Scan barcode
lsparrow's review against another edition
3.0
I have always been fascinated by fairy tales and reading different versions. As I child I was always more intrigued by the more gruesom versions of Grimms tales. I love that there were some tales in this collection that I had not read before - I had hoped for some new versions that went further or told more of the story.
callmecat's review against another edition
3.0
Left off at Cinderella. Had to return the book to the library!
trib's review against another edition
4.0
A marvellous retelling of some of the Brothers' Grimm's classic tales, told by a man demonstrably in love with the source material and passionate about their origins.
Made all the better by Pullman's mostly brief explanations of source, inspirations and his changes, if you're a lover of fairytales, you should read this.
Made all the better by Pullman's mostly brief explanations of source, inspirations and his changes, if you're a lover of fairytales, you should read this.
sampayn3's review against another edition
3.0
Fairytales are arguably the foundation of modern culture. They are more than mere stories; they are lessons, and each one either dissects the human condition or the structure of society. The Grimm Brothers’ infamous collection of tales, revolutionised Western culture with its political weight. While the popular tales of Cinderella and Snow White, amongst others, are present here, they are somewhat unrecognisable. In this edition, the fairytales are not softened versions like those produced by Disney, but are brutally honest: gory punishments, beheadings, and blood are never too far out of sight. Pullman's interpretation of these original folktales - some well known, others not so - is an extremely well-crafted collection that will inspire children and adults alike. Grimm Tales is not only a collection of moral teachings, but a testimony to the progression of our culture, and an invaluable historic document
atelmari's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kit_kate's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.0
eyreguide's review against another edition
4.0
Philip Pullman's compilation of fifty Brothers Grimm fairy tales, includes many of the popular tales, but more interesting to me, includes a few that I was not at all familiar with. And some of those tales were very different from what I think of as the traditional fairy tale. Some were moral tales or ghost stories which made me interested in what other types of stories the Brothers Grimm collected. Because Philip Pullman also includes commentary and annotations after each fairy tale in this book, the reader can understand the background and influence of the text, as well as the author's opinions of it. This was probably the best part of reading this book, because I enjoyed getting a perspective on each story and how and why it was changed or altered from it's original version.
Philip Pullman makes each tale more accessible by modernizing the speech and sometimes giving a little more back story or shades of character to each tale. And from his commentary, he also takes a little from different versions of the tale to give the story more depth. I liked Philip Pullman's storytelling, but I did miss the old world speech of usual fairy tale translations. This book is certainly a great gift for children, but I relish the archaic language and speech because it gives the tale more of an atmosphere, and I missed that in this book. For fans of the genre, I'd recommend picking up Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm as an addition to your collection for the interesting comments and annotations, and the inclusion of several lesser known tales.
Philip Pullman makes each tale more accessible by modernizing the speech and sometimes giving a little more back story or shades of character to each tale. And from his commentary, he also takes a little from different versions of the tale to give the story more depth. I liked Philip Pullman's storytelling, but I did miss the old world speech of usual fairy tale translations. This book is certainly a great gift for children, but I relish the archaic language and speech because it gives the tale more of an atmosphere, and I missed that in this book. For fans of the genre, I'd recommend picking up Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm as an addition to your collection for the interesting comments and annotations, and the inclusion of several lesser known tales.