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A review by mirificmoxie
The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse by Hermann Hesse
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