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barnesbookshelf's review
3.0
It's nice to read stories that are familiar in some ways and yet different from what I know. I could easily see many of these becoming tv shows or movies sometime in the future. I really liked how to the point everything was. It was a quick and easy read too!!
dailybeepost's review
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
cemoses's review against another edition
5.0
As a fan of fairy and folk tales I liked this book a lot, People who know about fairy tales know that they originally were an grownup form of entertainment; they were stories told by peasants. The fairy tale motif that I like is that of ordinary people (and animals) using their wits to survive in a harsh world which many of the stories in this collection use. The stories I like most in the collection were the animal, mermaid, and tall tales.
The book could have used some slight editing. I did not like the fact that the book began with stories involving magic. These stories just seemed like variations of the fairy tales that are known today. Also sometimes I found the language unclear. I don't know if the problem was in Schonworth's writing or the translation but I times I thought the actual language of the stories could be improved.
The best stories of this collection are the stories involving mermaids. In this collection, the mermaids are sinister creatures more like moderns think of zombies then modern mermaids. Mermaids lure men into the world under the water which is dark and gloomy. Mermaids steal children and sometimes eat them. Men find their web feet repellent.
As an amateur fairy tale enthusiast, I know the stories love stories are not always about the handsome prince rescuing the helpless and often common (in the sense of not noble) woman. However, in this collection I felt that many a peasant man had pleasant day dreams of finding a wealthy, beautiful princess who would fall in love with him. While many moderns are aware of the story the "Frog Prince", there is a similar store in this collection called the "Toad Princess" where the poor man finds the toad is really a beautiful princess. The number of stories of poor men removing a spell from what turns out to be a wealthy, beautiful princess who falls madly in love with them was interesting as much of the stories themselves.
Also I notice the fairy tales I grew up with they try to teach a moral. In this group of stories sometimes the bad guy comes out ahead. Also in what I remember about my childhood often the conflict was between what was called in the story a "good" or "bad" person. For the most part these stories just describe the actions of the people rather than label them as being good or bad. People are categorized by their skill level or physical strength not their moral character.
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The book could have used some slight editing. I did not like the fact that the book began with stories involving magic. These stories just seemed like variations of the fairy tales that are known today. Also sometimes I found the language unclear. I don't know if the problem was in Schonworth's writing or the translation but I times I thought the actual language of the stories could be improved.
The best stories of this collection are the stories involving mermaids. In this collection, the mermaids are sinister creatures more like moderns think of zombies then modern mermaids. Mermaids lure men into the world under the water which is dark and gloomy. Mermaids steal children and sometimes eat them. Men find their web feet repellent.
As an amateur fairy tale enthusiast, I know the stories love stories are not always about the handsome prince rescuing the helpless and often common (in the sense of not noble) woman. However, in this collection I felt that many a peasant man had pleasant day dreams of finding a wealthy, beautiful princess who would fall in love with him. While many moderns are aware of the story the "Frog Prince", there is a similar store in this collection called the "Toad Princess" where the poor man finds the toad is really a beautiful princess. The number of stories of poor men removing a spell from what turns out to be a wealthy, beautiful princess who falls madly in love with them was interesting as much of the stories themselves.
Also I notice the fairy tales I grew up with they try to teach a moral. In this group of stories sometimes the bad guy comes out ahead. Also in what I remember about my childhood often the conflict was between what was called in the story a "good" or "bad" person. For the most part these stories just describe the actions of the people rather than label them as being good or bad. People are categorized by their skill level or physical strength not their moral character.
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carolalovesausten's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
beastreader's review
4.0
Ok, so I found this to be a great anthology of short stories. Each one just as good as the last. Sometimes I found some stories not as likable or half of the book this way. SO then I feel cheated or let down. Which I did not feel while reading this book. I was familiar with a lot of the stories but a bunch I was not familiar with so I was intrigued by those ones. Yet at the same time it was nice to rediscover and reconnect with the old ones as well.
Not every story is warm and fuzzy either. Some where really dark which I really digged. I can't pick just one or two or even five stories. Because as I said before, I enjoyed them all. So if you like fairy tales, then treat yourself to this book.
Not every story is warm and fuzzy either. Some where really dark which I really digged. I can't pick just one or two or even five stories. Because as I said before, I enjoyed them all. So if you like fairy tales, then treat yourself to this book.
leesmyth's review
2.0
It was OK, I suppose, but for me it didn't live up to the extravagant promises on the back cover ("upending the relationship between damsels and distress and their dragon-slaying heroes" and "revolutionizing our understanding of a hallowed genre").
katreniah's review
2.0
Von Schönwerth wrote down these stories exactly as they were relayed to him, and I found his faithful renditions quite interesting. Unlike other fairy tales, many of these don't really end with the 'good' or 'right' person winning or the 'bad' person learning anything. Some of the stories are a bit fragmented, but it makes sense, considering they've been handed down orally.
I can't say I loved reading the stories, but I did find their... rawness quite interesting. The back of the book contains a little written about each of the stories, and I wished they'd provided more of a framework about where the stories were told and when, but this book contains the fairy tales found after all of these years. So it's not like anyone could ask Von Schönwerth about them.
The find - and this book - is interesting, because, in its very nature, it provides us with oral tradition in its most natural form.
I can't say I loved reading the stories, but I did find their... rawness quite interesting. The back of the book contains a little written about each of the stories, and I wished they'd provided more of a framework about where the stories were told and when, but this book contains the fairy tales found after all of these years. So it's not like anyone could ask Von Schönwerth about them.
The find - and this book - is interesting, because, in its very nature, it provides us with oral tradition in its most natural form.
aliciaking3's review
5.0
This is such a wonderful exploration of rough, unrefined oral tradition. anyone interested in symbol, archetype or myth (or just fairy tales!) would enjoy them.
obnorthrup's review
3.0
Overall a good collection; some weird and interesting stories, especially The Turnip Princess, Legend of the Merman, and The Enchanted Fiddle. Would have liked more footnotes, analysis, and commentary; this was rather lacking.
meganreads5's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0