Review and Giveaway: Fairy Tales From the Brothers Grimm

Fairy Tales From The Brothers Grimm retold by Philip Pullman

Publication Date: 10/29/2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Penguin Classics
Genre: Fairy Tales
Pages: 448
ISBN-10: 0143107291
ISBN-13: 978-0143107293

(Received for an honest review from Penguin Classics)

Purchase: Amazon (HC edition), Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Philip Pullman on the WEB: Website, News, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Excerpt from Fairy Tales From The Brothers Grimm, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.

Synopsis:

#1 New York Times bestseller Philip Pullman retells the world’s best-loved fairy tales on their 200th anniversary

Two centuries ago, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published the first volume of Children’s and Household Tales. Now Philip Pullman, one of the most accomplished authors of our time, makes us fall in love all over again with the immortal tales of the Brothers Grimm.

Pullman retells his fifty favorites, from much-loved stories like “Cinderella” and “Rumpelstiltskin,” “Rapunzel” and “Hansel and Gretel” to lesser-known treasures like “The Three Snake Leaves," "Godfather Death" and "The Girl with No Hands." At  the end of each tale he offers a brief personal commentary, opening a window on the sources of the tales, the various forms they've taken over the centuries and their everlasting appeal.

Suffused with romance and villainy, danger and wit, the Grimms' fairy tales have inspired Pullman's unique creative vision—and his beguiling retellings will draw you back into a world that has long cast a spell on the Western imagination.

Thoughts:

Fairy tales are stories most of us grew up with and loved. We've passed them down to our children and grandchildren. Returned to them time and again as bedtime stories and to relive childhood memories. Most of us have seemingly always knew that these stories were originally compiled and published by the German brothers Grimm over 200 years ago. Now prolific author of The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman takes the Grimm tales and retells them for a modern audience on the anniversary of the original publication. 

This is a book that can be read a story at a time on cold winter night or in it's entirety curled up with a cup of coffee and a few hours to kill. Pullman garners fifty of the most beloved Grimm tales from the old favorites like "Cinderella" and "Rapunzel" to the most obscure and little know tales like "The Little Shroud." Fans of the original will love the concise and simpler pattern with less archaic language and easier prose. It is easier to read and understand but Pullman does not skimp on the details. His retellings do not take away or add to the story overall but brings together the text in a more enjoyable fashion, opening it up to broader literary audience. 

There are a few things that really set this collection of tales apart from the many other editions that have followed the original Grimm tales. First, is the author himself. Pullman is a well known British author who has astounded audiences with His Dark Materiels series and his quiet and unassuming style is present on every page of this book. From his lengthy introduction which is an enjoyable read in itself, to his commentary on each and every tale he chose to include in his collection. Those tidbits of information after each tale were especially interesting in that Pullman lets the reader in why he chose each story, how he changed it and it's origins. I loved each one and felt like I had a better understanding of each tale after having read them.

This is just a beautiful collection that any fairy tale fan would love to have. It has a richness and beauty to it that is hard to describe. With the great influx of books and television shows based on fairy tales of late, this is refreshing look of how these tales were meant to be told. I think Pullman has done a wonderful job of reminding readers that magic still exists if you look for it!

The Fairy Tales From The Brothers Grimm is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) has sold more than fifteen million copies and been has published in more than forty countries. The first volume, The Golden Compass, was made into a major motion picture starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. Pullman is at work on a companion His Dark Materials novel, The Book of Dust. He lives in Oxford, England.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Fairy Tales From The Brothers Grimm retold by Philip Pullman.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, November 26th.

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