Books, Fiction

Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire

Worth A Read Eh
Length 304
Quick Review Dirk Drosselmeier died in the forest as a child, and that set him on a unique path full of magic and mystery to become the beloved toy maker and creator of the nutcracker.

 

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Reading Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire | Wool Skirt | Shirt | Heels | Watch 

Gregory Maguire is best known for Wicked, a deconstruction of a part of the classic Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. In Hiddensee, Maguire tackles another character in a classic tale, The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Instead of tackling a deconstruction and retelling of the entire Nutcracker, Maguire takes on a critical yet small character in the original and turns him into the star of the story. 

Hiddensee is an anti-fairytale and has nothing to do with the ballet, which is probably why it has a fairly low rating on Goodreads. It’s not a story oozing Christmas, but it is full of magic. I’m not completely sure how I feel about the book. In a lot of ways, I really like it. In other ways, I didn’t love it.  

Dirk is a foundling growing up with an old man and old woman in the woods in 1808 in Bavaria, Germany. When he reaches a certain age, the old man takes him to cut down a tree. Due to an accident, Dirk dies and comes back to life. He goes into the world to find his way forever changed by the accident in more than one way. 

The narrative style adds to the feeling of an otherworldly fairy tale while cementing it in the real world. Though, the narrative style changes from the beginning of the story to the end. In the beginning, Maguire has a rhythm and rhyme to his descriptions of people and places, which helps set the story in a solidly fairy tale environment. As Dirk wanders further and further into the real world and away from his forest upbringing, the narrative becomes more concrete and less flowing. The poetry dims. There is an honesty to the narrative; to the point the narrator calls Dirk “ A bit of a dolt, that is.” I didn’t love the lack of Oxford comma usage. I think it’s necessary, and Maguire – or his editors – obviously is wrong and disagrees with me. 

The imagination in Hiddensee is abundant. Hellenic mythology, curiosity for the after life, hypnosis, German figures from the romantic period, authors, and more mingle in his retelling. The pages are star studded by anyone’s measure. Maguire combines them with ingenuity and prowess.

I loved everything about the book and the way Maguire told the story, but for some reason, it didn’t speak to me. It took me a long time to finish it, and I never really got into the story. I didn’t feel anything for Dirk. Overall, I felt emotionally lackluster about Hiddensee. In theory, I really enjoyed it. In practice, not so much. It is a well done story. I just don’t have any enthusiasm for it. 

Memorable Quotes
“Luck and grace: an unmatching pair of boots with which to address a long dusty road.”
“All paths lead to the same place, and that place is whatever comes next.”

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

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Title: Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker
Author: Gregory Maguire
Publisher: William Morrow (HarperCollins)
Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 9780062684370

 

 

Books

The Water-Babies

Read Yes
Length 198
Overview A Victorian children’s classic addressing themes and issues reaching far beyond a basic children’s fairy tale.

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I read The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley in a Victorian Lit. class in college. I really loved it, but I was confused at how it could possibly be a children’s fairy tale. Yes, it’s engaging and interesting and full of wonder, but it has really deep meanings, which cannot be ignored partially because they’re constantly smacking you in the face.

Basics of the story: Tom is a poor chimney sweep, who has no knowledge of God or cleanliness or any type of kindness. Through a small bout of craziness and an old Irish lady, Tom runs away from his hyper abusive master. He ends up being turned into a water-baby, which is the water equivalent of a land-baby. There are other water-babies, fairies, and characters with names like Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid. How can you not love it?

Like many Victorian novels, it is, at its core, a truly moral fable. There is a stark moral code set out within the novel – Charles Kingsley was an Anglican minister. One thing that I was absolutely taken with in college was the fact it is such a female centric novel. The women are good, strong, honest, and resilient and the men are fools, abusive, or a combination thereof.

There are so many layers and lenses in which The Water-Babies can be read. Kingsley’s opinions are pretty evident throughout for the good and the bad. He did not support child labor, and it can be read as a satire. Throughout the story science is evident. Darwin is mentioned kindly on several occasions. Other scientific topics are pollution, method, geology, education, and biological debates prevalent at the time. Kingsley heavily criticizes close-minded approaches to life and knowledge.   

One of my favorite things about the narration, is how the narrator speaks directly to the reader. This isn’t unusual, especially at the time, but the way he does it is not terribly common. There are full on discussions, where the reader is answering questions posed by you, the reader. It is highly amusing as it can go on for several pages.

Anyways, The Water-Babies is a fun little novel. You can read it for a fun, light read, or you can deeply read it. I’m not a science person, so I would love to hear your sciency takes on it!

Memorable Quotes
The most wonderful and the strongest things in the world, you know, are just the things which no one can see.”
“Do as you would be done by.”
“…children always wake after they have slept exactly as long as is good for them…”

Title: The Water-Babies; A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby
Author: Charles Kingsley
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 9780143105091