Tanglewood Tales

by Nathaniel Hathorne

Hawthorne wrote these stories for children based on Greek myth and legend. They are incomparable retellings of themes which the Greek dramatists used in creating their immortal plays and literature. Contents: The Gorgon's Head; The Golden Touch; The Paradise of Children; The Three Golden Apples; The Miraculous Pitcher; The Chimaera; The Wayside; The Minotaur; The Pygmies; The Dragon's Teeth; Circe's Palace; The Pomegranate Seeds; and The Golden Fleece.

Genres: Mythology, School, Classics, Fiction, Short Stories, Childrens

104 pages, Paperback

Published February 6, 2021

Reviews

[Bailey Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

— 2.5✰ stars

“𝐇𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞”

𝐇𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚, play ‘fairytale by Alexander Rybak’

I honestly would’ve much rather read this if it was by Rick Rordan. He just has such a way with Greek gods and stuff. But it’s not that this book was bad it just wasn’t good. I had to read it for school but even if I didn’t have to read it I still wouldn’t have liked it. I don’t really recommend and I’m not gonna explain further bc it’s like I said a school book so yeah.

Love, Bailey

[Elayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the selection of Greek myths and Hawthorne's cheeky tone

[Kiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my 9 year old. It is a collection of classic myths retold for children. We both really enjoyed it.

[A. Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would much rather read Rick Riordan's version of the greek myths. But all that aside, it was more enjoyable than the rest of the books required to read for school this semester.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I worship Nathaniel Hawthorne. He is a masterful writer. He captures the character of old New England. His stories and his people are unique and unforgettable. But most of all he deserves his place in the literary pantheon on account his incomparable command of the English language. Sadly, he screwed the pooch with this one. These saccharine Bowdlerized retellings for children of stories from Greek mythology did not work for me. I can only assume that he wrote this abomination in response to the demands of his publisher or perhaps they were intended for his own children. In any case his retellings suck the vitality out of the stories. The proud, lustful, playful gods of Greece and the heroes obsessed with sex and honor become pale reflections of their original selves here, barely recognizable and uninteresting. My father taught a course in Greek Mythology at the University of Kentucky and had me grading the final exams by the time I was twelve, so when I was quite young I was exposed to the unadulterated versions of these stories. It didn't do me any harm, and I fell in love with them precisely because they are transgressive and totally at odds with our idea of moral order. Dumbing them down as Mr. Hawthorne has done here does a great disservice to the original versions and makes it more likely that children will be bored rather than enchanted by these timeless stories.

[Veilan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lesser version of its' predecessor, but Tanglewood Tales does do one thing that A Wonder Book doesn't do as prominently, and that is in the selection and perspective of the myths told. Many of them are obviously some of the more famous stories, but I found the story of the Pygmies with Antaeus particularly unique, and the famous "Rape of Persephone/Proserpine" story was given a unique perspective from Hades' own internal thought process. Still super creepy and weird and bowdlerized to hell and back, but it was interesting nonetheless.

The appeal to children didn't work as well in this book as in the previous one, mostly because there was no perspective of Eustace Bright outside of the introduction, and there wasn't much internal justification for it being so heavily bowdlerized like in the first story. The myths themselves were still enjoyable, if not a little more plain, but in Hawthorne's own satirical words: "I know from my own experience, that an author's last work is always his best one, in his own estimate, until it quite loses the red heat of composition. After that, it falls into its true place, quietly enough."

[AlpacaRon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the illustrations by Virginia Frances Sterrett and that could be the only reason this isn’t a 1/5.

Actually found these retelling bothersome and particularly loathe some of the name choices. What could possess you to call Hermes/Mercury, Quicksilver? Emblematic of what was not enjoyable about the stories in totum.

If I’m being really harsh, and I think it only fair that I do so, he’s stripped the myths of any of their Greekness and made them quite lame. Also totally not accurate and that is irksome.

[Gareth Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining retelling of Greek myths for older children. Although written a century and a half ago, the stories spring off the page. You also meet some vocabulary that has sadly fallen out of use!
My version was a beautifully produced folio edition in hardback with stylised illustrations that enhanced the text.
Had been on my shelves for 17 years, I’m embarrassed to say, ut now, I want someone else to enjoy them.

[Elin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d certainly much rather have the kids read this than Ovid’s Metamorphoses, no doubt about that. A good intro to Greek/Roman myths to be sure. Between this and the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne proves to be a very versatile writer. Must read more by him.

[Priscilla]

Read for directing challenge B! Interesting moral stories based in greek mythology but not my favorite.

[Tracy Rees · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the Greek myths and I didn't love this retelling of them. Mixed up the names between Greek and Roman, made the stories more like fables or preachy warnings about behaviour!

[Angela Bergeron · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 9 year old gives it a 5/5 as a read aloud.

[Mallie Milesté · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though it had a very fun idea, that I was very exited for, it was not as well executed. Reading this was a little disappointing.

[TM (lattegems) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not too bad. Retelling of Greek myths. In the audiobook, they did well using different voices.

[Rebecca Stilson]

I tried to listen to the audiobook, but I think it’s designed for children and I couldn’t do it

[Harper Wagner · Rating 1 out of 5]

absolutely hated it. not suggested