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lorees_reading_nook's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
3.0
This collection of Russian folk tales, narrated by Old Peter to his grandchildren, is an entertaining introduction to Russian folklore but are darker and more gruesome than the sanitised Disney fairytales that most children these days are used to. Anyone reading them should be aware of misogyny (cruel old women who complain a lot abound), chauvinism, domestic abuse (men beating women and, occasionally, vice versa), and an emphasis on physical beauty (epitomised by golden hair and blue eyes).
I didn't love these tales and they did tend to merge together after a while, but I thought they were mildly entertaining. It was also interesting to compare them to the Grimm fairytales that I am more familiar with. I wouldn't recommend this book for very young children as a number of the tales are not appropriate for that age group (I can see my young self getting nightmares if they were read to me). Older children (8 or over) may enjoy them with parental guidance.
krista0610's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
rachelish's review against another edition
4.0
Loses a star for the stories which promote wife-beating, but overall interesting, charming and generally lovely.
heirloomroses's review against another edition
4.0
The thing I like most about this group of tales is the frame story of Peter and his grandchildren. An enjoyable read.
edders's review
3.0
This is an entertaining mix of old fairytales - some myths, some fables, but most just stories set in traditional Russia. It would be very interesting to see Russian versions of these and compare them to Arthur Ransome's edition/translation - just how far has he Anglicised it all? How much of the style is his, and how much Russian? Is the setting (Old Peter and his grandchildren, Vanya and Maroosia) Ransome's or is it something older?
Not as dark or as blunt as Grimm's fairy tales, these are still at times pretty strange by English standards. Worth reading, as a child or an adult.
Not as dark or as blunt as Grimm's fairy tales, these are still at times pretty strange by English standards. Worth reading, as a child or an adult.
qui's review
3.0
Russian fairy tales rewritten for children. Decent in it's way, though there are some stories about how it's okay to beat your wife, which is not really decent at all.
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