Gris Grimly's Tales from the Brothers Grimm

by Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm, Margaret Hunt

The Brothers Grimm’s enduring fairy tales are brought to life for a new generation of readers in their original, uncut, uncensored form, in a lavish new edition by the master of the gothic macabre—bestselling illustrator Gris Grimly.

Grimm.

The name alone is enough to call to mind any number of the timeless fairy tales collected by brothers Jacob and Wilhelm in the early nineteenth century. These folktales have been told and retold in many forms for over two centuries, and while the particular mix of fantasy, adventure, and wonder that defined their seven-volume collection has endured, the terror, violence, and darkness of the original stories have often been lost in translation.

Enter Gris Grimly, the modern master of gothic horror, who has faithfully reproduced the original text of a selection of tales—including “Rapunzel,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “Little Red-Cap”—and adorned them with his own inimitable artwork. The result is a Grimm collection unlike any other, set in a world that is whimsically sinister, darkly vivid, and completely unforgettable. Gris Grimly’s Tales from the Brothers Grimm is the definitive illustrated compendium of these classic stories for a new generation of readers.

Genres: Classics, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Short Stories, Art, Novels

288 pages, Hardcover

First published July 26, 2016

About the author

German philologist and folklorist Jakob Ludwig Karl Grimm in 1822 formulated Grimm's Law, the basis for much of modern comparative linguistics. With his brother Wilhelm Karl Grimm (1786-1859), he collected Germanic folk tales and published them as Grimm's Fairy Tales (1812-1815).

Indo-European stop consonants, represented in Germanic, underwent the regular changes that Grimm's Law describes; this law essentially states that Indo-European p shifted to Germanic f, t shifted to th, and k shifted to h. Indo-European b shifted to Germanic p, d shifted to t, and g shifted to k. Indo-European bh shifted to Germanic b, dh shifted to d, and gh shifted to g.

This jurist and mythologist also authored the monumental German Dictionary and his Deutsche Mythologie .

Adapted from Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This illustrated edition is fabulous! I really enjoy the art work, as it brings a creepiness to these Grimm's tales.

[Dyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much nonsense in these tales...
But without a doubt, Grimly's illustrations are stellar, that's why I love this book.

[Dielleina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original tales, together with Gris Grimly's eerie illustrations, make it a perfect read for the spooky season.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've probably read 3 or 4 classic fairy tales in my life, but this was the first time I read this many "at once". There was way too much repetition going on. Every beautiful maiden ended up being "taken to wife" by some king or duke, every step-parent mean (which really sucks if you're a step-parent in real life), evil was always punished, good always prospered. Then there were some completely surreal tales that really made me wonder what kind of drugs were around at the time of composition. One other thing is that in many tales something happened 3 times. This meant that you ended up reading the same page over 3 times and each time there would be only a word or two different. So I found myself skimming. It was never 2 or 4, always 3. So I would suggest reading the stories here and there instead of all in a row.

The artwork was amazing and the real reason I bought the book in the first place.

[Vynce Ong · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5)

Considering the era in which the tales were written and to whom they were meant for, I did not even bother taking the faults seriously. Additional point for the fact that the stories quite improve the further you read and for Gris Grimly's magnificent illustrations!

[Gladimore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really only got this because I wanted to see the illustrations (which I love!) Because I have read most of these stories already.

[Jaimie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read about a million versions of Grimm’s fairytales by now, so you’ll forgive me for skipping the prose in this edition and going straight for Gris Grimly’s illustrations. They are, after all, what we came for when we set our eye on purchasing this gift edition. Grimly is one of my favourite illustrators currently working, and his macabre stylings paired with off-kilter stories have always spoken to the inner weird child in me, so it was with abject delight that I discovered that he had turned his talents towards bringing to life the tales of the Brothers Grimm. We have all seen the sweetened Disney versions of these stories before, but the folkloric origins of the tales reside well within the depths of the Black Forest and contain chilling undertones that are far more suited to the strange and slightly sinister airs that Grimly brings to life on the page. As I opened the tome - of decent size and heft, to my delight - I puzzled over the table of contents in brief, spotting many familiar tales and not a few from the deeper catalogue cuttings, before diving straight into the collection. Imagine my surprise when I found myself puzzling further as I encountered each of Grimly’s sparse illustrations. As I turned page after page, rarely did I spy a familiar face and I was hard pressed to match many with their narration without dipping quickly back into the surrounding stories to find their scenic settings. Well done, Grimly, for choosing to illustrate the unexpected (though, as readers we should not be surprised by this choice), and for forcing us to dig into the loam once again to learn our lessons from the Volkskunde. Of course, we were delighted by every illustration we encountered - disappointingly sparse though they were, as if Grimly had been given a maximum quota meant to emphasize the Grimm’s words, and keep his illustrations from consuming the tales whole. Considering that even in their darkest moments, the brothers rarely give details that are too gristly in their tales (the mere hint and subtext is enough to send a chill down our spines), and Grimly can easily veer off into the very depths of fright (and does, on occasion), it is possibly a good thing that the editor of the collection enforced a sense of balance - after all, I doubt that this book was marketed towards the horror crowd, and was instead destined for the bedside tables of the slightly odd (but not sociopathic) child. Overall, a bit of an odd collection; not quite meeting my expectations for the delicious macabre Grimly that I continue to crave, and yet not entirely disappointing either.

[Daniel Hojan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Gris Grimly's Tales from the Brothers Grimm
By: Jacob Grimm

Reading Level: 4
Book level: 5

Summary: This book is a collection of Grimm's Fairytales, stories collected by brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and published to preserve German folktales. We now consider these stories classics and they feature well-known characters such as Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel. Illustrations by Gris Grimly accompany these stories, an artist with a unique and twisted style.

Genre: Traditional Lit.

Mentor Writing Trait:
Word Choice: This story is an excellent example of the power of word choice. so much so, that it shocks the reader with how brutal the original fairytales could be. Students will be engrossed in the fairytale world they find themselves in as the descriptions pull them more and more into the fables. Thanks to the stories addition to the public domain, students are bound to be familiar with the material, though no doubt in a more sanitized style. By providing students a more graphic and more true to the original folktales, they will be able to compare and contrast the features of the stories as they are shown in this edition and those that have been created by Disney or other companies. Students could also use this book to consider how the audience of a story can impact how it get told.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original Grimm tales are ghastly enough. Add the illustrations of Gris Grimly and you’ll see just how twisted they can get. With his signature waif-thin maidens, club-footed animals, ubiquitous skulls and white-eyed beasts, Mr. Grimly’s outlook shows just how truly dreadful the ancient European tales could be. Mr. Grimly also shows a decided love of skulls and skeletons since they pop up in many of his illustrations, including places where you wouldn’t expect them. (Peruse his pictures carefully; perhaps you’ll spot one hidden in the woods.)

The selection touches on some of the lesser-known Grimm tales, with people losing limbs, fingers and heads, but somehow shouting out their awful tales from beyond the grave. Mr. Grimly’s skeletal figures and hollow-eyed animal illustrations are ideally suited to the Grimm oeuvre and have made this a tome worthy of inclusion in any library dedicated to the uncanny, lurid stories of old.

[Garance J. Bonadonna (The Nerdy Artivist) · Rating 1 out of 5]

0.5 STARS

Unpopular opinion.

Wow. I did NOT like this book. I had never read the original Grimm's fairytales but I was expecting tales much much darker. I thought that because the tradition is oral tales to scare people, then it would be "scary".

They were not. They were boring. They didn't make sense. I'm struggling to say something else to write a constructive review.

I can't. It was just a plain waste of time.

The illustrations are gorgeous. That's why I'm keeping the book, so I can take them and display them. Sorry book.

[Mela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are in a way creepy but amazingly beautiful. Some stories are quite similar which makes them boring/predictable. Will not advise this to be read as bedtime stories for the little ones but worth the read for those who are fond of the genre and those kids-at-heart

[Jessica De Vries · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original tales are so interesting and sometimes gruesome. With the amazing artwork, the worn down look of the paper and the cover this book is one of the most awesome books I own and have ever read.

[Twig · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it !!

[Barbie Adamson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not too bad, collection of Grimm's tales with a few pages of decent artwork

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Joseph Brink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't always love the artwork, but the stories are of course amazing.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I need to find a more modern version of these stories or some kind of retelling. These stories are just too ridiculous/nonsensical for today's audiences. I did like the art though.

[Max]

DNF

[Eva pridham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for a thriller before bed

[Pinkaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains a total of 42 stories from the brother's grimm fairy tale collection.

Some stories are darker than what we're used to, but some are surprisingly pleasant too. Some stories are good, some are meh.

This edition has about 1-3 gothic-style illustrations per story, which I really like.

[I consumed this book slowly reading approx 4 stories at a time spread over 3-4 months.]

[Alexxei · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enchanting little take on the tales of the Grimm brothers. The dark, whimsical illustrations are really what make this book a notch higher than other adaptations before it. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[Aparajitabasu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original Link to the review at my blog Le' Grande Codex - here

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Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Charles Perrault or Han Christian Andersen (and etc.), these are literary giants where fairytales are considered. You all know of the Frog Prince, Cinderella, Hansel & Gretel and others. You all grew up reading, fantasizing and analyzing these fairytales. Even coming across the tale depicted in various mediums relevant to the time. This here is another such gem.

Accompanied by the gorgeous & darkly whimsical water color illustrations of well known artists Gris Grimly ...... You have something old, in a something new style. The art is definitely the bonus of this edition and I very much loved re-reading all those stories alongside Grimly's marvelous artistry.

"The wonders of fairytales and the eye-catching water colors of Grimly's brush strokes. A well matched combo"

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all know, or are at least familiar with Grimm's Fairy Tales. What makes this particular edition special is that it is illustrated. I like the way this is done. The graphics are mostly black and white (a few color too), and slightly dark in nature to match the story.

Recommendation:

I don't recommend this for really young readers. As I said above, these graphics have a dark quality to them. I could see a child easily being frightened by them. This is the nicest version of these tales that I have read. The illustrations really add to the stories.

I recieved a copy of this through Edelwiess in exchange for an honest review.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The classics tales from the Brothers Grimm illustrated by the incomparable Gris Grimly. Each story, as translated by Margaret Hunt, has been given entirely new life and meaning with Grimly's eerie additions. This is a great read for any fan of the Grimm tales.

[Teresa]

* e-Arc provided by Edelweiss *

[M●13RA · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.4/10

[Punkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Deliciously dark fairy tales.😊

[Alexandra]

10/17/17 $1.99 for Kindle.