The Little Prince

Original title: Le Petit Prince
Author: Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
Illustrations: by the author
Translators: Ros and Chloe Schwartz
Publisher: Macmillan Collector's Library
Publishing date: 2016
Pages: 135

Considering how much I love this book now, it's actually kind of a funny story that The Little Prince was the only book I never wanted to read. I remember it was one of the first books I've ever picked up to read for school when I was very little. But I couldn't get into it and I didn't like the first two drawings at all, for drawing was, like, my second self and I was craving for something different by that time. And so I just never finished the book and also never intended to do it. And the fact that everybody was raving about it made it even worse. It just struck me that the book was too difficult to understand and everybody was lying about reading it just to make themselves look cool. But when I had been working in a bookshop in London, some girl stopped before a little stuck of The Little Princes and, without knowing she was being observed, said to herself: "Oh, this book. It's such a beautiful story..." And then she nodded her head, as if it hadn't been her who just said it, but completely agreed with the statement. I guess, this was the first impulse that made me finaly overcome my impenitence regarding this book and challenged me to read it.

"To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world...”

I am so glad I did it, for this book really deserves all the hype it gets. If you pay attention to the story, you'll be able to find what you're looking for in it. It was so beautifully written, and this time I even loved the illustrations. I din't expect it at all, but I actually cried a little bit when I came upon the quote which you can see above. In the concept of the story, it was very touching. Something about it just make my heart ache. The whole book made me feel a little bit of hope in the world around me, which is actually why I think it's more of a book for grown-ups than for children. When I was trying to read this book as a child, I didn't need such a reminder. Back then I saw hope everywhere. The funny thing is that things haven't really changed since then, only the way I see them has changed. So I guess that the hope I felt back then is still here waiting for me to see it. The Little Prince is one of those precious things which help me to find the way to it...

Rating: 5/5