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An iconic work that has seen numerous adaptations since its release. The story of a man raised by gorillas in the treacherous jungle from infancy as if he were one of their own. Despite being brought up by great apes, the boy discovered his humanity. He gradually uncovered his own intellect and emotions, building his personality on his own terms.
It is precisely this difference that literally drives the character’s development, which we follow especially in the first half of the book. Written in clear, accessible language, this literature is intended for children aged 11 and up, yet it retains a depth that offers beautiful moments even to an adult reader.
 
I confess, I read the book for the first time as an adult. As a child, I loved the animated Tarzan from Walt Disney—a unique, fresh story combined with beautiful visuals and an unmistakable soundtrack that left a warm, lasting mark on my heart. I was all the more surprised when a friend told me that he had read the Tarzan books as a child and that it was completely different from the movie. And I have to agree. Although the core idea remains the same, the characters and the story’s composition differ. At times while reading, I found myself thinking, ‘Really? Is this how it was in the original edition?’ However, there was certainly no disappointment; on the contrary, my curiosity took over. The book can be imaginarily divided into two parts: Tarzan’s life with the gorillas before the arrival of humans, where we follow his personal evolution, and the second part, driven primarily by the new characters arriving on the shores of Tarzan’s land.
 
The book is suitable for older children with an adventurous spirit, those who are not afraid of an unknown environment and are prepared for the perils of wild jungle communities. Today, a publisher would likely have objections to certain passages, but at the time the work was written (1912), it caused no such outcry. The descriptions of fights are somewhat animalistic at times, though I wouldn’t call them brutal. Simply put, they describe the laws of the wild without unnecessary talk—laws where death is a common part of life. Roughly halfway through the book, humorous, almost episodic moments begin to appear that were previously absent. It’s as if, in the middle, the author decided to transition from the heavy questions of survival and Tarzan’s self-development in skills and knowledge toward a romantic-adventure story. This shift in the author’s style only reinforces my previous division of the book into two stages—before and after the arrival of humans. Overall, the book can be seen as a series of smaller story episodes, giving the work a slightly serialized feel.
 
Overall, this is the first of a three-book series. The plot of the first book leads the reader all the way to America, where Tarzan sets out to find the love that fate brought to the very doorstep of his kingdom, only to snatch her away again moments later. The author thus keeps the reader in suspense, and the entire book ends with what we would call a ‘cliffhanger’ in modern series, leaving the reader with several lingering questions. In my opinion, it is a very successful book, and I can easily imagine that if I had gotten my hands on it during my childhood—specifically in my younger boyish days—I would have loved reading it over and over in bed before falling asleep