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kyle_wright 's review for:
The Tales of Beedle the Bard
by J.K. Rowling
While a moderately entertaining book of short tales, since it's being included in the "Harry Potter" canon of works, I had to give it one less star than I was initially inclined to. Obviously it isn't going to measure up to the sheer magnitude of the novels, but I was still disappointed nonetheless. The stories themselves are not quite up to par with Grimm's fairytales, as a couple of Rowlings' were kind of cheesy (especially "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot"). Part of the difficulty that Rowling was unable to overcome was making such short stories appeal to both young and old alike. With the exception of "The Warlock's Hairy Heart," the tales tend to be aimed more towards a younger audience.
What redeems this book is the commentary by Dumbledore. His words are insightful and give a slightly better glimpse into the Potter world. I think that this part may appeal less to children and more to the teen and adult fans of the novels. Overall, I enjoyed the book, finishing it in about an hour. While not a necessary addition to the Potterverse, it does flesh things out a little more and give us some interesting tidbits. Also, seeing as how Rowling is done telling Harry's story, I'll take what little more I can get.
What redeems this book is the commentary by Dumbledore. His words are insightful and give a slightly better glimpse into the Potter world. I think that this part may appeal less to children and more to the teen and adult fans of the novels. Overall, I enjoyed the book, finishing it in about an hour. While not a necessary addition to the Potterverse, it does flesh things out a little more and give us some interesting tidbits. Also, seeing as how Rowling is done telling Harry's story, I'll take what little more I can get.