Customer Reviews

The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A conglomeration of russian folk tales. Alexi the huntsman seeks his fortune & finds a job with the Tsar, along the way acquiring a magic horse, and at the end of his journey, a wondorous bride.

The illustrations are quality Sanderson, as always very factual and detailed, but probably her finest. I always find myself a little let down as her illustrations dont quite have the magic & mysterious quality of some other illustrators such as Kinuko Y Craft or Trina S. Hyman to name just two of the finest.

The story mangages to be quite interesting, in spite of the quest for the Firebird being such a familiar story, and in the end there is a lovely twist in revenge for the Tsar.

Quite good.

kotori ojadis@yahoo.com

This work in a combination of old Russian tales retold by the author. They will be quite familiar to readers of such. They are certainly no worse for the wear in this retelling though as the author has done a wonderful job. The tales are the typical quest type, my favoriet genre. The real magic of this book though are the wonderful illustrations. The detail is almost magical and the colors are absolutely dazzling. I could pontificate somewhat in comparing comparing her work with other authors, but this is an absolute silly excercise as each artist should be judge on their own works and not those of others. I liked this work. The kids I read it to like it. It is informative, fun and a delight to see. What more could you want?

This story weaves together several Russian fairytales to create an exciting adventure from start to finish. My seven-year-old enjoys any well-written story of mythical beasts and young heroes performing impossible tasks, but the gorgeous illustrations made this book captivating to even my three-year-old. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, and large; there is a high art-to-text ratio that makes this book perfect for young children. Both of my boys ask for this book again and again, and it is one of my favorites to read to them. I highly recommend it.

The story is based on Russian folklore involving the Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring and those familiar with the folklore will find this retelling to be quite fresh and interesting. A young huntsman, Alexi, is eager to find his fortune and place in the world, when he comes across a Golden Mare, who begs Alexi to spare her life in exchange for eternal loyalty. Alexi, together with the Mare, finds a position in the Tsar's palace as a skilled huntsman, but the Tsar is jealous of Alexi's bond with the Mare and tests Alexi's skills by giving him impossible tasks.

One of these tasks is capturing the prized and elusive Firebird, a mythical creature that is wondrous to behold. Another task given to Alexi is to capture the fair Yelena and bring her back as the Tsar's bride. Alexi finds his conscience pricking him in accomplishing these tasks for the cruel and selfish Tsar, and the story also has a unique twist towards the end which makes this a delightful read. The illustrations by author-illustrator Ruth Sanderson are beautiful, vivid and detailed. This will delight any fan of Russian fairy and folk tales.