Author: Philip PullmanPublished by: Viking Adult
Pages: 400
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 stars
Summary from Goodreads: Two hundred years ago, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published the first volume of Children’s and Household Tales. Now, at a veritable fairy-tale moment—witness the popular television shows Grimm and Once Upon a Time and this year’s two movie adaptations of “Snow White”—Philip Pullman, one of the most popular authors of our time, makes us fall in love all over again with the immortal tales of the Brothers Grimm.
From much-loved stories like “Cinderella” and “Rumpelstiltskin,” “Rapunzel” and “Hansel and Gretel” to lesser-known treasures like “Briar-Rose,” “Thousandfurs,” and “The Girl with No Hands,” Pullman retells his fifty favorites, paying homage to the tales that inspired his unique creative vision—and that continue to cast their spell on the Western imagination.
From much-loved stories like “Cinderella” and “Rumpelstiltskin,” “Rapunzel” and “Hansel and Gretel” to lesser-known treasures like “Briar-Rose,” “Thousandfurs,” and “The Girl with No Hands,” Pullman retells his fifty favorites, paying homage to the tales that inspired his unique creative vision—and that continue to cast their spell on the Western imagination.
Fairy tales remind me of that game telephone. The one where a person starts off saying something and as that phrase gets passed from person to person it changes until when the final person says it out loud it is nothing like the original. I feel that this happens quite often with fairy tales. There are so many variations for each tale with every author or storyteller throwing in their own twist.
Philip Pullman takes a slightly different approach. He has researched many of these tales from different sources and their origins. Then he retells them only changing small parts that he feels makes the story flow better. The one thing that is really interesting about this rendition is at the end of every tale there is information not only about the original source and other versions of the story, but Pullman himself adds notes after each tale about changes in the variations or other significant information. I think this added to the volume immensely. It gave me a different view on many of these tales and had me thinking past the story into it's elements. It was very entertaining and informational so note only did I enjoy the story I also felt like I was learning something.
Fairy tales themselves are far from unique, but at the same time there is something satisfying about reading a different version of them. I loved seeing how the tales I've grown up with (and had a great bias to thanks to Disney) have changed and transformed into a completely new tale with common features but enough differences to entice the readers. There were also many tales I had not heard before that were present in this volume giving a fresh perspective every now and again.
Fairy Tales from The Brothers Grimm was a very enjoyable read and one I see myself going back to often; not necessarily as a whole, but to pick and choose which stories I want to relive depending on my mood.
Now on to the good stuff...THE GIVEAWAY. The wonderful people at Viking/Penguin have generously donated a book to giveaway to one of you lovely people. Trust me...this is a book you want in your collection.
How do you win?
You must be 13 years
of age or older to enter
This contest is open to participants both from the US and Internationally
Once the email is
sent to the winner they will have three days to respond or a new winner will be
chosen
I love Philip Pullman's writing and this is definitely on my tbr list! Sounds so interesting to also read about the backgrounds of those fairy tales! :)
ReplyDelete