert’s gifts away.
I found this story very strange. The Rivers family kept dangling gifts and food in front of Rupert but didn’t actually give them to him. It was so cruel. There were some fantasy elements like time travel, but these moments didn’t fit in with the rest story because the rest of it was fairly realistic.
This story reminded me of some other children’s stories. Rupert’s family is in the same unfortunate situation as Charlie Bucket’s family in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The narration style and circumstances of Rupert’s life were like the Beaudelaire children in A Series of Unfortunate Events. However, I found this book was missing the excitement and redemption that these stories had.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Rupert comes from a very poor family. They eat oatmeal for every meal because they can’t afford much else. The Rivers family is the opposite. They have every extravagance possible. Rupert ends up spending Christmas with them, but his great evening takes a horrible turn when Rupert loses all of the prizes he won in the games. Then over the following weeks, the members of the Rivers family try to make up for taking all of Rupert’s gifts away.
I found this story very strange. The Rivers family kept dangling gifts and food in front of Rupert but didn’t actually give them to him. It was so cruel. There were some fantasy elements like time travel, but these moments didn’t fit in with the rest story because the rest of it was fairly realistic.
This story reminded me of some other children’s stories. Rupert’s family is in the same unfortunate situation as Charlie Bucket’s family in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The narration style and circumstances of Rupert’s life were like the Beaudelaire children in A Series of Unfortunate Events. However, I found this book was missing the excitement and redemption that these stories had.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
May 14, 2019
VERY RICH is a wacky story that lives up to the best of Horvath’s past work. It features appealing and sympathetic 11-year old Rupert Brown, his oversized, impoverished family, and Rupert’s unusual friendships with almost all the eccentric adult members of the very wealthy Rivers family. Rupert spends Christmas Day with the Rivers after being speared and zapped on their driveway gate in their home town of Steelville, Ohio. Horvath’s exaggerated humor is often dark and her style in this story echoes that of Roald Dahl--Rupert Brown in his poverty and excruciating hunger calls to mind poor Charlie Bucket. After Rupert loses a cache of Christmas presents in a winner-takes-all game, the adults of the Rivers family one by one find Rupert later at school or home and take him on consolation adventures with them. These include time travel with Uncle Henry to the past; to the future with Turgid Rivers, the son closest in age to Rupert; a restaurant cooking caper with Mrs. Rivers; and bank robbery and kidnapping with Aunt Hazelnut, among others. The ending is slightly anti-climactic and doesn’t quite provide this zany novel the brash finale it deserves. But mostly it’s a wild, fun ride, that should delight young readers, even as it reinforces their feelings of dependable injustice and unexpected bonuses in the absurd adult world.
4.5 stars (but I round up)
4.5 stars (but I round up)
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