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zanitd's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
pridiansky's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
2.0
It's not that this book is terrible or anything, but it's quite boring compared to swaths of other children's books. I was nodding off at times. If you read it to your kid when they're young, they may grow up having a fondness for it, but with so many other fairytales out there, this one isn't exactly riveting and definitely has a tendency to elaborate on the mundane. It has also chosen aspects of other fairytales and thrown them all together, like filling your plate at a buffet. A fairy godmother like in Cinderella, a tower with no doors like Rapunzel, a traveling cloak like the magic carpet in Aladdin, talking animals, etc. One thing it does have going for it is the main character, who has a physical disability. He loses the use of his legs due to being dropped as a newborn. As this book is quite old, it's both surprising and refreshing to see. So, if you know of a child who has a physical disability, they might enjoy seeing themselves represented in a story. He's still able to go on adventures and overcome the emotional difficulties of having a disability, which is a nice message. Although, the title is a product of its time and not the most flattering.
eandrews80's review against another edition
3.0
I probably would have adored this book as a child; as an adult, it was a bit too heavy-handed. It’s an odd mash-up of old fashioned fairy tale and modern parable; there are shades of Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel, but also a short rant about the wickedness of revolutions. Craik inserts herself into the prose quite a bit, calling frequent attention to herself as the narrator. It’s an odd but somewhat charming choice. This might be fun to read with a child in early elementary school, but I don’t think it would hold much appeal for older children or adults, except as a historical curiosity.
chocolatelady1957's review against another edition
4.0
I can't believe how much of this book I remember, and I think I read it during the summer between 3rd and 4th grade! (The teachers called me a lazy reader, while refusing to believe I was dyslexic, which made me read slowly.) A bit too fantasy for my taste, but still a memorable read!
jadegreen15's review against another edition
5.0
Read for class.
I think... sometimes you just need to read a children’s book. This was so whimsical and hopeful and oddly inclusive! Wonderful.
I think... sometimes you just need to read a children’s book. This was so whimsical and hopeful and oddly inclusive! Wonderful.
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