Saturday, July 9, 2016

The Red Fairy Book

Author: Andrew Lang
Stars: 4
Review by: Mandy Apgar


One of the several selections of folk and fairy tales collected and retold by Mr. Lang. The titular color doesn't represent anything really, this is just a pretty random lot. Some of the ordinary like Rapunzel - but sanitized from the original version so no pregnancy and twins, to the midline obscure like Mother Holle - where an unselfish girl journeys through a well into the home of a strange woman only to work hard and find herself blessed with a shower of gold, whereas when her stepsister follows her steps expecting the same shower her selfishness is rewarded with a shower of pitch instead. Fairy tales actually are very dark and violent and these are toned down a bit more than say an unedited version of Grimm's, but are still nice and well told. Although it does get irritating when people oh so conveniently find long lost loved ones in a cave. Way too Shakespearean for me.
 

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