Reviews
kids, never sacrifice anything for a man — it WILL kill you one way or another
The illustrated The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson and Bernadette is a marvellous little tale that recounts the exact story of The Little Mermaid. The illustrations are very soft and subtle, making this story feel more whimsical than how dark it actually is. I did enjoy re-reading this fairy tale and taking a trip down memory lane, with the help of some pictures this time around! I appreciate new versions of these stories coming out with new pictures to help bring the classics back to life. My only complaint is that this version it felt like it didn't bring anything new to the story. It was just new pictures. I understand it's an exact replica with new pictures, but I wanted a little more? Maybe more exciting pictures with brighter (or even darker) colours? This soft palette just didn't feel like it matched much. It felt more Disney than Hans Christian Andersen. Three out of five stars. Thank you to NetGalley and NorthSouth Books for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
3 ½ stars i knew the original version was sad but holy shit
The traditional telling of the dark classic where the youngest daughter of the sea king wishes only to go above the waves, to the land of men. She is told that when she reaches the age of 15 she may visit above the waves, but must not be seen. She goes on her birthday and ends up saving the prince from drowning, and of course she falls in love. She exchanges her fins for legs to be with the prince however it causes her nothing but pain, when she dances it is as if knives are stabbing into her soft feet. She ends up flinging herself back into the see.. love lost and desperate. I have always enjoyed the classic dark tales of the original adaptations by Hans Christian Anderson. Though so much darker than the more popular Disney versions, these ones are not intended for young children. With morals and guidance more for an older audience. I enjoy the more blunt emotions in these versions.
This is one of my favorite classic fairytales of all time. I read it for the first time a couple of years ago and even though it is short, it packs an emotional punch that stays with me long after. While the Disney version is fun, I highly encourage everyone to read this original because it is so different. It is heartbreaking and beautifully written. I also highly recommend reading this original version, since some of the retellings that are being written are based off of this and not the Disney version. I think that since the two are different, it is throwing off some people's expectations of those books.
Actually so much better than I expected!
I loved the Disney-version and knew the original was very different, but never had the chance to actually sit down and read it. I am really glad I finally could! Anderson’s descriptions are beautiful and the plot heartbreaking. All in all well deserving of these four stars!
