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sraev19's review
4.0
Clocking in just under eleven hundred pages, the behemoth that is The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories is impressive to behold.
Like The Grimm’s Fairy Tales, this volume is a collection of classic tales in their unadulterated form, heavy with violence, death, and morality. Andersen does not shy from blunt language or disturbing imagery to tell his moral lessons. Unlike The Grimm’s Fairy Tales, which is a compilation of retold folklore, this volume is all original work. Andersen authored these stories himself and imbued them with his artistic flair.
It is because of this authorship that I enjoyed The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories more than the Grimm brothers’ collection. Andersen’s storytelling is simple like the brothers’, and Andersen employs a similar straight-to-the-punch style, but Andersen fills his stories with lush imagery. The settings and characters are vivid, the action clear and striking. With but a few choice words and short descriptions Andersen immerses the reader in worlds of talking teacups, perceptive moonlight, and wish-granting galoshes. In sum: the Grimm brothers tell, and Andersen shows.
Andersen was thus much easier and more pleasant to read. The majority of his fairy tales are stories true to the sense of the term: they are complete with beginnings, middles, and ends, and often feature character arcs and growth. Engaging and entertaining, The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories is a great staple to have on the nightstand.
However, I was disappointed in the production quality of this book. Typos, transposed words, and small ink splotches were fairly common and quite distracting. I also purchased a Kindle version for convenience, considering the physical size of the book, and I discovered some surprises.
The fairy tales often had alternate titles in the ebook version, for example, “Little Tiny or Thumbelina,” as opposed to “Inchelina” in the print edition. I found that not only were the stories in a different order in the ebook, but that there were also additional tales that were not included in the print publication. While the ebook has 168 stories, the print book has only 156.
The above complaints are more a criticism of Amazon than the book itself because the Kindle was positioned as the ebook version of Erik Christian Haugaard’s translation, which it is not. However, I’m not upset about it because I would have missed those twelve additional stories had I not bought the Kindle. Just as with the Grimm brothers, there is confusion over what constitutes the “complete” collection of Andersen tales, so I'm glad I got both "complete" collections.
On the whole, I enjoyed Haugaard’s translation and Andersen’s writing, and I recommend this behemoth of a classic for everyone. Just take it in pieces and you’ll get through it eventually.
Like The Grimm’s Fairy Tales, this volume is a collection of classic tales in their unadulterated form, heavy with violence, death, and morality. Andersen does not shy from blunt language or disturbing imagery to tell his moral lessons. Unlike The Grimm’s Fairy Tales, which is a compilation of retold folklore, this volume is all original work. Andersen authored these stories himself and imbued them with his artistic flair.
It is because of this authorship that I enjoyed The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories more than the Grimm brothers’ collection. Andersen’s storytelling is simple like the brothers’, and Andersen employs a similar straight-to-the-punch style, but Andersen fills his stories with lush imagery. The settings and characters are vivid, the action clear and striking. With but a few choice words and short descriptions Andersen immerses the reader in worlds of talking teacups, perceptive moonlight, and wish-granting galoshes. In sum: the Grimm brothers tell, and Andersen shows.
Andersen was thus much easier and more pleasant to read. The majority of his fairy tales are stories true to the sense of the term: they are complete with beginnings, middles, and ends, and often feature character arcs and growth. Engaging and entertaining, The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories is a great staple to have on the nightstand.
However, I was disappointed in the production quality of this book. Typos, transposed words, and small ink splotches were fairly common and quite distracting. I also purchased a Kindle version for convenience, considering the physical size of the book, and I discovered some surprises.
The fairy tales often had alternate titles in the ebook version, for example, “Little Tiny or Thumbelina,” as opposed to “Inchelina” in the print edition. I found that not only were the stories in a different order in the ebook, but that there were also additional tales that were not included in the print publication. While the ebook has 168 stories, the print book has only 156.
The above complaints are more a criticism of Amazon than the book itself because the Kindle was positioned as the ebook version of Erik Christian Haugaard’s translation, which it is not. However, I’m not upset about it because I would have missed those twelve additional stories had I not bought the Kindle. Just as with the Grimm brothers, there is confusion over what constitutes the “complete” collection of Andersen tales, so I'm glad I got both "complete" collections.
On the whole, I enjoyed Haugaard’s translation and Andersen’s writing, and I recommend this behemoth of a classic for everyone. Just take it in pieces and you’ll get through it eventually.
musicdeepdive's review
5.0
Strong collection of Andersen's works, which, like what other reviewers have said, contains a certain realism that grounds them more than the other fairy tales of the era (Grimms, etc.)
clockworkp's review against another edition
4.0
No es esta edición pero de pequeña tenía al menos 3 libros diferentes de cuentos de los 3 grandes, así que lo cuento como leído.
bellaroobookworm's review
5.0
This book means so much to me; and not just because it is a wonderful, beautifully written collection of fairy tales, but because it has such a deep personal meaning. It will forever hold a special place in my heart.
shira3's review
favorites!
1. snowman
2. darning needle
3. emperor’s clothes
4. steadfast tin soldier
5. butterfly
1. snowman
2. darning needle
3. emperor’s clothes
4. steadfast tin soldier
5. butterfly
kellsig's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
annaroosvw's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful selection (47 stories) of Andersens great work. Definitely not a children’s only vibe with some pretty gruesome stuff going on. Some story’s are short and very focused on personifications of items which I didn’t really like. But the longer ones are full of fantasy and have a lovely métaphore in the end. A classic to read.
shaffe71's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars.
The first 1/4-1/3 of this was fine, but then it went downhill. The stories didn't have any point to them, or were super religious, or just plain boring. The last story was an uncomfortable note to end on because of all the talk of savages.
The first 1/4-1/3 of this was fine, but then it went downhill. The stories didn't have any point to them, or were super religious, or just plain boring. The last story was an uncomfortable note to end on because of all the talk of savages.
kaylana's review
5.0
Read a lot of new stories. Finally read The Little Match Girl....OMG! Tear-jerker. It was fun reading aloud with my son. He was quite a storyteller.