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nyarasha's review against another edition
5.0
I have read this book through so many times - beginning with when I was very young. It is a really eclectic collection. I still love and remember some of my favorites today.
ajsterkel's review against another edition
3.0
It took me two months to slog through this fat bastard book, but I did it! Most of it was pretty entertaining, too. I enjoyed reading stories from around the world. It was fascinating to examine the similarities and differences. Books like this show you that humans everywhere face similar struggles (like poverty and loneliness). Cultures everywhere also value the same characteristics (bravery, intelligence). We’re more alike than we are different. That’s my biggest takeaway from this collection.
I was disappointed that the book is so Europe-focused. Europe takes up the biggest chunk of the 800 pages. I wanted more from the rest of the world. Maybe there hasn’t been a massive effort to collect and translate the rest of the world’s folktales? I know European folktales have been popular for centuries. That could explain why there are so many of them in this book.
I also think some of the stories could have been left out. I occasionally felt like I was reading the same story over and over. A lot of them have similar characters/themes/plots.
Am I glad that I spent two months reading this book? Yes! I learned a lot from it.
Do you like opinions, giveaways, and bookish nonsense?
I have a blog for that.
I was disappointed that the book is so Europe-focused. Europe takes up the biggest chunk of the 800 pages. I wanted more from the rest of the world. Maybe there hasn’t been a massive effort to collect and translate the rest of the world’s folktales? I know European folktales have been popular for centuries. That could explain why there are so many of them in this book.
I also think some of the stories could have been left out. I occasionally felt like I was reading the same story over and over. A lot of them have similar characters/themes/plots.
Am I glad that I spent two months reading this book? Yes! I learned a lot from it.
Do you like opinions, giveaways, and bookish nonsense?
I have a blog for that.
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