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tlfuller13's review against another edition
5.0
I can't count how many times I've picked up this book after finishing it, just to reread a story or two.
While you may love Hans Christian Anderson or the Brothers Grimm, this is something you have to check out. The stories feel similar to our beloved and popular ones, but they have stronger heroines, stronger tests and sillier conquests. Yes, it seems strange that to kill a giant, you have to cut down a tree, to set free a fox, with a duck inside the fox and an egg inside the duck that holds the heart or lifeforce of the villian... but at the same time, our heroes don't falter and remain strong, conquering their nemesis.
My favored would have to be the Thirteenth Son, it's like Cinderella, but the main character is the prince and he's uses his wit to get what he wants and disguise himself.
While you may love Hans Christian Anderson or the Brothers Grimm, this is something you have to check out. The stories feel similar to our beloved and popular ones, but they have stronger heroines, stronger tests and sillier conquests. Yes, it seems strange that to kill a giant, you have to cut down a tree, to set free a fox, with a duck inside the fox and an egg inside the duck that holds the heart or lifeforce of the villian... but at the same time, our heroes don't falter and remain strong, conquering their nemesis.
My favored would have to be the Thirteenth Son, it's like Cinderella, but the main character is the prince and he's uses his wit to get what he wants and disguise himself.
mystic319's review against another edition
4.0
The goals of Curtin as stated in the introduction are troubling (i.e the preservation of Irish stories for the glory of the white race) and there are of course instances of antisemitic stereotypes, intense misogyny, etc. That is not entirely unexpected given the age of the book and when the stories were collected, but fair warning to anyone who would like to avoid that.
That being said, the care and effort given to collecting these stories is apparent. I have seen some complaints about the repetitive nature of the stories, which is actually a mainstay of Irish mythology and story-telling across the board. It was interesting to see the variations on some of the popular myths (particularly Finn and the Salmon of Knowledge). I particularly enjoyed seeing the ways that regional variation and synctretism connected many of the stories. The language itself is a bit dry at times, though I chalk that up to translating decisions.
That being said, the care and effort given to collecting these stories is apparent. I have seen some complaints about the repetitive nature of the stories, which is actually a mainstay of Irish mythology and story-telling across the board. It was interesting to see the variations on some of the popular myths (particularly Finn and the Salmon of Knowledge). I particularly enjoyed seeing the ways that regional variation and synctretism connected many of the stories. The language itself is a bit dry at times, though I chalk that up to translating decisions.
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