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novel_ideas's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
aouellette's review against another edition
4.0
While the longer stories were great, the shorter ones sacrificed story for moral or meaning, which would be acceptable a couple of times, if they weren't the same 4 or 5 morals on repeat. The shorter ones got really old, really fast.
sercem_w_ksiazkach's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Hermann Hesse's fables are as beautiful as his writing: picturesque, dreamy and philosofical. All of the stories were told through a very poetic languange and vivid images, and most of them had great endings. The theme connecting those tales was that there were very bright, innocent characters that emerged into the world and have experienced its depth and/or cruelty for the first time. They were incredibly imaginative, but also their plotlines were beautiful. Here are my favourites:
<b><i>Augustus</i></b>
In this story, a recently-widowed young woman is expecting to give birth. Her neighbour, old and peculiar man offers her help and a wish: anything she wishes for her son when the angels sing will happen. Running out of time, she wishes that he's loved by everyone - which turns out to be a curse.
The themes reminded me of "The Picture of Dorian Grey": two beautiful young men with a curse, using their beauty and alliances to get power. For both of them, love is the start of their downfall, albeit Dorian focuses more on romantic one and Augustus on platonic as in care for others.
<b><i>Faldum</i></b>
Every year, everyone near the village Faldum comes there for the fair. There also comes a rather weird man who starts granting wishes for everyone in the village. I especially liked the latter part of the story, from the perspective of the mountain, as it felt very sentimental and sweet.
<b><i>Strange News from Another Planet</i></b>
After an avalanche that falls on a village, there aren't enough flowers to decorate every tomb. A boy volunteers to ask their king for more flowers, however along the way he meets a bird that flies him to another planet - on a battlefield. The pureness of the main character and his desire to make others' lives easier touched me, and this was a sad, but beautiful story.
<b><i>Poet</i></b>
The main character, aspiring poet Han Fook, is soon to marry a beautiful girl from his village. However he values art more than arranged marriage, and wants to practice his skills before settling down. During a festival, he sees a man that recites the most beautiful poems he has ever heard who offers to teach him. He does so after getting a permission from his father, expecting to come back after a year or two. But when passion meets ambition, is it possible to adhere to societal norms and remember your responsibilities?
<b><i>Augustus</i></b>
In this story, a recently-widowed young woman is expecting to give birth. Her neighbour, old and peculiar man offers her help and a wish: anything she wishes for her son when the angels sing will happen. Running out of time, she wishes that he's loved by everyone - which turns out to be a curse.
The themes reminded me of "The Picture of Dorian Grey": two beautiful young men with a curse, using their beauty and alliances to get power. For both of them, love is the start of their downfall, albeit Dorian focuses more on romantic one and Augustus on platonic as in care for others.
<b><i>Faldum</i></b>
Every year, everyone near the village Faldum comes there for the fair. There also comes a rather weird man who starts granting wishes for everyone in the village. I especially liked the latter part of the story, from the perspective of the mountain, as it felt very sentimental and sweet.
<b><i>Strange News from Another Planet</i></b>
After an avalanche that falls on a village, there aren't enough flowers to decorate every tomb. A boy volunteers to ask their king for more flowers, however along the way he meets a bird that flies him to another planet - on a battlefield. The pureness of the main character and his desire to make others' lives easier touched me, and this was a sad, but beautiful story.
<b><i>Poet</i></b>
The main character, aspiring poet Han Fook, is soon to marry a beautiful girl from his village. However he values art more than arranged marriage, and wants to practice his skills before settling down. During a festival, he sees a man that recites the most beautiful poems he has ever heard who offers to teach him. He does so after getting a permission from his father, expecting to come back after a year or two. But when passion meets ambition, is it possible to adhere to societal norms and remember your responsibilities?
mirificmoxie's review against another edition
5.0
5 Stars
My first experience with [a:Hermann Hesse|1113469|Hermann Hesse|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1287463141p2/1113469.jpg] was reading [b:Siddhartha|52036|Siddhartha|Hermann Hesse|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1428715580s/52036.jpg|4840290]. His work was unlike anything I'd read before. This Christmas, I received his collection of Fairy Tales. I had no idea he had written Fairy Tales and was quite enthusiastic to read them. I grew up on classic writers such as [a:The Brothers Grimm|2938140|Jacob Grimm|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1242997930p2/2938140.jpg] and [a:Hans Christian Andersen|6378|Hans Christian Andersen|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1434625240p2/6378.jpg]. The dark, solemn tones and real messages seemed to me the way those types of stories were meant to be. They were about teaching a lesson not about cocooning children in froths of pink tulle and unrealistic expectations. By age six I had developed a rather vocalized grudge against Disney and was prone to sulky rants about how they "Disneyized" everything. All that to say, even as a grownup I still lean towards those more somber tales. So finding out that an author I like wrote classic style fairy tales was a present all in itself.
Most of these stories were written during World War I, and they many of them are clearly reactionary to those current events. Some are the very classic Fairy Tales and other that do not even try to be subtle about being analogous of Europe and the war. Sadly, the warnings that Hesse was expounding a century ago are still relevant today. So much for the advancement of society. Still, Hesse's stories though making explicit points still have that timeless feel. And his writing is absolutely poetic and breathtaking. So I will let his own words speak:
Fairy Tales will always play a necessary role in literature and society. Or in Hesse's own words, this is the importance of Fairy Tales:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 5 Stars
Originality: 5 Stars
Character Development: 5 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Use of Literary Devices: 5 Stars
My first experience with [a:Hermann Hesse|1113469|Hermann Hesse|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1287463141p2/1113469.jpg] was reading [b:Siddhartha|52036|Siddhartha|Hermann Hesse|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1428715580s/52036.jpg|4840290]. His work was unlike anything I'd read before. This Christmas, I received his collection of Fairy Tales. I had no idea he had written Fairy Tales and was quite enthusiastic to read them. I grew up on classic writers such as [a:The Brothers Grimm|2938140|Jacob Grimm|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1242997930p2/2938140.jpg] and [a:Hans Christian Andersen|6378|Hans Christian Andersen|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1434625240p2/6378.jpg]. The dark, solemn tones and real messages seemed to me the way those types of stories were meant to be. They were about teaching a lesson not about cocooning children in froths of pink tulle and unrealistic expectations. By age six I had developed a rather vocalized grudge against Disney and was prone to sulky rants about how they "Disneyized" everything. All that to say, even as a grownup I still lean towards those more somber tales. So finding out that an author I like wrote classic style fairy tales was a present all in itself.
Most of these stories were written during World War I, and they many of them are clearly reactionary to those current events. Some are the very classic Fairy Tales and other that do not even try to be subtle about being analogous of Europe and the war. Sadly, the warnings that Hesse was expounding a century ago are still relevant today. So much for the advancement of society. Still, Hesse's stories though making explicit points still have that timeless feel. And his writing is absolutely poetic and breathtaking. So I will let his own words speak:
"All the books of the world full of thoughts and poems are nothing in comparison to a minute of sobbing, when feeling surges in waves, the soul feels itself profoundly and finds itself. Tears are the melting ice of snow. All angels are close to the crying person.”The only other thing I wanted to mention was that the introduction contains analysis of the stories and spoilers, so if you want to read it, I would recommend doing so after reading the main body of work. It does also contain interesting autobiographical information about the author, so it is worth reading.
“The world had been divided into two parts that sought to annihilate each other because they both desired the same thing, namely the liberation of the oppressed, the elimination of violence, and the establishment of permanent peace.”
“He brooded on how close destruction always was to all creatures, animals as well as humans, and he realized that there is nothing we can predict or know for certain in this world except death.”
Fairy Tales will always play a necessary role in literature and society. Or in Hesse's own words, this is the importance of Fairy Tales:
“You see, King, we have a legend - I used to believe that it was all fairy-tale rubbish and empty smoke. It is a legend about how such things as war and death and despair were common in our country at one time. These terrible words, which we have long since stopped using in our language, can be read in collections of our old tales, and they sound awful to us and even a little ridiculous. Today I've learned that these tales are all true... But now tell me, don't you have in your soul a sort of intimation that you're not doing the right thing? Don't you have a yearning for bright, serene gods, for sensible and cheerful leaders and mentors? Don't you ever dream in your sleep about another, more beautiful life where nobody is envious of others, where reason and order prevails, where people treat other people only with cheerfulness and considerations?”RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 5 Stars
Originality: 5 Stars
Character Development: 5 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Use of Literary Devices: 5 Stars
bekkabergamot's review against another edition
4.0
Starting off the new year the right way and finally finishing a book that I have been stringing along for far too long. I started reading this book in the beginning of 2016 and never really accessed it, so after a LONG hiatus, I picked it up again this fall and have been making my way through Hermann Hesse's short stories. I truly found his writing to improve midway through the book and as this collection was arranged chronologically, that makes sense to me. I found many of these fairy tales to be fantastic allegories of the suffering war and human greed create. As with most collections, these stories ranged in quality; therefore I would rate different stories at 3, 4, or 5 stars.
I would recommend this to a fan of Hermann Hesse, or even someone wanting to read adult fairy stories.
I would recommend this to a fan of Hermann Hesse, or even someone wanting to read adult fairy stories.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
3.0
I had only read a few short stories by Hesse before picking up this book. Some of the stories are shocking. I want to know, for instance, what Hesse has aganist women and veganitarians. Honestly, really, what did vegans every do to him?
Most of the stories are excellent. My only complaint is the ordering of the stories. Zipes put them in publication/written order, which makes sense. The drawback, however, is that you are reading one too many anti-war stories in a row. There are not bad, but it is a surfiet of riches.
The best story, I think, was "The City".
Most of the stories are excellent. My only complaint is the ordering of the stories. Zipes put them in publication/written order, which makes sense. The drawback, however, is that you are reading one too many anti-war stories in a row. There are not bad, but it is a surfiet of riches.
The best story, I think, was "The City".
reality's review against another edition
3.0
The collection is enjoyable, but overall not as magical or enthralling as his other work, in my opinion. His other books have stayed with me for the years since I have read them, while in this collection I feel like only a few points will stick. I think this may be because I have already received the insights he worked towards relaying, in grander and more distilled form, from his novels.
As such, these stories feel a bit rough, and in some cases there are multiple attempts to realise the same vision. At best, the stories are witty, mildly ironic, and contain a softly pointer towards a deeper truth. At worst, the stories are yet another instance of the 'things wot change over time' theme.
As such, these stories feel a bit rough, and in some cases there are multiple attempts to realise the same vision. At best, the stories are witty, mildly ironic, and contain a softly pointer towards a deeper truth. At worst, the stories are yet another instance of the 'things wot change over time' theme.