Island of the Blue Dolphins vs Treasure Island: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Classics, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Fiction
Island of the Blue Dolphins
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Story of a young girl abandoned on a small island by her family and her village, and of her fight for survival. The incredible courage, determination and strength of this girl is showcased throughout as she learns to…
Treasure Island
“SQUIRE TRELAWNEY, Dr Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen having asked me to write down the whole particulars about Treasure Island, from the beginning to the end, keeping nothing back but the bearings of the island, and that only because there is still treasure not yet lifted, I take up my pen in the year of grace 17-, and go back to the time when my father kept the 'Admiral Bendow' inn, and”
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Traditionally considered a coming-of-age story, Treasure Island is an adventure tale known for its atmosphere, characters and action, and also as a wry commentary on the ambiguity of morality — as seen in Long John…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Island of the Blue Dolphins is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 5 for Treasure Island.
- Treasure Island has the widest readership — 553957 ratings behind its score.
- Treasure Island reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 17 times.
- Island of the Blue Dolphins runs the darker storyline; Treasure Island stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| Island of the Blue Dolphins | Treasure Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.9 (354775) | 3.9 (553957) |
| Hardcover | 3.6 (252) | 3.8 (928) |
| Google Books | 3.0 (2) | 4.0 (2) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (84) | 4.0 (170) |
| LiveLib | — | 4.4 (15919) |
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Reception
| Island of the Blue Dolphins | Treasure Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 354775 | 553957 |
| Editions | 89 | 1988 |
| Citations | 1 | 17 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 102769 | 269573 |
| Reading it now | 6795 | 34537 |
| Written reviews | 11262 | 20696 |
| Wikipedia attention | 11682 | 53914 |
| Pages | 184 | 320 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Island of the Blue Dolphins or Treasure Island?
Island of the Blue Dolphins has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Island of the Blue Dolphins 3.9/5, Treasure Island 3.9/5).
Which is shorter to read: Island of the Blue Dolphins or Treasure Island?
Island of the Blue Dolphins is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Island of the Blue Dolphins (184 pages, ≈ 3 h 24 m); Treasure Island (320 pages, ≈ 5 h 56 m).
Which is harder to read: Island of the Blue Dolphins or Treasure Island?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Island of the Blue Dolphins: Moderate; Treasure Island: Challenging.
Have both books been made into films?
Island of the Blue Dolphins: 1 film adaptation; Treasure Island: 5 film adaptations.