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heyitsandreaw's review against another edition
5.0
Only five stars for the fantastic illustrations and layout of the book :)
thaurisil's review against another edition
4.0
This is a collection of short tales written by Beedle the Bard, supposedly told to young wizards and witches the same way Muggle children were told stories by the Grimm Brothers. The idea is that although variations were passed down through the ages, this collection was translated by Hermione from the original runes and are hence the originals told by Beedle. Each story is appended with notes by Dumbledore, and the book is sprinkled throughout with footnotes by Rowling.
The stories themselves are simple tales, each with a moral, and clearly catering to young children. They reminded me of Enid Blyton's short stories. My favorite was Rabbity Babbity and the Cackling Stump, in part because of the fun little twist at the end. The Tale of the Three Brothers explaining the elder wand, the resurrection stone and the invisibility cloak is included as well.
Dumbledore's notes appeal more to adults, and were for me the highlight of the book. The first story, about a wizard who learns to use his magic for the good of his his Muggle neighbours, is immediately followed by Dumbledore's pronouncement that anybody who thinks of the story as a heartwarming tale is a nincompoop. He then goes on to explain that in the time when Beedle wrote the story, wizards and witches were persecuted by Muggles. His notes cover wizarding history, wizarding culture, anecdotes from his time in Hogwarts, magically laws and principles, and moralistic messages. Occasionally, they tell more about characters mentioned in the novels, such as Professor Kettleburn, the previous Care of Magical Creatures teacher, or items like the elder wand.
Other plus points are Rowling's illustrations and the fact that proceeds from the book go to charity.
Overall, this is a delightful little book. It doesn't add much to the novels and isn't a must-read, but it is a nice companion book and would be enjoyed by fans of the novels.
The stories themselves are simple tales, each with a moral, and clearly catering to young children. They reminded me of Enid Blyton's short stories. My favorite was Rabbity Babbity and the Cackling Stump, in part because of the fun little twist at the end. The Tale of the Three Brothers explaining the elder wand, the resurrection stone and the invisibility cloak is included as well.
Dumbledore's notes appeal more to adults, and were for me the highlight of the book. The first story, about a wizard who learns to use his magic for the good of his his Muggle neighbours, is immediately followed by Dumbledore's pronouncement that anybody who thinks of the story as a heartwarming tale is a nincompoop. He then goes on to explain that in the time when Beedle wrote the story, wizards and witches were persecuted by Muggles. His notes cover wizarding history, wizarding culture, anecdotes from his time in Hogwarts, magically laws and principles, and moralistic messages. Occasionally, they tell more about characters mentioned in the novels, such as Professor Kettleburn, the previous Care of Magical Creatures teacher, or items like the elder wand.
Other plus points are Rowling's illustrations and the fact that proceeds from the book go to charity.
Overall, this is a delightful little book. It doesn't add much to the novels and isn't a must-read, but it is a nice companion book and would be enjoyed by fans of the novels.
shadylane00's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
michellekpn's review against another edition
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
blutterfly's review against another edition
4.0
THE TALES OF BEEDLE THE BARD
(Harry Potter Companion)
J.K. Rowling
[**** ] 4 Stars Overall.
Short. Spin-off. Whatever. Still exceptionally good. Haters gonna hate. Potterheads shall rule the world. Evul laugh of doom.
------
The Wizard and the Hoping Pot:
[***-------]
Meh story. Really good extra info by Dumbledore.
The Fountain of Fair Fortune:
[**********]
This may be my favorite story after the last one. The notes are absolutely freaking hilarious!
The Warlock's Hairy Heart:
[*********-]
Holy crap, I was not expecting a horror story! Romeo & Juliet turned creeper creeps than they were. Dumbledore, and J. K. through him, are just pure brilliancy.
Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump:
[******----]
I kinda understand why Ron would mention this story in canon; it's the most underrated one. By the way, damn but J. K. is a freaking mistress queen at staying in character while interweaving her mental image of the Wizarding World with muggle myth and history.
The Tale of the Three Brothers:
[**********]
"And then he greeted Death as an old friend..." For some reason this one sentence has stuck with me ever since I heard it for the first time. As for Dumbledore, I have an itsy bit of hatred for the man but he is indeed very wise and sharp as it gets. "... which goes to show that, clever as I am, I remain just as big a fool as anyone else."
------
Song: I'll Be OK by McFly.
(Harry Potter Companion)
J.K. Rowling
[**** ] 4 Stars Overall.
Short. Spin-off. Whatever. Still exceptionally good. Haters gonna hate. Potterheads shall rule the world. Evul laugh of doom.
------
The Wizard and the Hoping Pot:
[***-------]
Meh story. Really good extra info by Dumbledore.
The Fountain of Fair Fortune:
[**********]
This may be my favorite story after the last one. The notes are absolutely freaking hilarious!
The Warlock's Hairy Heart:
[*********-]
Holy crap, I was not expecting a horror story! Romeo & Juliet turned creeper creeps than they were. Dumbledore, and J. K. through him, are just pure brilliancy.
Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump:
[******----]
I kinda understand why Ron would mention this story in canon; it's the most underrated one. By the way, damn but J. K. is a freaking mistress queen at staying in character while interweaving her mental image of the Wizarding World with muggle myth and history.
The Tale of the Three Brothers:
[**********]
"And then he greeted Death as an old friend..." For some reason this one sentence has stuck with me ever since I heard it for the first time. As for Dumbledore, I have an itsy bit of hatred for the man but he is indeed very wise and sharp as it gets. "... which goes to show that, clever as I am, I remain just as big a fool as anyone else."
------
Song: I'll Be OK by McFly.
august1n's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kristenbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Good companion to the Harry Potter series. I've never felt the need to re-read it, but as someone who loves the series, I'm glad I read it the first time.
mini_margaritta's review against another edition
3.0
Fun easy read for those Harry Potter fans out there.
nyx_and_moon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0