The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

L. Frank Baum

Kindle Book

In a terrifying instant of darkness, a tornado snatches up Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto, whirling them on the wild wind out of Kansas and straight to Oz. 
In this wondrous world of sorcery and danger, Munchkins, flying monkeys, talking mice and fighting trees, all Dorothy wants to do is go home...

Together with the Scarecrow who wants a brain, the Tin Man who wants a heart, and the Cowardly Lion who wants courage, Dorothy and Toto must follow the Yellow Brick Road to find the Wizard of the Emerald City. But before the wizard of Oz will grant their wishes, Dorothy and her friends must do the impossible--Destroy the all-powerful Wicked Witch of the West... 

Everyone knows the story of the wizard of Oz – Kanas and the tornado, Dorothy & Toto wanting to go home, Scarecrow looking for a brain, Tin Man wanting a heart and a cowardly lion needing courage plus a couple of wicked witches, flying monkeys and the wonderful wizard himself. It’s been made famous by several films – the most famous being the Judy Garland one, had a hit musical Wicked and a glorious 3D adventure earlier this year with Oz The Great and Powerful, but with all this going on I realised I hadn’t read the original story itself. Oh, I thought I knew it but in my ongoing attempt to squeeze some classics into my reading schedule , this seemed like a nice ‘light’ classic for kids that I could pick up on holiday. While it is certainly an easy read aimed at children I found myself completely enthralled in Dorothy and her companion’s adventures while delighting in this world that the films I’ve seen have barely touched upon.

 I really enjoyed Dorothy’s friends exploits on their adventures that aren’t frequently covered on screen or stage with the Scarecrow thinking their way out of various problems while still lamenting his lack of a brain, the Tin Man saving various creatures while wishing he could feel more while the lion protects the group from various dangers while still feeling scared. All are smarter, more caring and braver than the film has ever portrayed them and really made me warm to them. I loved some of their escapades that aren’t well known including being chased by Kalidah – huge monsters crossed between a tiger and a bear and the background to the flying monkeys. The world is much more complicated than it first appeared and I felt like it was a real metaphor for life. Dorothy didn’t develop too much character apart from being a ‘good girl’ – and at one point she wanted to steal a china princess to take home with home her! Still she is more like our guide than a real person and it never bothered me too much.

This is a fun read which doesn’t disappoint if you love the films and world from other media. It is still surprising and fun with lots of pleasant twists on characters you think you already know. L. Frank Baum wrote a wide selection of other stories about Oz and I certainly plan to pick up a couple more and explore this wonderful world in more detail. 

Recommended for fans of Rudyard Kipling and Gregory Maguire. 8 out of 10

The Time Machine Review

The Time Machine

H.G. Wells

Kindle Book

When the Time Traveller courageously stepped out of his machine for the first time, he found himself in the year 802,700--and everything has changed.  In another, more utopian age, creatures seemed to dwell together in perfect harmony.  The Time Traveller thought he could study these marvelous beings--unearth their secret and then retum to his own time--until he discovered that his invention, his only avenue of escape, had been stolen.  

I picked this book up on a whim – I had been reading a lot of YA books and still had one more to read and review, but I really fancied something in a different genre and seeing as this book is only 120-odd pages I thought I could slip it in easily enough. Long term followers will be aware that I don’t tend to read many classics (Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice are still books I might get around too at some point), but I’ve quite enjoyed dipping into HG Wells back catalogue in the past plus I just love time travel stories. I blame Marty McFly and Doc Brown for that particular love!

The story is told by a friend of the Time Traveller who first of all hears his theories of time travel and then his extraordinary story of his first travel through time. One of the things that I noticed almost straight away is the lack of names given characters in this story. The Time Traveller is always referred to as the Time Traveller, his dinner companions are usually referred to by their jobs – the Journalist, the Editor, the Doctor (no, not The Doctor...at least I don’t think!). This allows them to almost be caricatures in your own head rather than actual personalities.

As to the adventure, it is both similar and completely different to the numerous films based on the book. He does travel to the far future and meet the child-like Eloi (his words) and the dark dwelling Morlocks. Overall, there is less action in the story than you’d expect with most of it based on thoughts and a lot of walking around rather than much positive action. The Traveller has numerous theories as to how the Eloi and Morlocks evolved – so at times it almost feels like a subtle lecture from HG Wells on the ills of the class system in Victorian times.

That said, there are some fascinating ideas that are played with and the Travellers experience both with the Eloi and the Morlock and his other adventures in time are never less than interesting. It is easy to understand how this has become the template for most time travel stories. Well’s writing is both challenging and encouraging. This is a classic for a reason and one I think is worth reading for any fan of time travel stories.

Recommended for fans of Alexander Dumas and Lewis Carroll. 8 out of 10

Grimm Tales Reviews

Grimm Tales For Young and Old

Philip Pullman

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Two hundred years ago, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published the first volume of Children’s and Household Tales. Now, at a veritable fairy-tale moment—witness the popular television shows Grimm and Once Upon a Time and this year’s two movie adaptations of “Snow White”—Philip Pullman, one of the most popular authors of our time, makes us fall in love all over again with the immortal tales of the Brothers Grimm.
From much-loved stories like “Cinderella” and “Rumpelstiltskin,” “Rapunzel” and “Hansel and Gretel” to lesser-known treasures like “Briar-Rose,” “Thousandfurs,” and “The Girl with No Hands,” Pullman retells his fifty favorites, paying homage to the tales that inspired his unique creative vision—and that continue to cast their spell on the Western imagination

This was an interesting collection of stories to read. Philip Pullman has reinterpreted some of the classic fairy tales collected by original Grimm Brothers. As a long time Pullman fan and a fan of fairy tales, I was very happy to receive a pretty hardback version from my long-time friend and occasional guest reviewer, Sarah for Christmas. (The cover looks a lot nicer in real life than it does in this picture!)

There are a lot of familiar ideas and stories in this book – but there are plenty of not so well known ones that are a joy to discover for the first time. The ‘new’ writing of them is easy to follow and feels very traditional. It was fun to see that the original Cinderella didn’t have a fairy Godmother or a pumpkin coach for example. I was fascinated as well by Pullman’s notes at the end of the story which delved into the changes he made or the different interpretations of the story over the years. This also served to remind me that even the same basic story can be flexible enough to change – even in the lifetime of the Grimm Brothers. One of my favourite ideas lies in the idea of repetition with many elements done three times with only slight variations as well as the idea that being kind to strangers and creatures usually brings a reward.

However, there I found I couldn’t read too many of the tales in one sitting as by their very nature there is little character beyond general strokes of ‘lazy’, ‘cheerful’, ‘evil’, ‘innocent’, ‘clever’. The stories are only ever a few pages so there is no time to get to know or develop character (in fact few even have names) and the plots don’t have the same complexity as modern novels. As a result I ended up reading this book over a month, slipping in a few stories between my main reads which meant I was never bored or just flipping through.

This is a very different type of book and almost needs to classed separately. Overall though, this was a joyful read which brought make many memories of listening to my parents read to me when I was younger and is definitely a book I want to keep to read to other children when I can.

Recommended for fans of Marissa Meyer and Malinda Lo. 8 out of 10

The Curious Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Review

The Curious Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

-       Robert Louis Stevenson

Kindle Book

Dr. Jekyll has been experimenting with identity. He has developed a drug which separates the two sides of his nature, allowing him to abandon himself to his most corrupt inclinations as the monstrous Mr. Hyde. But gradually the journey back to goodness becomes more and more difficult, and the risk that Mr. Hyde will break free from Dr. Jekyll’s control puts all of London in grave peril

As regular readers of my blog will be aware I’m not much for the classics – I’ve never read Jane Eyre and despite some constant encouragement of a certain BookGirl of Mur-y-Castell I have never even picked up Pride and Prejudice. But a quick glance at my stats as my most popular posts happen to be the few classics I have read – the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and A Christmas Carol. So I thought I would try to mix up my reading with some of the science fiction and adventure classics occasionally. So for Halloween I decided to read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde...

Once again I am struck by how the story you think you know is NOT the story that was first written. Told through the point of view of My Utterson, Jekyll’s long time friend and lawyer we first meet Mr Hyde via some gossip. He is described as small and young but with some sort of peculiar loathing that he seems to inspire to make everyone feel. Mr Utterson is worried about how this vile creature seems to have attached itself to his good friend Dr Jekyll. It is some time before we meet Dr Jekyll who is described as an amiable, elderly gentleman who does many good deeds for the community. I have to confess the idea of My Hyde as a slight, young man surprised me – I always had that picture in my head of a big, hunched monster which is how he is usually seen in films and TV shows!

The story actually takes places over a couple of years and is very much influenced by Victorian manners and society at that time for doctors and lawyers. Mr Utterson is very worried about his friends reputation and if he is being blackmailed or not. There is a great insight into how men of a certain age and level of society behave towards each other – indeed the only women in the whole plot are a maid (who cries and faints) and a selfish, corrupt housekeeper – each of whom only have once scene each. An insight into women at that time or more an insight into Robert Louis Stevenson’s attitudes towards women? I’ll leave that to the English Literature graduates to discuss, but this is very much a man’s story about man’s urges.

Dr Jekyll himself admits he is still himself as Mr Hyde but without conscience – free to indulge his base instincts. Unless I missed it (always possible!), these base instincts are not revealed explicitly and apart from a short temper and tendency towards violence, it is left to your own imagination to think what these base instincts are. I found that particularly interesting as each person would probably be thinking of their own deepest and reviled thoughts at that point. This makes you part of the story and more involved in MR Hyde's activities. 

This is a classic for a reason as the reader is drawn into the story – and even knowing the ‘twist’ can read it on many levels. I imagine the surprise ending would have been as revolutionary in its day as The Sixth Sense was when it first came out! It’s not a long book and perhaps a little wordy for modern sensibilities but this is a fascinating insight into the ‘true’ story behind the myth we all know. It's not a long story - but there is a reason it has stayed with us for the last hundred years!

Recommended for fans of Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley. 8 out of 10

Little (occasionally annoying, sometimes infuriating) Women‏

Last week I chuckled when my friend Emma wrote a mini-rant on facebook about one of the great classic books of female literature - Little Women by Louise May Alcott so I asked her to expand on her thoughts here...and for those of you who don't know anything about the story it's still a very amusing mini-rant!

Little Women
- Louise May Alcott

Little Women is the heartwarming story of the March family that has thrilled generations of readers. It is the story of four sisters--Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth-- and of the courage, humor and ingenuity they display to survive poverty and the absence of their father during the Civil War.

The classic American novel Little Women has one of fiction's most famous opening lines*:

" "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents, " grumbled Jo, lying on the rug"

 

and off we go into the world of the March sisters - refined Meg, tomboyish Jo, saintly Beth and vain Amy. I first met these girls when I was aged about 10, thanks to my aunt's childhood copy of the novel sitting temptingly on the shelf at my Grandparents' house, and I remember enjoying the time I spent in their company. Last week, many years older, I picked up the book again. I'd recently visited Boston and New England, where Louise May Alcott had lived and had set her story, and was seized by an urge to read it again. On Saturday I finished it, sighed, logged onto facebook and wrote:

"I've just finished rereading Little Women, which I remember loving as a child. Is it wrong that I now find all the female characters insufferably goody goody?"

Mel saw my mini-rant and kindly offered me this opportunity to try to try and better explain my problems with the book. Before reading any further a warning: there are going to be PLOT SPOILERS ahead, so beware if you've not read it. There may also be some shouting if things go badly. Turn away now if you, like little Beth, are of a delicate disposition.

So what changed? How did the fun story in my memory of the growing pains of four friendly, lively sisters turn into a highly moralistic and sanctimonious tale of doing your duty, learning how to be a proper housewife and giving up all your childhood dreams? I've had a long think about this and come to the conclusion that the problem isn't with the novel, it's with me. I grew up and, unlike the March girls, got feminist. As a child of about the same age as Amy I could enjoy their young adventures with their conveniently rich and handsome neighbour Laurie, think it sweet when Jo finally finds the man of her dreams, and probably didn't pay much attention to the lessons on being a good little wife from their saintly mother. As an adult I'm disappointed and annoyed that Jo has apparently sacrificed her promising writing career for an old man with a comedy german accent. A man moreover who seems to randomly turn up again after not being heard of for three years. I don't understand why she can't do both, but in this world if you're a women you should know your place (in the home, looking after your husband) and be content.

I shouldn't be completely negative. The young protaganists do feel like real people (well, maybe not saintly Beth, but she's the typical child innocent who turns up all the time in Victorian fiction to teach us all a lesson in suffering), and you do get a strong impression of what it's like to live in their world. Thinking back over it, I did enjoy the story, I just wish the Pilgrims Progress preachiness could be unwrapped from the coming of age tale.

Does this mean you can't go back and revisit old childhood friends? Definitely not! Last time I was over here it was to sing the praises of Diana Wynne Jones whose books I've never stopped enjoying. However, tread carefully and don't be too upset if you find that you're now more mature than the dated playfellows you've left behind. I'm going to try this experiment again and see if another classic American children's novel Anne of Green Gables has fared better. Maybe I'll come back and tell you how I got on if, as I'm sure a proper Miss March would say, Mel permits me the indulgence.

*really, it does. I checked with google

Frankenstein Review

Frankenstein

-       Mary Shelley

Kindle Book

Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness.

Everyone knows the story of Frankenstein, don’t they? Mad scientist in a castle in the mountains, servant called Igor, lightening brings a monster with a bolt through his neck to life; monster is hideous but has a heart of gold and is mistakenly hunted down by villagers with pitchforks. That’s the basic story isn’t it? Well, that’s what I thought before I started reading the actual book, the inspiration behind hundred of TV and film adaptations and re-imaginings. Instead I found a very different novel where there are only shades of grey – a young scientist who is obsessed with what he can do, he doesn’t think about if he should (and yes I deliberately mis-quoting Jurassic Park!).

The novel is told in flashback as Frankenstein is rescued in the Arctic by a ship of exploration as he pursues his creation to the ends of the earth. He tells the captain of ship of his quest and the complicated history he shares with the monster. There is no castle – the monster is built in Frankenstein’s lodgings in town, no lightening, no Igor, no bolt and no villagers with pitchforks. And the monster? Well, that is complicated. He may hideous to look at, but as he learns and gains knowledge I felt much sympathy for his blight – after all we know the adage about not judging a book by its cover (although we are all guilty of doing that to some extent!). So at first my sympathy was for the monster and I despised Frankenstein. But then events conspired that I changed my mind and reversed my allegiance. I can’t say too much as I don’t want to spoil the true story! However, I would say that no matter what our past is and our circumstances at some point you have to take responsibility for your own actions – and inactions. For me that is what both the scientist and the creation is guilty of – not taking responsibility for themselves and their choices.

Overall, though I really enjoyed the true story – so different from the Hollywood version – as is the case with many of the classics! The writing was grand, epic and perhaps a little melodramatic at times, but which of us when telling our own stories doesn’t make it as dramatic as possible? A perfect gothic story to read as the nights draw on and cold creeps in.

Recommended for fans of Bram Stoker and Alexander Dumas. 8 out of 10  

Joint Review: The Midwich Cuckoos

Once again I welcome my guest reviewer, Sarah who this month is looking at a classic spooky story...actually, after reading her review I was so intrigued I borrowed her copy and started reading it myself! As such I've added a little commentary to Sarah's review...so the italics are my thoughts.

The Midwich Cuckoos

- John Wyndham

Publisher: UK - Penguin Books

Aliens land in an isolated British village and impregnate all of the women. Nine months later strange children with glowing eyes and intense intelligence "Midwich Cuckoos," emerge to undertake the conquest of the world

Hello once again fellow Mel-followers!  Now, you know I am definitely a fantasy girl, but I must admit I have a deep affection for all things John Wyndham.  My favourite of his is The Kraken Wakes (a must-read), and so it was inevitable that I'd eventually get round to reading The Midwich Cuckoos. 

<I've read Day of the Triffids and The Chyrsalids and enjoyed both. I think John Wyndham is one of those writers I keep forgetting about! I must read more of his books...>

The story is told by Richard Gayford, an unusual narrator as he is often not at the centre of the action, so tells the story chronologically, but often in hindsight.  The story concerns an insular, nodescript village into which an alien race simultaneously impregnates every woman (by design? in desperation?).  The children, when they arrive, are very different and soon set the village, and eventually the world, in turmoil.
<The village sounds like a very quiet place - something both the locals and government seem determined to keep that way even after the incredible events that occur. It reminded me a number of a number of villages in the UK. The normailty of the village does make an interesting counter-point to the strange events that occur during the Dayout.>

What I love most about Wyndham's books, are even though they were written several decades ago, they do not really age - the stories could just as easily fit into our world as they could when they were conceived.  Yes, this story is a bit 'gappy' in places, and relatively simply concluded, but there are definite moments of menace and Wyndham is, as ever, thoroughly thought-provoking.  If you've never read a Wyndham book I wouldn't start here, but it's definitely a book to get round to.  Easily consumed in a day! 
<The slow pace adds to the atmosphere. There is a lot of talking, rather than action as you think about how to treat someone so different from 'everyone' else but yet still looks so human. Why do the children scare people so much? It is very creepy and while I agree the resolution was simple enough - it was the only way it truly could end.>

One for all fantasy and sci-fi readers, 8 out of 10.
<Recommended for fans of HG Wells and Margaret Atwood. 8 out of 10>

The Invisible Man Review

The Invisible Man

-       H.G. Wells

Kindle Book

It began with a quiet country inn—and a mysterious stranger, his features masked by gloves, dark glasses, and bandages that completely covered his head. Then came weird noises, the disembodied ravings, the phantom robberies, the haunted furniture... The violence...The rampages...The killing. An obscure scientist named Griffin had found a way to turn skin, flesh, blood and bones invisible—and tried the formula on himself. He could go anywhere; spy; steal; menace anyone. The Invisible Man had only two problems. He couldn't turn visible again. And he had gone quite murderously insane.

Sometimes reading classics I feel a bit like a seven year old trying on her mother’s make-up and high heels – that I’m attempting something that is a little beyond me at the moment. However, HG Wells has this way of writing that feels like you’re listening to someone talk rather than reading. This natural style means the pages just fly by and before I knew it I had finished one of the classic science-fiction stories of all time.

As is frequently the case, the original story of the Invisible Man is different from the various TV and film versions I’ve seen over the years (although I can now appreciate Kevin Bacon’s Hollow Man as being close to the source material!). The story actually starts in the middle and moves to near the end before flashing back to see how it all began. What comes through is how different the invisible man is – he feels superior to other people and looks down on them enabling to injure with impunity. In fact most of the time he isn’t named – just referred to as the invisible – it is only when referring to periods when he is visible that he is named.  

Although a relatively short book there is plenty of excitement and adventure to keep most people happy and more philosophical ponderings for those wanting some pop with their snap and crackle. However, the lack a relatable hero to root for leaves you feeling as disconnected from the mayhem as the invisible man is. There are few characters that appealed to me and I was left feeling like this was more an intellectual exercise than an emotional one. But overall, I think I'm starting to grow into those high heels...I may even be able to walk them! :-)

Recommended for fans Issac Asimov and Alistair Reynolds. 7 out of 10

The War of the Worlds Review

The War of the Worlds

-       H.G. Wells

Kindle Book

The night after a shooting star is seen streaking through the sky from Mars, a cylinder is discovered on Horsell Common in London. At first, naïve locals approach the cylinder armed just with a white flag – only to be quickly killed by an all-destroying heat-ray, as terrifying tentacled invaders emerge. Soon the whole of human civilisation is under threat, as powerful Martians build gigantic killing machines, destroy all in their path with black gas and burning rays, and feast on the warm blood of trapped, still-living human prey. The forces of the Earth, however, may prove harder to beat than they at first appear.

I had never read War of the Worlds before, but I knew the story from the various films made over the years (including most recently the Tom Cruise one), the Orson Welles radio broadcast and Jeff Wayne’s stage show/concert that I treated my parents to a few years ago. As such what surprised me most while reading this Sci-fi classic is just how surprising it is. This is the original alien invasion story that all others are based on. Without this story we wouldn’t have Independence Day or numerous other alien invasion stories. And despite similar plotlines being used a thousand times in the last one-hundred years, War of the Worlds is still pretty much perfect.

Set in the closing years of the 19^th century some mysterious explosions on Mars lead to cylinders crashing into Woking common. Slowly, these aliens emerge and with their superior technology soon have humanity on the run. The aliens are creepy, they eat people and are not humanised at all which only makes them scarier. However, it is the humans’ reaction that is perhaps the most frightening part of this story. The casual arrogance at first that these Martians will be defeated easily, and then the fear and panic, followed by the defeatism and guerrilla warfare plans. What would you do to survive? Would you sacrifice your family, friends, acquaintance, strangers? And despite this examining of what it means to be human, there is plenty of action and adventure as the power and intelligence of the Martian slowly becomes clear.

I felt extra glimmers of affection with the recognition of various places named – Weybridge, Byfleet and of course London, which gave me an added advantage of being able to picture the authors escape route. But even without that knowledge it’s fascinating to see read a book that is little more than 200 pages, but has rightly become such an important part of 21^st century culture, having influenced so many stories since it was first published. In short, it’s an easy read and compelling even after all this time.

Recommended for fans of blockbuster films! 9 out of 10.

A Christmas Carol Review

A Christmas Carol

- Charles Dickens
Kindle Book

Ebenezer Scrooge is a mean, miserable, bitter old man with no friends. One cold Christmas Eve, three ghosts take him on a scary journey to show him the error of his nasty ways. By visiting his past, present and future, Scrooge learns to love Christmas and the people all around him.

I’ve never read A Christmas Carol before but I know the story from having watched multiple versions over the years on TV. Around this time of year it is extremely unusual for a day to go by without at least one film of TV adaptation of the story to be shown – every variation from musical version to modern and not forgetting the Muppets! J As a result, I was slight intimidated to read the original story in case it didn’t match up to the ‘story’ I knew so well. But I’m nothing if not brave (in my reading choices at least!) and started it on my train journey up to Leeds. Outside of the cities there was still a lot of snow on the ground and it was a perfect background for this winter tale of redemption.

The story starts on Christmas Eve with the narrator telling us Marley is dead quite emphatically before introducing Scrooge and his miserly ways. The style of writing was not what I was expecting – it is written in the same way as you would tell a ghost story around the camp fire with the author referring to himself as a person throughout (as you and I would never do) and this lends an element of the familiar and personal connection to the story. This is re-enforced by many of the lines and phrases throughout which have been faithfully rendered into film and as such are familiar (“There’s more of Gravy than of Grave about you!”). In fact I’m amazed at how faithful most of the films have been! The story isn’t a long one and I finished it within a day, swept up in the prose, the story and the emotion. I was with Scrooge throughout as his hard heart melts and he is given a second chance – and I even had a tear in my eye at the end.

In all, the reading of A Christmas Carol was like coming home and putting on a big comfortable jumper – you know exactly what you’re going to get but there is no better feeling in the world. If you haven’t read it I strongly urge you to give it a try. Besides, how many other paranormal seasonal stories are going to give you the same emotional buzz?

Recommended for everyone. 10 out of 10.

And just for fun my favourite version of A Christmas Carol has to be the one with Gonzo as Charles Dickens! :)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Review

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

- Washington Irving

Kindle Book

The Legend of Sleep Hollow is a story written by Washington Irving, originally published in 1820. Set in the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town, New York in a secluded part of town called Sleep Hollow. Ichabod Crane, a schoolmaster, competes for the hand if eighteen year old Katrina Van Tassel, only to find himself hunted by the Headless Horseman.

Sleepy Hollow is a very different book to what I was expecting. I adore the Tim Burton film as it’s creepy, atmospheric and has great character moments. And while I did enjoy reading the original story, I found very little resemblance to the film - with the exception of a few characters names. In the story we follow Icabod Crane, a schoolmaster with very little in the way of possessions, as he attempts to woe the daughter of a wealthy land owner, until that is, his fateful encounter with the headless horseman.

What struck me most about the story were the descriptions of the countryside, the birds in the trees and the food on the table. I could picture the place vividly and this certainly gave the story atmosphere, although not the dark Gothic atmosphere I was expecting. However, there is a surprisingly comic aspect to the story I enjoyed. Most of the focus is on Icabod and his life including his fascination with the supernatural. While there is little background to the horseman, his motivations and history aren’t really touched upon – indeed it’s not even relevant to the story. This is really the story of Icabod and other characters are less people and more plot points that move the story on. I can see why this story has stuck in people’s minds – there is something about it that stick with you long after finishing. Perhaps it is the ending which is a cliff-hanger with no-one sure exactly what did happen. Overall, I found the story a pleasant read – atmospheric and memorable – I’d certainly recommend for you to read if you want to explore some classics.

Recommended for fans Willkie Collins and the Bronte Sisters. 8 out of 10

Brother Grimm Fairy Stories Review

Brothers Grimm Fairy Stories

Kindle Version

I admit I only downloaded this from the kindle store as it was free and I was experimenting when I first got my new kindle. However, having thought about fairy stories a lot recently (see my themed wish list), I thought I read some of the original stories to see how they diver from the more famous versions that Disney publicises. It’s a bit of a surprise to find out how many of these stories there actually are – most of which aren’t famous – The Goose Girl, Brother and Sister and others. There is a theme of poor becoming kings and queens, stepmothers jealous of their stepdaughters and being nice and polite to strangers in the land saves you from the horrible curses they place on haughty and stuck up people. I was fascinated to see how different some of the famous stories are from their origins – Cinderella for example went to the palace for three nights running and her dress wasn’t supplied by a fairy godmother but rather a robin in a tree. Her ugly sisters tried to trick the prince into marry them by cutting off their toes to fit in the slipper – only the blood gave them away. While not graphic, evil people tend to have their comeuppance and end up dead or never heard from again.

I enjoyed reading the Brothers Grimm version of these stories, especially seeing the differences between the plots ‘we all know’ and the version that everyone knew 500 years ago. The differences and changes show that these stories aren’t set in stone but flexible and continual evolving.

Recommended for those young at heart and as an antidote to the Disney happy ever afters. 8 out of 10.