I was given two copies of the Tales of Beedle the Bard for Christmas, attesting to the fact that my family knows me quite well. I hadn’t explicitly asked for it, but people often think of me and think of magical worlds, and well, the book makes sense (especially since you can find it everywhere from Wal-Mart to your neighborhood gas station, I’ll warrant).
I didn’t crack it open for a few days, just because I had other books to read. But when I did, I wasn’t expecting much. I must say I was a little disappointed by the end of the whole Potter series, though undeniably still attached to the characters. This book appeared to me as well, a little reaching. Sure, I knew that it was going to be for charity which is good. But the whole debacle between Rowling and the Harry Potter Lexicon has made me a little wary of the lady. Sure, we’re all entitled to our opinions on the subject, but I have a much freer definition of creative license than she does.
What’s surprising to me about the book is how genuine it feels. Even as a purported children’s book, it’s very, well, medieval. And it’s supposed to be. (Beedle and Bede? Yes, there’s got to be a connection there.) I think the least effective of the tales is the one from the books, “The Tale of the Three Brothers”–and yet it rings particularly medieval, due to its characterization of Death, etc. I suppose I was waylaid by the silly names, like “Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump” and “The Wizard’s Hairy Heart”–but what struck me was how these stories are, like many medieval tales, a bit on the gruesome side. There’s little candy-coating there (not that Rowling does that much to begin with, but I assumed she would here).
And of course, there’s the whole frame of the book; that it is, in fact, edited by Hermione Granger with commentary by Albus Dumbledore. I thought this would be distracting, but I was surprised to find that, reading Dumbledore’s commentary, I found I actually missed the guy quite a bit. As for Ms. Granger’s presence, there really isn’t any detectable. Which makes sense for an academic like she is.
All in all, it’s a surprisingly good read. Certainly nothing on par with the whole series, but a great little supplement. And certainly a treat that gets a chuckle from those of us with medieval leanings. I think Rowling certainly did her homework on this one.
The Aldersgate Cycle 
January 9, 2009 at 11:43 pm
I also enjoyed the medieval element, because I feel fary tales these days are a touch to tame at time. When I think of, and of course I can’t think of the name, Matt Damon was in it, the two brothers. OH the brothers grimm, yes. That was exceedingly dark, but sadly it was i think PG-13, maybe R? but i don’t think so. Anyways, I’d probably take my kids to see it, of course that would be if I had kids, but really. It’s the classic fairy tales I grew up with, and just as gory, and I turned out fine, if not overly thoughtful and imaginative.
but yes, the book was good but not, entertaining but not, and I agree with your review, well put.
January 9, 2009 at 11:51 pm
@featherbookseries I think there’s definitely something to be said about that. Of course no one would warrant giving kids too much gore, but a little reality doesn’t hurt. Kids are sheltered to the point that they don’t get to experience anything of substance through fiction. In my opinion, experiencing such things leads to being better equipped to handle actual events in one’s life (death, fear, loss, etc). That’s part of the magic!