Victorian Fairy Tales

by Michael Newton (Editor)

'The Queen and the bat had been talking a good deal that afternoon...'

The Victorian fascination with fairyland vivified the literature of the period, and led to some of the most imaginative fairy tales ever written. They offer the shortest path to the age's dreams, desires, and wishes. Authors central to the nineteenth-century canon such as W. M. Thackeray, Oscar Wilde, Ford Madox Ford, and Rudyard Kipling wrote fairy tales, and authors primarily famous for their work in the genre include George MacDonald, Juliana Ewing, Mary De Morgan, and Andrew Lang. This anthology brings together fourteen of the best stories, by these and other outstanding practitioners, to show the vibrancy and variety of the form and its abilities to reflect our deepest concerns.

In tales of whimsy and romance, witty satire and uncanny mystery, love, suffering, family and the travails of identity are imaginatively explored. Michael Newton's introduction and notes provide illuminating contextual and biographical information about the authors and the development of the literary fairy tale. A selection of original illustrations is also included.

ABOUT THE For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Genres: Short Stories, Classics, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Victorian, Fiction, Mythology

444 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Michael Newton has taught at University College London, Princeton University, and Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design, and now works at Leiden University. He is the author of Savage Girls and Wild Boys: A History of Feral Children, Age of Assassins: A History of Conspiracy and Political Violence, 1865-1981, and a book on Kind Hearts and Coronets for the BFI Film Classics series. He has edited Edmund Gosse's Father and Son for Oxford World's Classics, and The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories and Conrad's The Secret Agent for Penguin. He has written and reviewed for the Times Literary Supplement, London Review of Books, the New Statesman, and The Guardian.

Reviews

[Althea Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Introduction
*Note on the Texts
*Select Bibliography
*A Chronology of the Victorian Fairy Tale

I don't usually comment on introductions at any length, but the 'introduction' here is actually one of the best essays on 'fairy tales' that I've read, and definitely the best that specifically addresses this era's iterations of these stories. Intelligent and detailed, well-researched and footnoted, the essay treats its topic with respect and affection, while still critically examining the time period and how these tales were regarded by various elements of their potential audience.


PROLOGUE: (The editor starts with two pre-Victorian tales, to give the reader a 'taste' of the kind of stories that were influencing Victorian authors.)

*Grimm, 'Rumpel-Stilts-Kin'
Interesting: "In the 1812 edition of the Brothers Grimm tales, Rumpelstiltskin then "ran away angrily, and never came back". The ending was revised in a final 1857 edition to a more gruesome ending wherein Rumpelstiltskin "in his rage drove his right foot so far into the ground that it sank in up to his waist; then in a passion he seized the left foot with both hands and tore himself in two".
The 1812 version is featured here - the later one is the one I grew up with. It's funny that we often think of these stories as only having been made more 'mild' over time, but this one was revised toward the bloodier ending!

*Hans Christian Andersen, 'The Princess and the Peas'
The version included here appears to be the first English translation of this work.
"Charles Boner was the first to translate "The Princess and the Pea" into English, working from a German translation that had increased Andersen's lone pea to a trio of peas in an attempt to make the story more credible... Boner's translation was published as "The Princess on the Peas" in A Danish Story-Book in 1846. Boner has been accused of missing the satire of the tale by ending with the rhetorical question, "Now was not that a lady of exquisite feeling?" rather than Andersen's joke of the pea being placed in the Royal Museum."

*ROBERT SOUTHEY, 'The Story of the Three Bears'
This morning, thinking about this story, I asked the most convenient person in my home: "What happened to Goldilocks?" The answer, "Uh, she got eaten by bears?" So I thought, as well!
Southey's version of this nursery tale was published in 1837 (the first written version of the story; whether the idea originated with Southey is debated.) There's no adorable blond child here at all. The home invader who samples porridge and sits in chairs is, instead, a foul-tempered old homeless woman. However, the plot, language and phrasing will be very familiar to those who've read any of a number of versions.
And... no one gets eaten by a bear. The vagrant jumps out a window to escape. Which, to my way of thinking, kind of misses the point of the three bears being 'bears.'

*JOHN RUSKIN, 'The King of the Golden River'
This is the only work of fiction that the prolific and multi-talented Ruskin wrote. However, it manages to encapsulate a great many of the ideals that we think of today, when we think of Ruskin. It has the emphasis on 'Christian' mercy and charity, generosity over greed, and, to an almost distracting degree, the love of the beauties of nature. Indeed, the main 'message' of the tale is that natural bounty is what should be valued more than gold.
The piece wraps its morals in the tale of a young boy and his two cruel and greedy brothers. When a generous act leads to the youngest brother being granted the secret of 'how to turn a river to gold,' he confides in his siblings - but their lack of charity leads to their demise; leaving the reward for the sorely put-upon but unfailingly upstanding hero.


*WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY, 'The Rose and the Ring'
According to the author's introduction, this was intended to be put on as a dramatic presentation, or pantomime, at Christmastime, for children.
It was indeed published at Christmas (1854), but I'm not at all convinced that the main intended audience was children. This is, technically, a fairy tale, but it's mainly a political and social satire, caricaturing the events and personalities of the day. I'm quite certain that quite a lot of the humor flew past me, but it seems that it was quite timely.
The titular rose and ring are magical objects that makes the bearer seem irresistibly beautiful to those around them. They originate with the Fairy Blackstick, who is quite unpopular after wishing some infants 'misfortune' at their christenings, rather than magical blessings. However, sometimes a bit of misfortune is good for the character.
The plot is a rather slapstick romantic comedy, with quite a lot of lampooning of the upper crust. It's entertaining - but was probably even funnier 150 years ago.

*GEORGE MACDONALD, 'The Golden Key'
A re-read... 'When I was a child. I read MacDonald's ‘The Princess and the Goblin’ and ‘The Light Princess’ dozens of times, and loved them. I know I also read ‘At the Back of the North Wind’ and didn’t care for it as much. I’m not at all sure I would’ve loved this when I was little, but I loved it now. It does feature the same Grandmother/Lady seen in ‘The Princess and the Goblin,’ with her magical baths. She has got to be one of my favorite characters in fiction, and even a brief appearance is wonderful. Plus, air-fish! I loved the air fish! (After having an Oscar in a tank for some years, I used to dream about fish ‘swimming’ around my room, through the air.)
Plot-wise, this is sort of a cross between a religious allegory and Plato’s ‘parable of the cave.’ Two innocents, one of whom finds a golden key at the end of the rainbow, go on a quest to find the ‘land from whence the (sublimely beautiful) shadows come.’
The story is odd and allusive, rather than didactic, and quite lovely.'

*DINAH MULOCK CRAIK, 'The Little Lame Prince and His Travelling Cloak'
I would've liked this better if the narrative voice was a little less intrusive. The narrator/author tells us that this originated as an oral bedtime story for her daughter, and the style very much reflects that. It actually reminded me quite a lot of the episodic tales that my mother told me as a very small child. That made be feel warmly toward the story in general, but as an adult, I still found it a bit... hmm, not quite condescending, but perhaps a bit too... instructive?
The prince of the story is orphaned in infancy, and worse, partially paralyzed due to an accident. His uncle seizes his rightful throne, and has the boy imprisoned in a remote tower, with only a criminal nursemaid for company. But what no one knows about is the boy's (fairy?) godmother, who gifts him with a magic traveling cloak and some words of wisdom.
His cloak (a symbol for the power of imagination?) allows him to learn about the world, to such a degree that when the time comes for him to claim his rightful place as a just ruler, he is able to rise to the occasion...

* MARY DE MORGAN, 'The Wanderings of Arasmon'
A tragic tale with a very pre-Raphaelite sensibility. de Morgan was a family friend of (and told her fairy tales to the children of) both William Morris and the Burne-Joneses. The story includes two exceedingly beautiful illustrations by the renowned fairy-tale illustrator Walter Crane. These two remind me much more of Burne-Jones' work than most of Crane's designs.
A devoted couple, Arasmon and Chrysea, are travelling musicians. When they encounter a village under a debilitating curse, Chrysea takes it upon herself to break the cruel magic. She succeeds, but is transformed into a harp by vengeful elves. Unknowing, Arasmon finds the harp - but his wife is gone. Heartbroken, he travels the world searching for her, unaware that she is in his grasp the whole time...
The ending is a little bit annoying and sentimental I'm just not much for the whole dying of grief thing, but does have the feel of an authentic romantic myth.
After reading this one, I'm picking up de Morgan's collected stories.


* JULIANA HORATIA EWING, 'The First Wife's Wedding Ring'
A short tale with a very traditional feel to it. An older son goes off to seek his fortune after his mother dies. His father gives him the wedding ring as a token of his identity, and a confirmation that he is indeed, his son and heir. Unfortunately, on his way home after years of wandering, the ring is lost. His father's new wife demands that he produce the ring or be disinherited.
A quest to retrieve the ring ensues, involving a threatening giant. However, the quest's resolution is unsatisfyingly quick and easy; making the rewards heaped upon the young man seem almost undeserved.

* OSCAR WILDE, 'The Selfish Giant'
Oscar Wilde! Oscar Wilde is awesome, right? Not to mention decadent, unconventional...?
Well, you wouldn't guess it from this tale.
This is a saccharine, moralizing story with a bit of a priggish attitude. The Christian allegory could not be more blatant if this were a retelling of a Bible verse.
A selfish giant doesn't allow any of the children to play in his garden. Because of his attitude, the garden becomes a bleak place where spring never blooms. But he eventually learns to mend his ways, and reaps the rewards...

*ANDREW LANG, 'Prince Prigio'
Like generations of other children, I grew up loving Andrew Lang's 'Fairy Books.' However, I don't think I ever had the opportunity to read 'Prince Prigio.' It's too bad; I think that not only would I have enjoyed it, I might've learned some valuable life tips from it. Howeer there are some bits that might've flown right over my head at that time.
The story is humorous, clever and satirical... but not to such a degree that it detracts from the pure enjoyability of the story.
Prince Prigio is an oldest son who was gifted by the fairies with a number of magical gifts at his christening - not least the gift of being 'too clever.' However, Prigio takes after his pragmatic and scientific-minded mother, and doesn't believe in fairies - or anything magical at all. Therefore, when his father insists that he go on a quest to defeat the notorious fabulous beast, the Firedrake - he doesn't take the request seriously at all. After all, the beast doesn't exist!
However, the way events play out may requires that several characters rethink their basic outlooks...

*FORD MADOX FORD, 'The Queen Who Flew'
A young and painfully innocent Queen spends her days in her garden, talking to her only 'friend' - a crotchety old bat (literally). When she gets the bat to tell her a magical secret that allows her to fly, she ventures out into the world and encounters some unexpected truths, in the process of having a series of fanciful adventures.
Clever and imaginative, with the feeling of a great bedtime story. And the bat! I ADORED the bat!

*LAURENCE HOUSMAN, 'The Story of the Herons'
I'm pretty sure I read this one as a child... elements of Swan Maiden and selkie stories mesh. The ol' Fairy Christening Curse means that this princess is doomed to love the first living thing she sees. Her family goes to lengths to protect her until a suitable prince can be found - but the malevolent fairy's intervention dooms her to fall passionately in love with a heron. Out of a bittersweet and difficult situation, eventually a family manages to achieve a kind of happy ending.

*KENNETH GRAHAME, 'The Reluctant Dragon'
A re-read. 'Of course, I had 'The Wind in the Willows' as a child. I truly wish I'd had this story as well. It's less well known - but I'm not sure why.
This is a truly wonderful story-within-a-story: two children, fancying that the snow tracks they've followed from their yard are those of a dragon, encounter a kindly neighbor, who tells them a story - of course, about a boy who meets a literarily-inclined, and unusually good-tempered dragon.
Whimsical, warm and clever. '

*E. NESBIT, 'Melisande'
Another one that I'd read as a child.
The Fairy Christening Curse strikes again! This princess' family tried to avoid it by inviting NO fairies to the party, in the hopes that if no one was invited, no one could get offended. Well, that didn't work, and their darling daughter ends up cursed with baldness!
Perhaps she should've left well enough alone... because when she's later gifted a wish to cure herself, a poorly-worded requests causes her to end up with more hair than the kingdom can handle. When a well-meaning prince tries to help, the kingdom ends up with more princess than it can handle!

RUDYARD KIPLING, 'Dymchurch Flit'
The story related here is a narrative about how the fairies departed England. However, for me at least, the plot was nearly lost. The main goal of the story really seems to be to conjure up the speech and attitudes of a particular type of rural Briton, and the associated superstitions. Heavy dialect, and a number of expressions that you're probably going to need the footnotes to understand.

APPENDIX: What is a Fairy Tale?'

John Ruskin, 'Introduction' to German Popular Tales
Well, this is a bit insufferable. Apparently, Ruskin felt the need to show off his ability to write in a 'literary' style as opposed to the simpler style he says he feels more appropriate for fairy stories. The result feels both pretentious and sententious.

Juliana Horatia Ewing, 'Preface' to Old-Fashioned Fairy Tales
Feels quite defensive, as if Ms. Ewing has been repeatedly attacked on the topic of the value of fairy tales.

George MacDonald, 'The Fantastic Imagination'
Oh, this is a beautiful essay. I'd recommend this to any and every artist of any sort, but especially any writers of the fantastic. I wouldn't say I agree with every single point made here, but with most of them.
"The best thing you can do for your fellow... is not to give him things to think about, but to wake things up that are in him; or say, to make him think things for himself."

Laurence Housman, 'Introduction' to Gammer Grethel's Fairy Tales
A nice concluding essay. "The true end and object of a fairy tale... is in the expression of the joy of living. There begins and ends the morality."

The book also includes some illuminating and explanatory notes on the stories, the context of their original publication and history, as well as footnotes for more obscure phrases. Nicely done.

Five stars, for not only the presentation of some lovely and entertaining stories, but for a book that the reader will really come aways with a greater understanding of these tales and their historical and social context.
____


NOTE - Goodreads has conflated the editor of this book with a very different author of the same name. Here is the bio of THIS Michael Newton (from Oxford University Press):

Michael Newton, Senior Lecturer, Department of English, University of Leiden

Michael Newton has taught at University College London, Princeton University, and Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design, and now works at Leiden University. He is the author of Savage Girls and Wild Boys: A History of Feral Children (Faber, 2002), Age of Assassins: A History of Conspiracy and Poltical Violence, 1865-1981 (Faber, 2012) and a book on Kind Hearts and Coronets for the BFI Film Classics series. He has edited Edmund Gosse's Father and Son for Oxford World's Classics, and The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories and Conrad's The Secret Agent for Penguin. He has written and reviewed for the Times Literary Supplement, London Review of Books, the New Statesman, and The Guardian.

____
Many thanks to Oxford University Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview a copy of this book. As always, my opinions are solely my own.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victorian Fairy Tales has been a delightful read, with only one or two stories that failed to charm me and a few that really pleased. Some are the original forms of more recent favorites such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears---and to be honest I found I prefer the original without the golden haired cutie. The Little Lame Prince is simply wonderful and I now wonder how I have lived this long without having ever read the full story.

In addition to the fairy tales, there is an appendix providing excerpts from various introductions to editions of Fairy Tales produced during the Victorian era. While some make for somewhat dry reading, others are fascinating. Per John Ruskin, fairy tales

Like Proverbs and Parables,...deal with first
principles under the simplest forms. They convey
knowledge of the world, shrewd lessons of virtue
and vice, of common sense and sense of humour, of
the seemly and the absurd, of pleasure and pain,
success and failure, in narratives where the plot
moves briskly and dramatically from a beginning to
an end. They treat, not of the corner of a nursery or
a playground, but of the world at large, and lie in
perspective; of forces visible and invisible; of
Life, Death, and Immortality....They cultivate the
the Imagination... (loc 6601)

For Laurence Housman The true end and object of a fairy tale...is the expression of the joy of living. (loc6705)

Among my favorite tales, in addition to The little Lame Prince, are The Story of the Three Bears, The King of the Golden River or The Black Brothers A Tale of Stiria, The Golden Key, Prince Prigio, and The Story of the Herons. Oh--The Reluctant Dragon too.

I do recommend this book to readers of all ages. Children can be read to while adults can enjoy this guilt-free knowing they are improving themselves per Mr Ruskin!

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Net Galley in return for an honest review.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley.

While a few of the tales collected here have appeared in other places more than once, this is varied collection of Victorian fairy tales. The collection includes at least a few that are feminist in nature, carrying on in a Victorian fashion the work of the women writers of the French salons. Authors ranges from the well known – such as Oscar Wilde and Thackeray - to the little known – Juliana Horatia Ewing. Andrew Lang is included, but with “Prince Prigio” as opposed to one of his retellings.

At times, it is iunderstandable why some of the stories aren’t better known – such as the John Ruskin story-, but other times like with Lang’s “Prince Prigio” or Laurence Houseman’s “The Story of the Herons” it is less understandable. (“The Story of the Herons” is a stand out and wonderful story, most likely the best in the collection). Both Lang and Thackeray make slightly, and not so slight, snarky comments about storytelling and the world in which they live.

Not all the stories are instructional. “The Wanderings of Arasmon” is touching but lacks, thankfully, the moral point of a few of the other tales. Included also are a story by Andersen and the Brothers Grimm as well as essays from the time about the fairy tale. This collection is good overview, combining well known and little known tales along with notes. The illustrations are nice too.

[Olga Godim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I’m not sure what to make of this book. I didn’t like most tales in the first half. Each one was a slow read and often didactic.
William Makepeace Thackeray’s The Rose and the Ring was a farce and it had all the required archetypes: a couple of usurper kings, a poor misplaced prince, a good princesses, a spoiled princess, a fairy godmother, a nasty crone, plus a couple of magical artifacts. The good characters encounter a slew of problems on their way to happy ending. The bad are duly punished for their wickedness. The author wrote a comedy, and he almost succeeded, although for me, it seemed amusing rather than funny.
Why didn’t I like this tale? Because the heroes don’t bring on their own happiness, don’t overcome obstacles by themselves. The fairy godmother directs their actions and helps them every step of the way, as long as they obey her directives. She also punishes the bad guys, and nobody reaches his own victory without her interference. Not a blueprint I would like my children to follow.
The same moral lesson springs up in several other tales. If you are good, if you endure your trials, a fairy godmother (or a variation thereof) might help you. In one of the saddest tales in the book, The Little Lame Prince and his Traveling Cloak by Dinah Mulock Craik, the hero is a crippled boy. Both his legs are paralyzed from birth. His fairy godmother says it straight: “I can’t fix your problem but I can help you endure it.” So he endures, until his fortunes change for the better, without his efforts, I might add.
I dislike this moral. It implies passivity, which doesn’t sit well with me, or with most readers of today, I’m sure.
Fortunately, the second half of the book had a better appeal. A few tales were outright funny, and in each one, the heroes acted. One of my favorites was Prince Prigio by Andrew Lang. In this story, the hero, Prince Prigio, has a serious flaw: he is too clever. That’s why nobody likes him, even though he doesn’t care. He is too clever for them all. It’s not his fault—it was a fairy’s gift—but a bunch of problems unfolds out of his super-cleverness, and the solving of them makes up this tale.

If you are clever, you will find it best not to let people know it—if you want them to like you.

That sentiment of Andrew Lang still holds true. He must’ve written the story based on his personal experience.
Another favorite of mine was The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame. It was a hoot. I giggled a lot and generally enjoyed this tale more than any other in the compilation. Its humor feels almost modern: a lazy dragon, partial to poetry but unwilling to fight, meets St. George, whose goal in life and legend is to slay dragons. A buffoonery ensues.
Overall, the entire collection is interesting from the historical point of view, even if its merit as reading material in the 21st century is shaky. Like the best stories of ages gone, these tales and the others like them reflected their times and paved the way for modern literature, especially the fantasy genre.

The original illustrations included in this book are gorgeous, and the cover, based on Walter Crane’s design, is simple and elegant.

[La La · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 on my blog. There is a short, but informative, section of Victorian age fairytales history and chronology in the beginning of this compilation. That part of the book I would give five stars, and would love to see an entire text of this interesting data. The selections are wonderful and reflect the writing style of the time. They reminded me of the types of stories that might be serialized in a Victorian newspaper, or magazine. Anyone who enjoys reading the original Grimm's Fairytales, or Alice in Wonderland, will enjoy this book. The were some very charming black and white illustrations, as well. I recieved a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

With works by Ruskin and Wilde--oh yeah, I'm in.

This was a charming collection and while I did not read all of them those that I did we entertaining. As a whole, I found them to be an interesting looking glass to the times. One can definitely see the strains of industrialization, suffrage, and failing monarchies. There were twists on familiar themes and new ones. I particularly like that the different fonts and some of the original illustrations that accompanied the works have been included. I did not rate the stories individually because my purpose is to read for historic understanding rather than literary critique.

The Story of the Three Bears by Robert Southey
Fascinating version that does not have Goldilocks, but rather an old woman who takes advantage of them. She is physically unfavorable and depicted not only as imposing inappropriately by failing to follow rules of host/visitor, but given the right circumstance would also be a thief. Ambiguous open ending that implies that her fate will be bad as is just.

The use of different fonts for the three bears interesting as pointed out in the introduction.

The King of the Golden River or The Black Brothers, a Tale of Stiria by John Ruskin
Interesting mixture of Cinderella and leprechaun lore. Not surprisingly, Ruskin's environmentalist and social sensibilities are evident herein as is his artistic eye in the descriptions. The moral ending is quite clearly made.

The Rose and the Ring; or, The History of Prince Giglio and Prince Bulbo by William Makepeace Thackray
Long and written to be a pantomime it starts much in the same manner as Sleeping Beauty and then proceeds to incorporate more. It is absurd as expected with some interesting historical tidbits tossed in. Definitely a strong moral tone. A fascinating amalgamation, but long-winded and I can see how performance would make it more favorable than mere reading.

The Golden Key by George MacDonald
Probably the most fascinating to me thus far. The connection to the fantastical and MacDonald's relationship with Lewis Carroll is easy to spot in the aeranth's manifestation. Heavy on the Christian doctrine with dominion over animals, arduous journey taken with a helpmate, perseverance and reward for keeping on the path, serpent, and ascension to "heaven". Of course, this tale also highlights a lot of Christianity's assimilation of pagan beliefs which I'm just not sure was intentional. Curious. But clearly Tangle's following the serpent and rising up through the earth while Mossy walks on water through the air really highlights the old air gods versus earth gods and the Old Man in the Sea was a dead ringer for Poseidon.

I thought I noted a resemblance between the creativity and Lewis Carroll and indeed they were friends as seen in the picture of Carroll with MacDonald's family.



The Little Lame Prince and His Traveling Cloak by Dinah Mulock Craik
This is definitely a be grateful for what you have even when tragedy has befallen you, pull yourself up and stop pitying yourself parable. Interesting mix of monarchy support with chastisement for it to serve, like all men work for their country. Combined with the Christian humility this is very much a parable even with the fantastical elements.

Oddly enough, for some reason this reminded me of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's "Le Petit Prince" between the sense of isolation and philosophy.

The Wanderings of Arasmon by Mary De Morgan
Absolutely depressing. Not sure what the moral of this story is other than never give up and when you sacrifice all and the end is here you will be rewarded. The love of Chrysea and Arasmon was beautiful, but the total disregard of the villager for services rendered makes me think that helping anyone is a lost cause--surely doesn't inspire me to "Christian" acts. Egads.

The First Wife's Wedding-Ring by Juliana Horatia Ewing
Classic heroic task and reward format. Short, sweet, and a deserved ending. Assuming that an increase in status and a beautiful wife as chattel are considered just desserts.

The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde
This was a huge selling point of this book besides Ruskin. Frankly, it was not what I was expecting. Yes, if one wanted to queer critique it they can, but it is astonishingly Christian in the moral, much more than compared to others. A charming tale.

Prince Prigio by Andrew Lang
Clever reboot of a fairy tale that references older tales by way of lineage of these characters. The cost of disbelief is penalized. The clever man is despised but he manages to outwit all those around him. So the Puss in Boots nod is not just for the fairy gifts, but the premise as well.

The Queen Who Flew by Ford Madox Ford TBR

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read most of the stories in this, bar one or two. Bless Dr Newton for this lovely collection of fairytales. You can tell he really loves these types of stories (and as he’s my teacher I can confirm that he does)

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

An eclectic anthology of fourteen fairy tales that includes Victorian icons like Kipling, Thackeray and Oscar Wilde, deep and symbolic enough to be read by both children and adults. A few of the stories are magical, and I had brief flashbacks to reading Hans Christian Andersen as a child or marvelling at the illustrations that I can still picture today of a girl in the snow warming herself with matches.

I loved the story by Craik of the lame prince who was banished to a tower while a relative stole his throne, and who then travelled atop a magical cloak to get his first view of life outside the stone walls. His amazement and wonder at seeing a flock of birds or trees for the first time is the epitome of what childhood is like. Housman's story about a princess who's under a spell and falls in love with the first thing she sees (a heron) is also surreal. Instead of a zombie-like and fanatic adoration for the bird, like you'd expect from such a story of enchantment, the princess feels a real connection with the animal and wishes she could be rid of human thoughts because they only distance her from the creature.

Stories like that are memorable and haunting, I know, because I still remember similar tales from my own childhood.

Most others were duds, however: I couldn't get through Thackeray's and skipped ahead, while a few were just too plot-driven and fantastical, and didn't have the rich descriptions that bring texts to life. But that's how fairy tales go. I once read a book's first sentence about a hobbit living underground and immediately tossed it aside, so ultimately fantasy just isn't my racket. This anthology, with a few shining exceptions, was mostly laborious to read.

I blame reading Byatt's The Children's Book, which was based on the life of a Victorian children's author and made fairy tales seem so magical and sparkly. Dammit, A.S. Byatt, your writing about them is even better than the real thing.

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

This was one of these books that really just wasn't for me. It features a nice introduction on fairy tales in the Victorian era, which was a good read and although I'm not particularly interested in the subject, I found it entertaining and interesting.

Next is a string of fairy tales and frankly, I enjoyed them very little. It became a burden for me to pick up the book, as I either struggled with the translation of some of the stories, and especially the long stories were plain boring. While I'm sure they are a nice representation of fairy tales in that time, I just found out those really are not for me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this new collection, Michael Newton has pulled together an exemplary set of what he terms "literary fairy tales" – literary not as a value judgment, but in contrast to the oral tradition that had been occupying the likes of the Grimm brothers and others in the preceding eras. In writing their tales, Victorian writers "transform[ed] a form based in the shared telling of tales into self-conscious, authored literary texts," and, Newton argues, they "experimented with the form to explore political and social concerns, as well as questions of identity, love, and the moral life."

Newton selected the stories in this volume for "their representative nature, in order to give the reader a sense of the kinds of literary fairy story that were available in the Victorian period." He surrounds the main collection with two pre-Victorian tales on the front end, and four Victorian essays on the fairy story, including MacDonald's "The Fantastic Imagination." A chronology of the literary fairy tale and notes on the text round out the volume.

All in all, this is an excellent work of scholarship for anyone who is interested in the history, development and impact of fairy tales. Even if Victorian fairy tales are not your favorite, as they are not mine, the anthology is worth checking out, especially as it contains some pieces that are not easy to come by elsewise.

A full review is forthcoming in the May 2015 issue of the Signum Eagle .

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a funny feeling that I was going to enjoy these tales but I really didn't realise how much until I started getting stuck in. Newtown open with the original version of three very well known stories, namely Rumplestiltskin, the Princess and the Pea and The Three Bears, which are far better in their original guises than the sweeter versions we are used to now. He then goes on to include tales that are not so well known but still have that sense of familiarity as the core of each tale has been weaved into many a tale since the versions included here. There are also a few scattered illustrations to add to the reading of this book, illustrations very much in the Victorian style which I absolutely loved. The stories are superb and ideal for all ages and I am bound to come back to this again and again.

I'll admit I did only skim read the introduction, which from what I picked up, provided an interesting insight into fairy tales and how they fit into the Victorian era and how the era moulded them for their own needs and expectations. The appendices however I ended up reading, not something I usually do, as it included introductions from the original volumes and showed how the definition of a fairy tale changed during Victorian times and since.

[Akylina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A copy was provided to me by NetGalley. You can also see my review here.

‘Victorian Fairy Tales’ is, as the title itself suggests, a collection of some fairy tales and short stories written in the Victorian era. This collection is edited by Michael Newton and it includes a very interesting and informative introduction, some charming stories, as well as an appendix with some essays that were used as introductions for some fairy tale collections of the period.

The book starts off with some classic stories by the Brothers Grimm (‘Rumpel-Stilts-kin’) and Hans Christian Andersen (‘The Princess and the Peas’), which I consider great choices in order to provide the reader with a first glimpse of what the rest of the book will be like. I really liked the diversity of the book, since it contained stories from some fairly well-known authors, like Oscar Wilde, William Makepeace Thackeray, Rudyard Kipling and Andrew Lang, but also stories from authors I had never encountered or even heard of before. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the stories.

Some of the fairy tales had the length of short stories, whilst others extended on more pages, even consisting of multiple chapters. The variety of the fairy tales did not only pertain to the length but also to the content of the stories, since some of them were more romantic, others wittier or more satirical, others more didactic and others rather darker and more serious. I was impressed to see John Ruskin’s name in the book, as I was unaware of the fact that he had written fairy tales, and I was really excited to read another one of Andrew Lang’s stories.

The stories were all very enjoyable to read, and each one of them offers a different experience and a different way of seeing and perceiving things. The versions of some of the stories were slighly altered from the ones I knew from my childhood, Robert Southey’s ‘The Story of the Three Bears’ being the most blatant example. However, it was really nice to read other versions of stories I already knew, since I presume the ones I was familiar with in my childhood might as well have been adapted to be more suited for kids.

The atmosphere and the cozy feeling the fairy tales included in this book emanated was definitely reminiscent of the Victorian period and suited perfectly to the image I have in my mind for this particular era. I especially liked the introduction at the beginning of the book, where the author provided a chronology of the fairy tales in the literary history of the era, as well as the essays included in the appendix, where opinions such as the ones that treat fairy tales not as mere children stories but also as stories even adults can indulge in, or how parents can use fairy tales to infuse their children with the appropriate morals were expressed and supported.

Also, the lovely pictures that adorned some pages of the book offered a better feeling of ‘fairy tale-ness’ to it, since the artwork was really charming and meticulous and it fit the stories it accompanied perfectly. The only remark I have to make is probably for the biographical information about the authors; since there were many authors I was not familiar with beforehand, it would be a lot more convenient if the relevant information was included before the beginning of each of the stories and not along with the corresponding notes at the end of the book.

Overall, I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading this book, since it reminded me a lot of the lingering intimate feeling fairy tales can generate and also because I had the opportunity to become aware of certain stories and authors I would not have known otherwise. I would definitely recommend this book to any fairy tale lover or Victorian era enthusiast in general.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthy companion to The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales. Rounding up because Lurie chose more to my taste, and also I read her work before discovering this (and so I'm compensating for the likelihood that I'm slighting this).

But it's the same idea. Light theory and analysis, a variety of tales that have named authors (but also one from Grimm), and explanatory notes to the texts. Some overlap.

One thing I really didn't like is that the explanatory notes were in the back, so I kept having to flip back & forth. Newton seemed to afraid to use footnotes, but this is exactly where they're most needed.

Rounding the rating on this up to four stars because I love the appendix which includes four essays by included authors that attempt to answer the question "What is a Fairy Tale?" Best by far, imo, is *The Fantastic Imagination* by George MacDonald. http://www.george-macdonald.com/etext...

"The best thing you can do for your fellow, next to rousing his conscious, is--not to give him things to think about, but to wake things up that are in him; or say, to make him think things for himself."

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I received this as part of a goodreads giveaway and thank you very much. I loved loved loved this book it transported me back to when i was younger and loved to be read fairy tales. I can confirm that i still love them just as much! My favourite out of them would be The Reluctant Dragon by the man who wrote the wind in the willows :). It was truly a nice tale that was somewhat different to the rest as there was no real baddy and everyone really wanted to get along. I also thought the last essay in the book by a man named Lawrence that was all about what makes a fairy tale was well worth a read as it was so beautifully put. However my least favourite fairy tale had to be the last one by Mr Kipling as although i got the gist of it i found it more hard to follow along as it was written in dialect. My only improvements to the book which really is a personal thing to me is i would prefer the biography of the author before the story and the citations alongside the story....I really hate flicking back and forth constantly!

Otherwise please make a Victorian Fairy Tales Volume two and I'll happily review again!

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This looks and sounds like something I’d love and cherish forever, right? Wrong! I had really high hopes for this book and I was let down.

There’s the possibility that I’m spoiled when it comes to fairy tales. Growing up, I was read the fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and I revisited those a couple of times and they are still my absolute favourite fairy tales. Those Victorian Fairy Tales however felt like they were written by people who had never read any fairy tales and they were just ridiculous and absurdly long. And not in the fun way, some of these are 50 to 100 pages long and it’s just not a fun reading experience (I kid you not, I fell asleep in the middle of the day at one point). There are two in here that I enjoyed (“The Wanderings of Arasmon” by Mary de Morgan and “The Selfish Giant” by Oscar Wilde) but they took a really weird religious turn towards the end. I’m glad I’ve read them but by the time I had reached the last story I was also really glad that it was finally over.

[Artemiz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Victorian Fairy Tales is a collection of fairy tales from the 19th century. Some are familiar but most I read the first time. It was interesting and it would be a good book to have if you have a need for a nighttime stories for kids, but ... it is composed like thesis, first the long introduction about fairy tales and the writers from that time period. In it there is a lot of references to the stories still to come and since I'm not familiar with most of the stories, it was really difficult to follow. But the stories are interesting and fun, so if you skip the introduction and come back later, after you have read all the stories it would be much better.

So it is good book, just the introduction is too long and too academic.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled across this in Book Depository and decided to borrow it to see if I wanted to buy my own. Now that I’ve read it, I definitely want my own copy.

Victorian Fairy Tales is a collection of tales by Victorian authors. It starts with two traditional fairy tales – Rumpel-Stilts-kin and The Princess and the Peas – and then goes on into a selection of fairytales. Some are supposed to be fairly well-known, but they were all fairly new to me. The stories are:

The Story of the Three Bears by Robert Southey: Okay, this one I knew. I think every kid who had a fairytale book knows about Goldilocks and the three bears. This version was different though.
The King of the Golden River or The Black Brothers by John Ruskin: This was pretty cool! It’s got three brothers – two rich and stingy and one poor and generous. It’s a classic tale of how a good heart leads to a good end and I really enjoyed it.

The Rose and the Ring by William Makepeace Thackeray: I actually wasn’t too fond of this at first because it felt like it was trying too hard to be funny, but it slowly grew on me. It’s about a spoilt princess, a prince who had his birthright stolen, and the little maid who was raised by wolves. It is also much longer than the fairytales I’m used to reading.

The Golden Key by George MacDonald: I am definitely biased because I loved The Lost Princess: A Double Story, but I enjoyed this quite a lot! It starts with a boy being told a tale by his grandmother and then moves into lots of adventure.

The Little Lame Prince and His Travelling Cloak: This was a sweet little tale about how a good parental figure can make a difference. The poor little prince is dropped as a baby and crippled, and then his uncle pretends to kill him and takes the throne, but because his godmother is always there, he learns what it means to be a good king.

The Wanderings of Arasmon by Mary de Morgan: This actually reminded me a lot of the stories of Jorinde and Joringel and Orpheus and Eurydice. Arasmon plays the most divine music while Chrysea sings. When Chrysea ‘disappears’, Arasmon goes on a search for his beloved.

The First Wife’s Wedding-Ring by Juliana Horatia Ewing: This is another story that had traditional fairytale vibes. There’s a wicked stepmother (who thankfully does not kill anyone), a giant, and a princess. And of course, a wise old woman.

The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde: It’s not the first time I’ve read this, but it still brings me to tears.
Prince Prigio by Andrew Lang: Basically, the moral of the story is “don’t be too clever for your own good.” A queen doesn’t believe in fairy tales, despite being descended from fairy tale characters, and as a result, her son is cursed with too much knowledge, making him despised by everyone. Luckily, even stuck-up characters can be rehabilitated.

The Queen Who Flew by Ford Madox Ford: This was a pretty charming story, about a Queen who’s removed from the revolts constantly taking place. But when she learns to fly, she learns more about her world and what happiness is.

The Story of the Herons by Laurence Housman: This story has echoes of The Six Swans (to me, anyway). Due to a curse, the princess falls in love with a Heron. To stop her from dying of love, she changes into one. It’s a pretty touching tale about love and what it means to be human.

The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame: I didn’t really connect with this story, probably because of the framing device, which I didn’t really understand the need of. The actual story was pretty cute, although it felt like it was trying too hard to be amusing, so overall, this wasn’t a favourite.
Melisande by E. Nesbit: If you made one bad wish, how would you undo it? This starts with a bad mistake not to invite any fairies and carries on into a bad wish for more hair. It’s a charming tale that pokes gentle fun at fairytale tropes.

Dymchurch Flit by Rudyard Kipling: I’m so sorry to Kipling, but I didn’t understand this story.

While the stories were interesting and definitely a good way to explore how Victorian authors saw the genre, what really made this book stand out was the introduction and the appendixes. The introduction has a good discussion on fairy tales and the real world (I was reminded of Chesterton’s On Fairy Tales at certain points), while the appendix has a collection of introductions to other fairy tale books, talking about what a fairytale is (the one by George MacDonald was very good). There are also detailed notes on who the authors were and explanations about certain words and phrases in the text.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. The stories were pleasant, but the accompanying essays and note are what make me want a copy for my own.

This review was first posted at Eustea Reads

[Felicia Caro · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those true lovers of the literary fairy-tale, this publication, released in 2015 by Oxford University Press (so fairly new for a collection such as this), is a must-read. While we are very familiar with those fairy-tales considered classics, ranging from many countries in Europe, such as Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, and Hansel & Gretel, the collection here is strategic in that all authors included are British, and moreover, these stories emerged during the Victorian Era. This may or may not surprise you, but England is not so famous for their fairy-stories, in so much as those writers like The Brothers Grimm (Hansel & Gretel) or Hans Christian Anderson (The Little Mermaid), Charles Perrault (Cinderella) or Madame D'Aulnoy (Beauty and the Beast). We don't really remember who exactly wrote The Three Bears, The Selfish Giant, and The Reluctant Dragon (all of which are included here) - and we don't really realize they are fairy-tales from the Victorian Period, which came a couple centuries after the literary fairy tale began to take shape in Italy, France, and Germany. Mostly we think of Tolkien, but we remember him more for fantasy. (By the way The Three Bears is by Robert Southey, The Selfish Giant is by Oscar Wilde, and The Reluctant Dragon is by Kenneth Graham, and they are all included within this book.)

The stories in this collection of Victorian Fairy Tales gives justice to the literary fairy tale of England. Michael Newton's introduction is exciting, comprehensive, and enlightening, making a lasting impression on what is now considered the fairy-tale, in it's purest sense, which is a topic that has been up for debate for a long while now both in academia and outside of it. He writes about "Sources, Inspirations, and Origins" (the concept of the fairy, the difference between marking a book by a singular author, or by country, etc.), then the actual story form, it's history, and meaning. I've read many introductions and prefaces to fairy tales in the past within different compendiums and Newton's, thus far, is the best I've read. He breaks down the misconceptions, as can be expected, and hones in on the presence of universality in these tales, at least for those who have a urge to connect to something primordial; that which understands where reason and reality break down.

Fourteen stories are included here: The Story of the Three Bears, The King of the Golden River, The Rose and the Ring, The Golden Key (my favorite one!!!), The Little Lame Prince and his Travelling Cloak, The Wanderings of Arasmon, The First Wife's Wedding Ring, The Selfish Giant, Prince Prigio, The Queen Who Flew, The Story of the Herons, The Reluctant Dragon, Melisande, and Dymchurch Flit.

What I loved about these stories is that they were really funny. Many of the stories made fun of the monarchy very explicitly, as well as the peasants but in a way that, of course, was not at all malicious (of course, because of the fact that these are fairy tales, nothing malicious could really be funny). I also loved how descriptive they were, even adding elements of science fiction in some, like The Golden Key by George MacDonald. What I really enjoyed about this fairy-tale collection in particular is that they seemed to embody the form completely. Whereas in some collections you'll have included the odd fable, or the odd folktale, the stories presented here are all fairy tales and fit in with everything Newton outlined in the Introduction completely. That being said, they are diverse, written by men as well as women, featuring both Queens and peasants, witches, simple wives, farmers, simple husbands, enchanted animals, fairies (of course), boys, girls, Kings, maids... each one taking their turn as protagonist. I did like that there were a number of male protagonists featured in these true-to-form fairy tales, males who were suffering terribly (as they do, too).

The book ends with four older essays which answer the question What is the fairy tale? by John Ruskin, Juliana Horatia Ewing, George MacDonald, and Laurence Housman. It is a perfect way to end the book. It ties up the whole idea of the fairy tale as it stood in Victorian Era England, and shows us how far we've come in defining this form as it stands today.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing read! I've always loved fairy tales and I'm also into Victorian literature and history. So this sounded like something I would like.

There are 14 tales by Victorian authors and two by the masters of the genre, the Grimm brothers and Anderson. A couple of tales I didn't like too much, but I love the rest of them. I also really enjoyed the fact that they were all by different authors, so that I got to discover a few more writers I didn't know.

The tales are enriched by an abundance of explanatory notes, as well as an introduction and appendixes on the theme of the fairy tale. The illustrations (by various people) are stunning. I was especially surprised to see that Thackeray is a great artist, his drawings are so funny and so good.

This is a definite must read, I absolutely loved it. Michael Newton did a great job editing the whole thing.

-----

Review also available on my blog.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisitely and lovingly researched. Gives deeper understanding to the texts with references that may not be as unerstood now as they were at the time of publication. Very good detailed chronology of the literary fairy tale interspersed with key global events of the period from 1705 (Grub Street translation of Arabian Nights Entertainment) through 1914 (start of WWI). Really gives a good sense of place and change over the years. You could read this just as an entertainment and find stories you likely haven't heard before, but it's worth the time to read the notes concurrently to get the deeper understanding.

[S.D. Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally written on request, for the press, and uploaded to The Writer's Drawer:

Victorian Fairy Tales, edited by Michael Newton (Oxford University Press, March 2015)
Review by Stephen Reeves

When exploring the literary world of the fairy tale, separating the topic from the famous Brothers Grimm and the early 19th century classical restoration that nurtured them, can be a difficult task. After all, the influence of those re-invented Germanic tales is pervasive; W.H. Auden regarded them as "the few indispensable, common-property books upon which western culture can be founded.” Michael Newton's achievement in Victorian Fairy Tales is therefore remarkable in that he deftly maneuvers us out of the Black Forest and into the brooding English countryside of the Victorian era.

In addition to the prologue, there are a total of fifteen pieces that span the timeline, with a bit of creative inclusion, chronologically speaking, in regard to the final story. Where appropriate, some of the original artwork has been inserted into the book, adding a charming visual element. But beyond being just a collection of period tales, there is a real and present focus. The stories here serve to entertain, teach, and support the idea of the complex Fairy Tale, a valid art form separate from the realm of escapism. Naturally, the introduction is used as a vehicle to ease us into the theme, weaving the socio--political Victorian fabric with point to counter-point rhythms. These moments flow nicely, from scholarly citation to editor opinion, without being boring or redundant, and in a language that a casual reader will understand and appreciate. Balance seems to be the key here, for while the argument comes dangerously close to teetering off to the overlong, it never makes that fatal error.

After a select bibliography, there is a brief chronology of the literary fairy tale, before the notes to the collection itself. It should come as no surprise that the stories were chosen to both support the opening argument, and to demonstrate the sort of tales that were popular during that period. The chronology is a nice addition, something that readers will surely appreciate, and the notes from the editor are to the point. Overall, the placement of the bibliography and the chronology give the collection a cinematic feel.

Two quintessential fairy tales by Grimm and Anderson, "Rumple-Stilts-kin" and "The Princess and the Peas," respectively, begin the prologue. Their familiarity helps to walk the reader into the greater collection, and in part, act as a foundation from which the Victorian Fairy Tale is sprung. Still, even given the widespread acquaintance with the aforementioned stories, they are not without surprises; here is a rare chance to read them as they were originally translated (and titled), supported by a strong explanation towards the end of the book. More on that below.

The meat of the collection begins with another familiar work, "The Three Bears." It is an interesting read - in the pre-Goldilocks form - and an easy opener. The two stories that follow, "The King of the Golden River" and "The Rose and the Ring" are very “Victorian,” if we can refer to a fairy tale as such. The latter includes the lion’s share of vintage artwork, which is vital to this piece’s presentation, and has been handled effectively. It does, however, highlight one issue: that while the two tales are solid editions (Thackeray’s satirical Rose is a must for the topic), the inclusion of "The Rose and the Ring" does seem to disturb the harmoniousness of the rest of the collection. Perhaps an addition of something stylistically similar might have helped. But what to include and to exclude? Therein lies the problem with any anthology; any choice has its advantages and pitfalls. That said, such an anomaly can be forgiven for both the sake of the editor’s argument, and the diminishment of the collection as a whole due to the exclusion of any of the stories or the inclusion of an inferior piece. Half of this book’s strength is invested in the careful selection of lesser known but marvelous stories.

Looking at the editor’s biography, it is apparent that he is well qualified for the task of compiling a classical anthology. His background as a professor at various standout universities, as well as his previous work for Oxford World’s Classics and Penguin, both illustrate his editorial chops. Towards the end of the book this is on full display in the appendix, which includes comments (forwards, introductions) of three minds from the Victorian era to close out his argument. This has allowed the editor to step back and put the final defense of his theme into the hands of Victorian writers themselves, adding an effective and subtle mirror to the theme of the book. We are both engaged and feel cozy with its simplicity. The addition of the appendix shows us the depth of the editor’s research and the lightness of his hand.

What Michael Newton has done here is no easy feat: creating a collection of fairy tales that is both entertaining and educational, without relying heavily on Grimm sources. For “Fairyland is a dynamic and beguiling place…” he reminds us on the front flap. Equally, Newton’s Victorian Fairy Tales is a beguiling and dynamic anthology.

[Emily Van Coolput · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish the selection had included some of the actual traditional nursery stories circulating in the Victorian era rather than only literary fairy tales, which are a genre in themselves and always have a bit of a political and social agenda, but it's a beautiful collection nonetheless. The general spirit is very close to German romanticism, which I suppose isn't really a surprise.

[Carole-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable read, with some new stories I've never seen before. Quite a lot of variation between stories, but nevertheless, quite enchanting.
This is a good book for "dipping into" when the mood demands :)

[Alyssa Grady · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of many fairytale anthologies where you enjoy certain stories but dislike others. My favorites included The Golden Key, The Wanderings of Arasmon, and The Reluctant Dragon. It was also unique to finally encounter female writers amid the fairytale genre.

[Valerie Kolbinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah I love fairy tales
You never know if a collection of stories is going to be good or not but fortunately for me there were only 2 I couldn't get through 😊

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Tove Jonsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did actually not finish it...not my cup of tea. Donated.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many different and entertaining stories that I had never heard before!

[Matt Wang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent introduction on the significance of Victorian fairy tales, but the rest is literally fairy tales. Nothing remarkable.