The Tales of Beedle the Bard: A Review

And finally, my first read of the summer is over. A bit pathetic, considering it's only a 111 page book, but I'm not a fan of reading soft copies, so (yeah, piracy alert). We've talked about this wizarding parallel of Grimm's Fairy Tales (and the like) several times before on this blog, including a post summarizing all the stories. But now that you don't have to be extremely privileged to own a copy of the book (just extremely rich), I thought it was time for an insider's perspective.

JKR's other comic relief books were, for me, not that exciting. Quidditch Through the Ages did dwindle into humour occasionally, and the best part about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was undoubtedly the hilarious graffiti. But I can't say the same about Beedle. You can actually discern Rowling's voice through it, and they've got a very Enid Blytonesque (remember the 'o Clock Tales series?) feel to them. But under all the frothiness lie many things of a more serious nature. For instance, Muggle-wizard tension, witch burnings, immortality, love and the dangers of perfection. Nor are the tales frilly enough to actually disguise these issues, which may explain why they have been so controversial since their existence.

JKR provides an introduction (and illustrations!) to this volume, and Albus Dumbledore's witty and critical commentary after each tale makes the book even more worth reading. So if you're an HP fan (which you are, if you've taken the time to read this) waste no time and grab (or download) your copy now! Happy reading =)