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snugshelf's review against another edition
5.0
I love the classic fairy tales and how completely Disney transformed them. It's honestly perfect - the dark side of me can happily read about the Little Mermaid trading her tail, only to feel like she's she's walking on knives and then turning into sea foam; the light side of me can join Sebastian and Flounder in gazing adoringly up at Ariel and Eric as they get married and sail off into the sunset. Win-win.
Also, this addition is very beautiful and sparkly, just FYI.
Also, this addition is very beautiful and sparkly, just FYI.
dyerneedtoread's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Average rating of 4 between all the stories. I’ve had this one for a while. There’s a lot of stories in here, so some hits some misses. The Little Mermaid was definitely my favorite on the bunch.
bethmarie's review against another edition
3.0
The Little Mermaid - 4 stars
Thumbelina - 3 stars
The Snow Queen - 2 stars
Elfin-Mount - 3 stars
The Marsh King's Daughter - 4 stars
The Storks - 3 stars
The Nightingale - 4 stars
The Wild Swans - 5 stars
The Princess and the Pea - 4 stars
The Red Shoes - 4 stars
The Emperor's New Clothes - 3 stars
The Swineherd - 2 stars
The Flying Trunk - 3 stars
The Leaping Match - 2 stars
The Shepherdess and the Chimney-Sweeper -2 stars
The Ugly Duckling - 4 stars
The Naughty Boy -3 stars
Thumbelina - 3 stars
The Snow Queen - 2 stars
Elfin-Mount - 3 stars
The Marsh King's Daughter - 4 stars
The Storks - 3 stars
The Nightingale - 4 stars
The Wild Swans - 5 stars
The Princess and the Pea - 4 stars
The Red Shoes - 4 stars
The Emperor's New Clothes - 3 stars
The Swineherd - 2 stars
The Flying Trunk - 3 stars
The Leaping Match - 2 stars
The Shepherdess and the Chimney-Sweeper -2 stars
The Ugly Duckling - 4 stars
The Naughty Boy -3 stars
bibliophilebritt's review against another edition
3.0
Before this, the fairy tales I had read were all rewrites. While the originals are not the most interesting read, it was neat seeing how different authors changed them up.
philly37898's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kcrawfish's review against another edition
5.0
I selected this book because I can't find a singular novel for just The Little Mermaid.
I read this long ago and vaguely remembered the ending, and never re-read because of vague memories and dismissive comments I'd heard such as "he makes her dance naked for him even though her feet are like walking on daggers-"
"What a terrible, terrible book, and what a stupid, stupid mermaid."
But that's like saying "you know this half-remembered, possibly incorrect, small piece of a book, let's call the whole thing awful and dismiss critical thinking or opinions that differ, because if you like or want to read it you support sex slavery for the sake of a shallow relationship.
So avoid it/hate it because
Granted that's a very hyperbolic overstatement of these conversations, but the basic undertows were there and I shrugged, deciding to discard the book as a fluke of a novel. Who knew why it did so well? Clearly it was spread by awful people.
I was wrong, and I'm glad I picked it up again.
I'm not going to rave and tell you this was the best novel ever, I think the five star might have been the reaction of having such low expectations, but wow I loved it. I listened to the audiobook for free on youtube, and with the background of crashing waves and singing sirens I swam to the bottom of the ocean. I loved the whole mermaid-filled beginning, I didn't know the love-story was such a small portion, and that the writing was so enchanting.
We follow The Little Mermaid's family as they live on the bottom of the ocean in a palace, and are all allowed to surface on their fifteenth birthday. It's here the little mermaid sees and saves the prince, leaving him on the shore near a church.
She loves him, and when she sells her voice for legs, he loves her but in the way you'd love a small child. She's mute, and there can be no meeting of the minds for them without communication, and besides he's.
She feels this rejection deeply, and the tragedy of it isn't lost on her or the reader.
The beautiful part of this book is that the little mermaid is given the chance to save herself, to have her love turned to hatred and to, but she doesn't. She doesn't grow bitter and feel entitled to the prince's love, then act out against him. Even internally, she learns to let him go.
I'm sure I missed things or misstated things, but either way I was surprised how well I truly enjoyed this story. So if you're holding out because of conversations like the initial one I had, give it another go. It might just be a 3-star, you might hate it, but at least it will be your own opinion based on the true story rather than half-remembered details parroted, that miss large chunks of beautiful storytelling.
I read this long ago and vaguely remembered the ending, and never re-read because of vague memories and dismissive comments I'd heard such as "he makes her dance naked for him even though her feet are like walking on daggers-"
"What a terrible, terrible book, and what a stupid, stupid mermaid."
But that's like saying "you know this half-remembered, possibly incorrect, small piece of a book, let's call the whole thing awful and dismiss critical thinking or opinions that differ, because if you like or want to read it you support sex slavery for the sake of a shallow relationship.
So avoid it/hate it because
Granted that's a very hyperbolic overstatement of these conversations, but the basic undertows were there and I shrugged, deciding to discard the book as a fluke of a novel. Who knew why it did so well? Clearly it was spread by awful people.
I was wrong, and I'm glad I picked it up again.
I'm not going to rave and tell you this was the best novel ever, I think the five star might have been the reaction of having such low expectations, but wow I loved it. I listened to the audiobook for free on youtube, and with the background of crashing waves and singing sirens I swam to the bottom of the ocean. I loved the whole mermaid-filled beginning, I didn't know the love-story was such a small portion, and that the writing was so enchanting.
We follow The Little Mermaid's family as they live on the bottom of the ocean in a palace, and are all allowed to surface on their fifteenth birthday. It's here the little mermaid sees and saves the prince, leaving him on the shore near a church.
She loves him, and when she sells her voice for legs, he loves her but in the way you'd love a small child. She's mute, and there can be no meeting of the minds for them without communication, and besides he's
Spoiler
fallen in love with a girl at the convent who he believes initially saved him, since she found his body and he never got a chance to see the Little MermaidShe feels this rejection deeply, and the tragedy of it isn't lost on her or the reader.
The beautiful part of this book is that the little mermaid is given the chance to save herself, to have her love turned to hatred and to
Spoiler
stab the prince in his sleep to save her lifeI'm sure I missed things or misstated things, but either way I was surprised how well I truly enjoyed this story. So if you're holding out because of conversations like the initial one I had, give it another go. It might just be a 3-star, you might hate it, but at least it will be your own opinion based on the true story rather than half-remembered details parroted, that miss large chunks of beautiful storytelling.
persephone0000's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
cassie_smith's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the detail and simplicity in all of these stories. Great fairy tales!
thisisxtina's review against another edition
4.0
***5 stars for MinaLima's gorgeous graphic design and artistry with the interactive inserts in each fairy tale.
***3 stars for the tales themselves.
I had enjoyed MinaLima's Beauty and the Beast so much that I was really looking forward to this collection. As much as I really adore their interactive illustrations, the tales weren't as interesting to me and I wind up dropping the book by the last few tales. Some of the 'lessons' didn't make much sense to me or was something that I really didn't agree with or find meaningful at all (The Swineherd and The Red Shoes in particular really annoyed me). I'd recommend this for anyone who has an interest in finding the original version of these fairy tales.
***3 stars for the tales themselves.
I had enjoyed MinaLima's Beauty and the Beast so much that I was really looking forward to this collection. As much as I really adore their interactive illustrations, the tales weren't as interesting to me and I wind up dropping the book by the last few tales. Some of the 'lessons' didn't make much sense to me or was something that I really didn't agree with or find meaningful at all (The Swineherd and The Red Shoes in particular really annoyed me). I'd recommend this for anyone who has an interest in finding the original version of these fairy tales.