Customer Reviews

Faeries

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My parents gave this to me for my fifth birthday and it is one of the most cherished and beautiful books that I own. It's a compilation of gorgeous watercolors, sketches, and a systematic like grouping of faeries and their mythical kin. I can't imagine a better book for a young artist or creative reader. I spent hours and hours poring over each illustration and reading about the origins of all the creatures. It has a Jim Henson-like quality in its imaginative spirit (echoed by one of the jacket covers which features Froud with a little puppet faery mannikin posed in a tree). Alan Lee is responsible for those gorgeous watercolors, while Brian Froud does the kinetic sketches (Froud was also the illustrator of Lady Cottingtons Book of Pressed Faeries--a funny and darkly humored picture book). Sidenote: Brian Froud's wife, Wendy, was one of the artists responsible for the very beautiful (if slightly dated) Dark Crystal and, I did not know this--YODA!! Who knew?! Wonderful news, too, the 25th edition of this book contains 20 new pieces by Froud and Lee.

As for the nakedness: When I was six I thought everyone's body was beautiful and nakedness definitely didn't put me off. The only times it was disturbing was when adults made a big deal of it. That and finding a discarded copy of Penthouse behind an abandoned building both fascinated and freaked me out. But Froud's book is nothing like that. I'd no more be upset by the nudity in this then I would by the nudity in Renaissance paintings. I'm guessing adults must read more eroticism into it than any child would. If you're really worried, check out Brian Froud's website--it has some of the illustrations from Faeries and will give you a better sense of it. Personally, I think it's a wonderful book for children. Not to harp on, but I don't think un-erotic and un-sensationalized exposure to nudity is a bad thing (and I don't mean that in a let's all be nudists manner...just a hey, we all got skin underneath our clothes recognition).

If there's someone in your life who has a fly-away imagination and appreciation for art or myth, this is a terrific choice.

I first saw this book when I was 7 when my dad, knowing I loved both art and faeries, brought it home for me from the library. Needless to say, I loved it but several of the more intense drawings scared me! I dog-eared the scariest pages so I could skip over them easily... many years later I came across a copy of it and simply had to buy it. Not only is the art and text inspiring, but it's the kind of book that sticks in your mind over time...

If you thought you liked Lady C's Pressed Fairy Book (now out of print), then you'll LOVE this one!! It is the best faerie book i have ever seen, and read. It not only tells you the history of faeries, but it also gives you an idea where Faerie -the land of faeries- is, it gives you detailed information about all the wee folk! If you thought faeries were the pretty winged Tinkerbell likes, think again, and read this book! You'll get surprised on how many faerie types there is!!

The book is beautifully illustrated, and a must for every one interested in faeries, and art! This one should be in the bookshelf in every home! Buy it for yourself, for your mom, your kid and for your best friend!! It makes a great present!

Definately worth the money, i'd pay the double price if i had to, it's that great!

I purchased this book long, long ago, and I now have a child who is very interested in faeries. So it was bought down from the bookshelf, the dust blown off it, and we settled down for a read. I had forgotten what a gem this book is.

The illustrations alone are worth the purchase price. If you are interested in fine art, let alone book illustrations, you will apreciate this book. The text is well written and amusing, with a great deal of attention to the smaller details of the small people's lives. And let us not forget the less than nice faeries - the bad faeries who we think are best forgotten. They also get a slice of the action. It is sometimes pleasant to have that little shiver of frightening childhood memories.

It is a delightful book. Its not strictly a children's book but you will be very fondly remembered by any child you present this to as a gift. Its not strictly an adult book either, but hey, let's live a little! Leave it on your coffee table and I guarantee everyone will pick it up. Maybe it has its own little bit of magic.

I first found this book in thge sci-fi section of my local bookstore, I had seen the cartoon short based on this book and I was interested in the what the book was like. I paged through it thinking it would be a well illustrated tolkien like story, like the animated version. Then after looking through about half a page I was hooked, I couldn't put it down, I stoped reading when the store was closed and the checkout clerk forced the book from my hands, two days later I was back with the price of the book in my wallet. This was the first book I had ever read that actually talked about the evil, dark faeries that your childhood storybooks never talk about, like redcaps, and the unseelie court. I have read this book cover-to-cover several times and I am still finding things in some of the illustrations I hadn't noticed before. If your interested by this book, get yourself a copy of the animated version.

My mother gave my a copy of "Faeries" for Christmas 1980, when I was 11. I was instantly enchanted with the idea of faeries as real beings, and accepted much of the text as truth. I fantasized about spotting faeries in the woods and rocks surrounding my childhood home, and made many (sophomoric) attempts to copy Brian Froud's illustrations. As an adult I even had a flower faerie tattooed on my ankle in homage to his art

My origional copy of "Faeries" is tattered and dog-eared, most of the pages have fallen out, and are hopelessly out-of-sequence, but I can't bear to throw it away. I count "Faeries" as one of the most influential books I had as kid growing up, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to any child (or adult) interested in faeries or mythology. The book is incredibly well-researched, and beautifully illustrated. The hand-written text can be difficult to read at times, but adds to the wonderful illusion of illicitly reading someone's journal

Bravo for reissuing this book, I am ordering my new hardcover copy today

I first got this book as a gift when I was 6-7. I lost it and recently found a copy in a bookstore. This book is so dear to me, invoking my imagination as a child and now dear memories. Now I can read the book instead of just enjoying the pictures. Can you believe that is the the same artist involved with the Dark Crystal and Labrinyth? It's absolutely wonderful.

I have never seen such gorgeous and detailed art with faeries! The entire book is fascinating. There's some regular handwriting along with typed text, so it gives the reader a break from uniform letters. A lot of the faeries have some sort of folk-tale to them. Some are simply described. The pictures come in such variety! There are paintings, extraordinarily detailed drawings... drawings that look inked. As an 18 year old aspiring fantasy artist (who loves to draw faeries ;o) ) Brian Froud's work is an incredible inspiration! I adore this book so much. It's something you can read over and over... read out of order... I could spend hours alone just looking at the pictures! This is the best faery book I have ever had the pleasure to come across! (So far anyway...:o) )

This is a classic book illustrated by Brian Froud and Allan Lee - a cornerstone in my own faerie library! The book gives a very thorough overview of faerie, inluding faerie habits, haunts, flora and species. Marvelous illustrations are magically woven in with the text. This is not the lore of tooth fairies and Tinkerbells; rather, Faeries is based on historical beliefs from different cultures, and takes us through both the light and dark worlds of faerie. Whether you're new to the land of fae, or have already discovered it through Froud's newer books (Good Faeries/Bad Faeries, Lady Cottington's Pressed Faery Book), Faeries is a must-have!

Faeries is the absolute greatest art book when it comes to fantasy, and that is because of the content, and the artists involved, as well as the quality in which it was printed and published in this, the 25th Anniversary Edition.

The book itself is compiled like a visual atlas of the world of Faery, exploring all of the separate regions and, more importantly, the inhabitants living there. In this book, you are taught how to protect yourself during your travels through the lands in this book. It details some of the most majestic of faeries, including the watery Asrai--faeries who melt into a puddle of water when exposed--some of the more horrifying creatures, like the faeries of the Unseelie Court, and beastly goblins like the phooka, a creature that takes many animal forms but is mostly generous in spirit. There are many more, all highly detailed with both pictures and handwritten captions, and often depicted in the environments they call home.

This is a keystone book in the world of fantasy art, and the authors and illustrators, Alan Lee, who made the concept art for the Lord of the Rings movies, and Brian Fround, who continues today to create more and more faery related art, have since gone on to flourish in their careers. If you have an interest in fantasy art, or are a lover of fantastical worlds or a believer in faeries, then pick this book up. If you just enjoy high quality art, like myself, then I'd also recommend this book.