Gem ’s Comments (group member since Sep 12, 2022)

Gem ’s comments from the Once Upon a Time... group.

Lisa wrote: "The lack of morals is one thing that is kind of surprising me. Another is the short length of many/most of them. I guess I am just so used to retellings, most of which do clearly point out a lesson..."

Even the ones we know, from various movies, are nothing like the originals. I think it's fun. It might take me a while but I will finish reading this book.

Lisa wrote: "I'm feeling kind of guilty about this one. I'm only at the beginning of the second part! I do like the tales, but so many are repetitive, and there are just soooo very many!"

Yes, I haven't finished it but plan on reading a few tales every day until I finish it. Don't feel guilty, it's not worth it. You're right they are many that are repetitive. I've also found that that I don't get/see the moral in many of them. I read some and think, "What was that all about?"

I ordered a copy of this book at the library, it's waiting to be picked up. I'm hoping to get it in the next couple of day.

Lisa wrote: "I am getting ready to start the 31st story, Maiden Without Hands, later today. As expected, many of them have been somewhat gruesome."

I don't mind that so much but a lot of these tales I never would have read to my children. Some are pretty dark.

Lisa wrote: "That is true with a lot of the tales. Although, in the Cinderella one, the step sisters are beautiful too, just not as beautiful as Cinderella."

Yes, that's true and contrary to the Disney story.

I've read the first 21 stories (from The Frog King/Iron Henry through Cinderella). I find it strange that beauty equates to good/worthy even if they start off not so good and ugly equates to bad/unworthy. This comes of to me as rather shallow. Don't get me wrong, I love the stories individually but reading them in blocks things like this seem to jump out at me.

I started reading this, it's an ebook on hoopla. I love hoopla, instant downloads, no waiting, and returns automatically.

I read the acknowledgments and introductions (there are two) this morning, it is about 9.5% of the book. I'm going to start on the tales this afternoon while I wait for my husband to have some medical testing done. The information contained in the beginning of this edition is really interesting. It talks not only about how the Grimm Brothers put together the tales in 1812 & 1815 but about their lives as well, which is a thing for me. It also listed a number of their sources, again a thing for me, some more reading material... like I need to add to my tbr list, lol.

Hi all, I'll be leading this month's read of the Grimm Fairy Tales. I will be reading the original 1812 & 1815 tales edited by Jack Zipes. My son is supposed to be coming in for the holiday weekend if his flight is not delayed/canceled due to the hurricane currently hitting Flordia. If he makes it, I won't start this read until he leaves on Monday. Otherwise I'll start this weekend.

Bonnie wrote: "I'm sorry to hear about your grandbaby. Sending well wishes."

Thanks Bonnie.

Lisa wrote: "there were times I wanted to shake or slap one of them"

Same, lol. I've got a few more chapters, I'm so curious to see how all the storylines end now that they have crossed.

I'm sorry I haven't been around much. My eldest grandbaby has been in the hospital... today makes day 13. I am glued to my phone waiting for updates from my daughter then to turn around and let my overly attached mother know what's going on. It's exhausting.

Cheryl wrote: "I had to dnf it. I lasted twice as long as usual before making that decision (p. 110 instead of 50) but I just got exhausted by the unrelenting misery due to treatment of the women and the people w..."

There certainly is a lot going on that is oppressive.

Lisa wrote: "exactly why does he want the child so badly?"

I wondered that too but my guess would be that he is probably lonely and wanted a child to add human contact and love to his life.

When I was reading this I couldn't get Robert Carlyle's Mr. Gold character out of my head. That giggle and picturing him dancing around a fire... too much!

In the version I read it was short and sweet, nothing bloody or gory. I'm not sure I "get" the moral. Admittedly I often have trouble pinpointing the moral unless it's abundantly clear... I'm very literal when I read (I don't "get" satire for example).

Well, that was quick only three pages. I'll reserve my comments until others have had a chance to read this story.

Hi folks... I started reading this one yesterday in the waiting room of my husband's doctor. I started reading this once before and stopped for some reason, I'm looking forward to finding out what happens.

Hi folks! I've downloaded the Jake Zipes The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm: The Complete First Edition in order to read an edition of Rumpelstiltskin as written in 1812 (although translated). Starting (and hoping to finish) this one today.

Susan wrote: "Hello, everyone--I'm Susan, and I love to travel with folk tales/fairy tales/myths as they shift and split and twist through time, from their earliest tellings through the latest translations, adap..."

Hi Susan, welcome, it's good to have you. I look forward to your perspective. It's my experience that theater folks often see things from a different angle (my husband it a theater guy - former actor/director).

I am reading the version by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve but I just started last evening and didn't get very far before I started fighting my eyes.

I really enjoyed this book... I think it's my favorite retelling to date. At first I couldn't figure out how the story was related to the Little Mermaid. I enjoyed the suspense and am so glad the romance did not overwhelm the story. I don't read "romance" books. I don't mind the element of romance and I think here it was done just right.

I listened to the audiobook because I couldn't get a physical or ebook. I want to read/listen to the first two books. I like this author. I agree with everything Lisa said in her review above.

Starting this one now. I'll pop back in when I get far enough along to have an opinion.