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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
Heard on audiobook. While many of the stories were great, some were not winners, the audiobook performance was lacking as it sounded like he was performing in a music hall.
I realize that it’s kind of silly to “review” what are essentially written down versions of stories told for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years. But I just want to address this - should you read this book, and if so, how should you read it?
I'm glad this translation of the first edition exists. I think it is great as a reference, as a morbid curiosity, and/or as something to be read in short spurts over many years. I would not recommend that you try, as I did, to sit down and read it like a book. If you do, you’ll probably quickly appreciate why it was so heavily edited by the Grimm brothers.
First and foremost, though there are 470-odd pages of text and illustrations, there are far fewer stories than that. Fairy tales generally share so many themes and so much structure that there’s actually an index used to catalogue them, the “ATU Index”. So, for example, Cinderella: That’s type 510A, the Persecuted Heroine. There are at least 3 variations of that story in this book, on pages 69, 216, 233. Of course you don’t know that until you start reading and you realize “Hey I’ve read this story already…”
As you make your way through this book, you start seeing the same premises, characters, plots and even phrases repeated from story to story. Moreover, the stories themselves are sometimes incredibly repetitive. Some of them seem entirely composed around repetition. This makes sense when you think about an oral tradition often told to children, who seem to have the ability to hear the same story told over and over.
I read somewhere that fairy tale characters are often depicted as silhouettes (in drawings, theatre, etc) because the characters are so two-dimensional. This fits perfectly - these stories contain characters that aren’t even good or bad in any way that we understand in the modern world, they just do things. Often good things happen to people who are simply beautiful, actions we would call "evil" go unpunished or are even rewarded, and very often people do things with no apparent motivation at all.
Similarly, often things just happen. Someone dies with no explanation, a beggar appears and offers a magic item with preposterous powers, an authority figure makes an insane and illogical demand of a child.
So, in summary, incredibly repetitious stories with two-dimensional characters and insane plots that often have no apparent point to them whatsoever. About halfway through I got really tired of it. The last quarter of the book I speed-read. But even that I can’t recommend, because when you’re scanning over the large bits of text that you’ve already seen three times before, you’re apt to miss a magic cloak or an enchanted toad or something. So, if it interests you, commit to read a story a week or something. If you try reading it like a normal book, you’ll realize why it went through seven editions.
I'm glad this translation of the first edition exists. I think it is great as a reference, as a morbid curiosity, and/or as something to be read in short spurts over many years. I would not recommend that you try, as I did, to sit down and read it like a book. If you do, you’ll probably quickly appreciate why it was so heavily edited by the Grimm brothers.
First and foremost, though there are 470-odd pages of text and illustrations, there are far fewer stories than that. Fairy tales generally share so many themes and so much structure that there’s actually an index used to catalogue them, the “ATU Index”. So, for example, Cinderella: That’s type 510A, the Persecuted Heroine. There are at least 3 variations of that story in this book, on pages 69, 216, 233. Of course you don’t know that until you start reading and you realize “Hey I’ve read this story already…”
As you make your way through this book, you start seeing the same premises, characters, plots and even phrases repeated from story to story. Moreover, the stories themselves are sometimes incredibly repetitive. Some of them seem entirely composed around repetition. This makes sense when you think about an oral tradition often told to children, who seem to have the ability to hear the same story told over and over.
I read somewhere that fairy tale characters are often depicted as silhouettes (in drawings, theatre, etc) because the characters are so two-dimensional. This fits perfectly - these stories contain characters that aren’t even good or bad in any way that we understand in the modern world, they just do things. Often good things happen to people who are simply beautiful, actions we would call "evil" go unpunished or are even rewarded, and very often people do things with no apparent motivation at all.
Similarly, often things just happen. Someone dies with no explanation, a beggar appears and offers a magic item with preposterous powers, an authority figure makes an insane and illogical demand of a child.
So, in summary, incredibly repetitious stories with two-dimensional characters and insane plots that often have no apparent point to them whatsoever. About halfway through I got really tired of it. The last quarter of the book I speed-read. But even that I can’t recommend, because when you’re scanning over the large bits of text that you’ve already seen three times before, you’re apt to miss a magic cloak or an enchanted toad or something. So, if it interests you, commit to read a story a week or something. If you try reading it like a normal book, you’ll realize why it went through seven editions.
i have owned this book since forever and never had i tasted each story—today i discovered that only 8 stories in the thing were to my liking. it was as if i were goldie locks herself... but who knows maybe the next person to find this copy will find it to their liking more so than i did and relate to it more as well :)
I was so ready to read these "original" fairy tales, but in the very thorough and interesting introduction by Jack Zipes, I discovered that the Brothers Grimm re-wrote all the original oral stories they collected from the German people they interviewed. The Brothers added Christian morals, removed all the lusty sex and dis-empowered all the female heroines of the stories. Once knowing this, I could not stomach reading very many of these fairy tales. These may be "original" Brothers Grimm (translated from the original German) but they are not the original pre-Christian stories that are more "authentic," far more interesting and what I am truly interested in. Once again, white men in power re-write the stories of poor women. My search continues for authenticity.
I finally finished this book!! I'd been reading it before bed since it was an ink & paper book and therefore not keeping me awake at night when I should be sleeping. It certainly helped with the sleeping, as I was out for the count by the time I could finish two or three of the tales. Overall, the stories were interesting though I thought a great many of them bordered on repetitive; same storyline, slightly different characters. There was a lesson taught with each story, but I'm not sure they are the lessons you want to teach future generations. That said, I got a giggle out of the stories where the Devil is the good guy.
Very interesting lol Most deff not the fairy tales I grew up with.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Blood
Although most children's stories have some sort of moral message to take from it some of these stories just seemed pointless and repetitive. Some stories had completely different morals - stealing is acceptable in some circumstances but sometimes you're screwed either way. Some of the stories just didn't seem to have any meaning at all and just seemed like a waste of time.
There were some stories I enjoyed however none particularly stand out to me as fabulous and although I read the whole thing I cannot tell you what some of the stories are about, they just didn't seem memorable enough. Towards the end of the book the stories did seem to get a little predictable - kings having three sons, the most beautiful daughters who need their suitors to perform some sort of task before they can marry them, any talking animal is most likely a cursed prince. Although some of the stories were fun to read some just became dull and boring, what should be a fun children's story just became boring. However there were some parts of some stories that were particularly gruesome for instance cutting toes or heels off, I mean I'd heard that the original stories from Disney were gruesome but wow, that was just unexpected and violent!
Read more of this review at: https://bookgeek2015.wordpress.com/
There were some stories I enjoyed however none particularly stand out to me as fabulous and although I read the whole thing I cannot tell you what some of the stories are about, they just didn't seem memorable enough. Towards the end of the book the stories did seem to get a little predictable - kings having three sons, the most beautiful daughters who need their suitors to perform some sort of task before they can marry them, any talking animal is most likely a cursed prince. Although some of the stories were fun to read some just became dull and boring, what should be a fun children's story just became boring. However there were some parts of some stories that were particularly gruesome for instance cutting toes or heels off, I mean I'd heard that the original stories from Disney were gruesome but wow, that was just unexpected and violent!
Read more of this review at: https://bookgeek2015.wordpress.com/
Several versions of similar stories, but entertaining.
Fun, quick read. I was excited to discover that two of my favorite childhood stories, “the elves and the shoemaker” and “the twelve dancing princesses” were in here. Except the version I had as a child has beautiful illustrations, whereas this one did not. Some additional stories like Rapunzel and Snow White were in here, as well as some I’d never read before. Grimm’s fairy tales have a reputation for being dark... I didn’t think they were that dark, though a number of characters were killed and people lost their eyes to thorns, etc. But all-in-all, nothing shocking. Also certainly an emphasis on youth and beauty for female characters. And evil stepmothers.