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locke_reads's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
4.0
I love retold fairy tales but don't often go back to the original sources. This was a nice refresher and even an introduction to some classic European tales.
Some annotations and introductions were more helpful than others, as is always the case with these kinds of books. I would have been perfectly happy if any contributions from Bruno Bettelheim had been eliminated. In the introduction to "The Story of the Three Bears," Tatar writes,
"For Bruno Bettelheim, 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' fails to encourage children 'to pursue the hard labor of solving, one at a time, the problems which growing up presents.' Furthermore the story does not end, as fairy tales should, with 'any promise of future happiness awaiting those who have mastered their oedipal situation as a child.'" Say what? *eyeroll*
I did like annotations that explained archaic words, practices that have disappeared, cultural archetypes, or tidbits about the authors' lives that were relevant to their stories.
But by far the best part of this volume for me was the inclusion of old full color (when available) artwork for each tale. I was already aware of Arthur Rackham as a fantasy artist (Charles Vess, whose work I love, lists him as an influence) and marginally aware of Maxfield Parrish, but I also discovered Edmund Dulac, Kay Nielsen, Edward Burne-Jones, and more. Their work is absolutely gorgeous! I would love to have fairy tale collections illustrated by almost any of the artists included in this edition. I just wish there had been room to make each print bigger! They're small enough to fit about six paintings per page. As it is, it's hard to make out details that the author specifically mentions in her analyses. But bigger art would have made the book longer and driven the cost even higher.
An appendix includes alternate versions of a few of the tales, which is always interesting. One inclusion that puzzled me was an alternate of "The Three Bears." Dr. Tatar emphasizes in her introduction that some versions of the story make the little girl (Goldilocks) an old woman. As far as I can tell, the alternate version is exactly the same story, word for word, but with "little old Woman" substituted for every mention of "Goldilocks." I thought it was an incredibly redundant inclusion.
I recommend this for those who love fairy tales across many European traditions. The artwork, while small, is definitely worth a look.
Some annotations and introductions were more helpful than others, as is always the case with these kinds of books. I would have been perfectly happy if any contributions from Bruno Bettelheim had been eliminated. In the introduction to "The Story of the Three Bears," Tatar writes,
"For Bruno Bettelheim, 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' fails to encourage children 'to pursue the hard labor of solving, one at a time, the problems which growing up presents.' Furthermore the story does not end, as fairy tales should, with 'any promise of future happiness awaiting those who have mastered their oedipal situation as a child.'" Say what? *eyeroll*
I did like annotations that explained archaic words, practices that have disappeared, cultural archetypes, or tidbits about the authors' lives that were relevant to their stories.
But by far the best part of this volume for me was the inclusion of old full color (when available) artwork for each tale. I was already aware of Arthur Rackham as a fantasy artist (Charles Vess, whose work I love, lists him as an influence) and marginally aware of Maxfield Parrish, but I also discovered Edmund Dulac, Kay Nielsen, Edward Burne-Jones, and more. Their work is absolutely gorgeous! I would love to have fairy tale collections illustrated by almost any of the artists included in this edition. I just wish there had been room to make each print bigger! They're small enough to fit about six paintings per page. As it is, it's hard to make out details that the author specifically mentions in her analyses. But bigger art would have made the book longer and driven the cost even higher.
An appendix includes alternate versions of a few of the tales, which is always interesting. One inclusion that puzzled me was an alternate of "The Three Bears." Dr. Tatar emphasizes in her introduction that some versions of the story make the little girl (Goldilocks) an old woman. As far as I can tell, the alternate version is exactly the same story, word for word, but with "little old Woman" substituted for every mention of "Goldilocks." I thought it was an incredibly redundant inclusion.
I recommend this for those who love fairy tales across many European traditions. The artwork, while small, is definitely worth a look.
kkpritchard's review
4.0
I had no idea there were so many fairy tale variations. I especially loved reading The Little Mermaid--it had been years since I'd read it as a child. Sad and haunting. Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tales are so heart-wrenchingly beautiful.
Read for Fairy Tales with Dr. Ginsberg Fall 2019. (Such a fun class!!!)
Read for Fairy Tales with Dr. Ginsberg Fall 2019. (Such a fun class!!!)
jwsg's review against another edition
3.0
I loved reading fairy tales as a kid - Hans Christian Anderson, The Brothers Grimm, Ruth Manning-Sanders' collection of tales with such titles as "A Book of Charms and Changelings", "A Book of Sorcerors and Spells", "A Book of Trolls and Ogres" etc. A couple of months back, I read an NPR blog post on Maria Tatar's The Annotated Brothers Grimm and thought that a book illuminating the historical and sociological context - and the sometimes darker undertones - of well-known fairy tales would make a fascinating read.
In some ways, The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales lives up to the hype; Tartar has curated a selection of familiar tales from the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, Charles Perrault and several others and her annotations do illuminate the subtext to these stories. She notes that these tales are by no means unique; different countries often have their own versions of these tales. Indeed, even within a particular country, there are often different variations of a tale floating around. But the plots we are familiar with today reflect the choices made by the Brothers Grimm, Perrault and other individuals who sought to pen down these tales for posterity, and in the process, perpetuating a particular version of the tale. We also learn that these tales, which most of us would have encountered as bedtime stories designed to lull us to sleep, are often anything but calming and comforting. While we sometimes think of fairy tales as having some kind of moral, affirming the triumph of good over evil (Cinderella, Snow White, etc), much of this only came later, as scribes like Perrault sought to turn fairy tales to some greater purpose. More often than not, Tartar explains, fairy tales were once adult entertainment and as such could contain ribald humour, sex, violence, melodrama and horror (think the medieval version of Dean R Koontz and Stephen King). Who knew, for instance, that Little Red Riding Hood wasn't originally a young innocent, but vixen in the making whose exchange with the wolf on different body parts was actually a highly sexualised exchange that in some versions, results in Little Red Riding Hood performing a striptease of sorts for the wolf?? Fairy tales weren't always about happy every after (contrast Hans Christian Anderson's version of the Little Mermaid and the Disney version starring Princess Ariel) and they weren't always pretty.
But I was hoping, perhaps unreasonably, for more from the book. I wanted more than just annotations sprinkled through the book, teasingly offering up little nuggets of information on Bluebeard, Beauty and the Beast and Hansel and Gretel. I wanted the book to have a more substantial focus on the sociological and historical context to the tales, whether in the introductory paragraphs for each tale, or as a chapter (or two or three) at the beginning of the collection.
Still, for anyone who loves fairy tales, Maria Tatar's book is a good read. The gorgeous assemblage of illustrations from different published versions of the tales is another reason to pick this book up.
In some ways, The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales lives up to the hype; Tartar has curated a selection of familiar tales from the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, Charles Perrault and several others and her annotations do illuminate the subtext to these stories. She notes that these tales are by no means unique; different countries often have their own versions of these tales. Indeed, even within a particular country, there are often different variations of a tale floating around. But the plots we are familiar with today reflect the choices made by the Brothers Grimm, Perrault and other individuals who sought to pen down these tales for posterity, and in the process, perpetuating a particular version of the tale. We also learn that these tales, which most of us would have encountered as bedtime stories designed to lull us to sleep, are often anything but calming and comforting. While we sometimes think of fairy tales as having some kind of moral, affirming the triumph of good over evil (Cinderella, Snow White, etc), much of this only came later, as scribes like Perrault sought to turn fairy tales to some greater purpose. More often than not, Tartar explains, fairy tales were once adult entertainment and as such could contain ribald humour, sex, violence, melodrama and horror (think the medieval version of Dean R Koontz and Stephen King). Who knew, for instance, that Little Red Riding Hood wasn't originally a young innocent, but vixen in the making whose exchange with the wolf on different body parts was actually a highly sexualised exchange that in some versions, results in Little Red Riding Hood performing a striptease of sorts for the wolf?? Fairy tales weren't always about happy every after (contrast Hans Christian Anderson's version of the Little Mermaid and the Disney version starring Princess Ariel) and they weren't always pretty.
But I was hoping, perhaps unreasonably, for more from the book. I wanted more than just annotations sprinkled through the book, teasingly offering up little nuggets of information on Bluebeard, Beauty and the Beast and Hansel and Gretel. I wanted the book to have a more substantial focus on the sociological and historical context to the tales, whether in the introductory paragraphs for each tale, or as a chapter (or two or three) at the beginning of the collection.
Still, for anyone who loves fairy tales, Maria Tatar's book is a good read. The gorgeous assemblage of illustrations from different published versions of the tales is another reason to pick this book up.
wolfshine's review against another edition
5.0
This book offers a wonderful look at the fairy tales we've heard as children, but in the glorious splendor of their original forms. We also get a look at the different authors involved, and the evolution of some of the more "favorite" fairy tales such as "Little Red Riding Hood".
felinity's review against another edition
5.0
This marvellous collection does exactly what it says on the tin. Some of the most well-known fairy tales, from Little Red Riding Hood to Snow White to The Little Mermaid, are gathered here with lesser-known tales such as Kate Crackernuts, each with introductions explaining their genesis and history, notes for themes or other points of interest in the text (glass or fur?), and plenty of annotated historical illustrations from artists such as Arthur Rackham, Walter Crane, Edmund Dulac and Edward Burne-Jones.
There's even a section with short biographies on the original authors/collectors of the tales and artists, with a list of further reading for more detailed biographies. The appendices contain some alternate versions of tales and an extensive bibliography.
A refreshing review for anyone who's interested in this genre but hasn't read any for a while!
There's even a section with short biographies on the original authors/collectors of the tales and artists, with a list of further reading for more detailed biographies. The appendices contain some alternate versions of tales and an extensive bibliography.
A refreshing review for anyone who's interested in this genre but hasn't read any for a while!
littleelfman's review against another edition
5.0
Hansel and Gretel:
Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper:
Little Red Riding Hood:
Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper:
Little Red Riding Hood:
kateraed's review
4.0
Excellent collection of stories in their many variations! The essays are useful and interesting too, for the most part. Used this as a required text for a class on fairy tales. Having variations of a story to compare/contrast (and show evolution, and different beliefs) was wonderful.
sarlope12's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely loved this book. This book was so cool because it had a bunch of different illustrations and I really liked the different annotated notes from Tatar. Sadly, we breezed through this book (she'd assign 6 fairy tales at a time) so I don't think I could've enjoyed the book quite as much as I would've liked, but otherwise, I absolutely adored the book and all it contained.