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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
It was fine, but honestly just do yourself a favor and pick a few you think sound interesting instead of reading the whole anthology. It gets boring and repetitive very fast and they recycled so many plots that some stories became identical (or the story repeated itself for pages). The only reason I stuck with it and finished is because I was being stubborn.
It's hard to read and repetitive. Every story is a variation of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, or Sleeping Beauty. There's lots of long paragraphs, little dialogue, and the narrative does little to evoke imagination. Everything happens in sets of threes, and I know nothing is going to happen the first two times, so I would just skip to the third.
Every story is the same. Someone goes out into the world to seek fortune, marry someone, or defeat evil. He/she collects some magic artifacts. Something happens based on wordplay or puns. Then he's told not to do something, and inevitably, he does it. Because where would the plot be if anyone actually followed directions? Otherwise we wouldn't have "Gremlins". Go see the Disney versions.
Every story is the same. Someone goes out into the world to seek fortune, marry someone, or defeat evil. He/she collects some magic artifacts. Something happens based on wordplay or puns. Then he's told not to do something, and inevitably, he does it. Because where would the plot be if anyone actually followed directions? Otherwise we wouldn't have "Gremlins". Go see the Disney versions.
Grimm's Household Stories is a good collection that includes some of the more well known stories. It is surprising how the tales are violent and mostly nonsensical. And if you expect a logical conclusion or moral to the story then I recommend finding Aesop's stories instead.
Radio WHT presents Hansel & Gretel and the Candy Planet (a science fiction adaptation) February 2011
*Very Vintage Valentines' Day 2-13-11
*Optimist Theatre "Play On" fundraiser 2-12-11
*Frontier Radio Theater (WMSE) 2-7-11
Short Story Book Club - May 2011
*Very Vintage Valentines' Day 2-13-11
*Optimist Theatre "Play On" fundraiser 2-12-11
*Frontier Radio Theater (WMSE) 2-7-11
Short Story Book Club - May 2011
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
As with any collected works, obviously some are more captivating than others. There are some losers in the bunch. But overall, these are classic for a reason.
Tons of diversity in the messaging and lots of cool fun plotlines. A must-read for pretty much anyone.
Tons of diversity in the messaging and lots of cool fun plotlines. A must-read for pretty much anyone.
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a journey this was! And one I think was worth it in the end.
I'm really glad I read the introduction in my edition before diving in, otherwise I would have never thought about these stories in the context of the German nationalism that spurred the Grimms to collect them.
After a time, they do start to get repetitive, but reading just one a day over most of a year helped to break them up. At the same, I also found that repetition rather fascinating, as themes of good and evil and beauty and ugliness, as well as recurring tropes and characters, started to emerge. Few of these tales truly possess the romance and idyllicism with which we associate them today. Instead, they portray a much harsher and more sinister world. In most cases, love, goodness, and beauty triumph in the end, but the trials and ultimate punishments throughout are often cruel, violent, and perhaps even unjust.
Overall, this was a fascinating supplementary read with a lot of food for thought, especially for those of us who have grown up with a romanticized version of many of these tales deeply embedded into our culture and modern psyche.
I'm really glad I read the introduction in my edition before diving in, otherwise I would have never thought about these stories in the context of the German nationalism that spurred the Grimms to collect them.
After a time, they do start to get repetitive, but reading just one a day over most of a year helped to break them up. At the same, I also found that repetition rather fascinating, as themes of good and evil and beauty and ugliness, as well as recurring tropes and characters, started to emerge. Few of these tales truly possess the romance and idyllicism with which we associate them today. Instead, they portray a much harsher and more sinister world. In most cases, love, goodness, and beauty triumph in the end, but the trials and ultimate punishments throughout are often cruel, violent, and perhaps even unjust.
Overall, this was a fascinating supplementary read with a lot of food for thought, especially for those of us who have grown up with a romanticized version of many of these tales deeply embedded into our culture and modern psyche.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No