Reviews

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

sarah_moynihan's review

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4.0

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
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The LIttle Mermaid, the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson is brought to life again in this new and  beautiful translation. This a translation of the original fairy tale of The Little Mermaid, not to be confused with the Disney adaptation. Like all the fairy tales which are tweaked into children's films, it is much darker than the Disney adaptation, which is to be expected but should be noted when reading with little ones. That being said, I prefer this translation by Misha Hoekstra over others of this fairy tale that I have read in the past because this translation has a less sinister conclustion, there is more of a hopeful note(as much as can be in such a sad tale). The illustrations by Helen Crawford- White throughout the book are quite beautiful, if a bit simple and not quite as eye catching as one would hope to find when looking at the cover. But lovely as they are, I wish there had been more as this fairy tale is a bit long and there's only a few illustrations scattered through the story. I do hope this will be improved upon in the final release. As for the cover itself, it is gorgeous and the perfect cover for this classic fairy tale. As for the story itself, it is a classic tale but does not really hold up. There are some terrible messages contained herein and some quite unlikable characters, but that is not a reflection on this tranlation, but on the original fairy tale itself. There is also the lovely addition of The True-Hearted Tin Soldier, which can be found at the end of the book, after reading The Little Mermaid. I don't really understand why these two fairy tales are paired together in this book, but it is a lovely addition nevertheless.
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Many thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Publisher services for sharing an eARC of this title with me for reviewing purposes. This is my honest opinion.

linde99's review against another edition

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3.0

I loved the artwork. The artist did an amazing job with the artwork, but however I could not connect with the story. I know its an old tale, but it was so different then I expected. I did like reading it though.

writer_gabby's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved this way more than I expected.
I already new the story, but the way it was told, it was beautiful and magical. I probally enjoyed this more than the animated movie

alongreader's review

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5.0

I'm always interested in the different tones that different fairytale retellings have. This version is a very solemn, sober one It keeps the original ending, not the Disney inspired one, and also includes The Tin Soldier at the end.

You're probably familiar with the stories already, so what's going to draw you to this version is the artwork. It's beautiful, detailed without being busy, old fashioned without being off putting. The cover has hints of gold and pearl, befitting the story.

This is a wonderful present for any child, or for anyone who appreciates a beautiful story.

rubyraereads's review against another edition

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4.0

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley & NorthSouth Books for the eARC

Wow, I'm very glad that I've finally read the original Hans Christian Andersen tale of 'The Little Mermaid' as it's my favourite Disney princess story. I really loved the writing style, totally brought me back and made me feel like I was living in the time period. I think it's such a splendid story. I will say, however, that although I liked the art style, I wanted more from it? It didn't match the story of the mermaid, in my opinion. Loved this one!

solangelo3088's review

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5.0

(i was given an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.)

I have never read the original The Little Mermaid story (or the second story in the back, The True-Hearted Tin Soldier) before and I had no idea it had a happy ending! I always thought she died in the end because the Prince didn't marry her, and all of her suffering was for nothing! But it has a different ending, and I can't believe there are no adaptations that include it!

It was short and had the same sort of 'moral of the story' type plot as all fairy tales tend to have, which was to be expected, but I liked how it was written, and the descriptions were really easy to picture.

The cover and the illustrations inside were fitting, and I liked the attention to detail.
I didn't even know that the nutcracker wasn't the original name for the second short story in the back of this book. It was even shorter, and sadder, but I also liked it.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes fairy tales, and to children who have never read the originals before because I feel that it loses something when altered to be more 'child-appropriate', the way Disney adaptations tend to.

unchainedreader's review

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4.0

This was a lovely little version of The Little Mermaid with some beautiful illustrations.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

georgilvsbooks's review

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4.0

Yes it is shameful that I have NEVER read The Little Mermaid until now.

I really enjoyed this short children’s classic! I think the illustrations would be more beautiful in book form rather than kindle form.

The message I got from this story is to treasure what you already have in life!

A lovely classic! Very enjoyable.

emniy's review

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lighthearted sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

bibliotequeish's review

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4.0

I have always loved the little mermaid.
When I was young and I read the book for the first time, I remember being so disappointed that the mermaid (who was still Ariel to me) did not end up with the prince.

It is always nice to revisit stories from your childhood. Hans Christian Andersen, while often morbid tells great stories.