Customer Reviews

The Little Mermaid

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bias admitted up front: I'm a huge fan of Lisbeth Zwerger. It would be nigh on to impossible to select my favorite from the many children's books she has illustrated. I think of the irreplaceable "Wizard of Oz" with a perky little Dorothy in her apron and red hat or the wonderful "Hansel and Gretel" with the rosy cheeked girl pushing the dreadful witch into an oven. One could go on and on. Each time I come across another book illustrated by Zwerger I think it's even better than what has come before.

This Vienna born artist has a vision, I think, and she brings this to each of her works. She has been quoted as saying that her favorite authors are the Grimm Brothers, Charles Dickens, and Hans Christian Andersen. Yet, when she paints, she does not see these stories as they've been presented in the past but with a completely fresh approach. That's certainly true with her paintings for "The Little Mermaid."

Begin with the end papers, shiny reflections of water's depths and then our first view of the sea king's castle with its coral walls and shell roof - dwarfed by the immensity of the sea. Each full page painting is framed in white, adding to the pristine quality of the images. Sea shells and fish decorate margins. Zwerger brings both wit and understanding to her work; it's unlike any other and totally captivating.

Surely, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the translation from the Danish by Anthea Bell. Here is no Disney mermaid, but the fully realized story as written by Andersen, full of wonder and hope.

Yes, "The Little Mermaid" would make a wonderful gift, but you'd best buy two - one to keep and enjoy.

- Gail Cooke

Growing up, Disney's version of this story was probably my favorite movie. Id really never known that there was a book until I came across it in the library(which is silly, because this is something of a classic.)

Reading this book rather enraged me. The ending is quite different from the Disney ending and I dont understand why they felt the need to change it. This is a lovely tale of unrequited love as well as failure and disapointment. Every story need not have a happy ending and unfortunately most children's tales do. Maybe Im a pessimist, but it seems that stories where everything works out in the end might be sending children the message of a perfect world where disapointment is out of the norm.

I just wish there were more stories of this sort to give kids a more realistic view of their future, because they have to learn sooner or later.

I really loved this version of The Little Mermaid. It was very beautiful and sad at the same time. I loved the part where it was talking about each of the mermaid's 15th Birthday that they would go up to the serface and see what it was like. The book was sad in a way. It was when the little mermaid was talking to her grandmother and found out that they don't have a soul after they die. The part about the sea witch was kind of scary... but not. Though I didn't like how she had to cut the mermaid's tounge off. The mermaid does give up everything and her life... because the one whom she loved fell in love with another girl. You have to read this book for yourself. I really loved this book! I hope you will too!

This is a very nice book. A very delightful story that is written in a style both classical and modern at once. This is basically the same Little Mermaid that most are familiar with (The old Disney movie). But this book does have its differences that are essentially evident. The pictures' realistic colors and proportions fit this story well. This was a well-put together story.
I'll admit that it is my personal preference for books where this book loses a star. The Little Mermaid movie and book have always struck me as a tale with many moments of heavy sadness, and that turns me away. The fact that this book is a love-story with fantasy tie-ins doesn't help my attitude.

One shouldn't expect the cliche' in this book's artistic approach. It is original and understandable, making it possible for children and adults alike to have an image of Hans Christian Andersen's wording. Although quite few images are present, they are infact very nice and pleasing to look at.

This is the true story of The Little Mermaid. Unlike the Disney version where she gets the prince, the mermaid dies of a broken heart when the Prince whose life she saved marries another. The tragedy of the ending is what made the original version so touching. A beautiful mermaid gives up her voice, her family, her life in the sea in order to be with the one she loves. The promise is the love and the soul of sacrifice. It was a love dependant on another, being the Prince, and the risks she took were considerable. When the Prince falls for the woman he thought rescued him at sea it is the end of the Little Mermaid's quest for eternity. But since she doesn't kill him and his new bride she gets what she wanted all along ... a soul ... and no longer needs the Prince to live as a spiritual being in eternity. Not only is the little mermaid free from the curse of the Sea Witch but she earns her soul on her own volition. The Prince was merely a conduit to her wish. It is more poignant this way since the little mermaid no longer needs to earn love from anyone except herself.

[...]

"Among the daughters of the air," answered one of them. "A mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being. On the power of another hangs her eternal destiny. But the daughters of the air, although they do not possess an immortal soul, can, by their good deeds, procure one for themselves. We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence. We carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration. After we have striven for three hundred years to all the good in our power, we receive an immortal soul and take part in the happiness of mankind. You, poor little mermaid, have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing; you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit-world by your good deeds; and now, by striving for three hundred years in the same way, you may obtain an immortal soul."

The little mermaid lifted her glorified eyes towards the sun, and felt them, for the first time, filling with tears. On the ship, in which she had left the prince, there were life and noise; she saw him and his beautiful bride searching for her; sorrowfully they gazed at the pearly foam, as if they knew she had thrown herself into the waves. Unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride, and fanned the prince, and then mounted with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the aether.

"After three hundred years, thus shall we float into the kingdom of heaven," said she. "And we may even get there sooner," whispered one of her companions. "Unseen we can enter the houses of men, where there are children, and for every day on which we find a good child, who is the joy of his parents and deserves their love, our time of probation is shortened. The child does not know, when we fly through the room, that we smile with joy at his good conduct, for we can count one year less of our three hundred years. But when we see a naughty or a wicked child, we shed tears of sorrow, and for every tear a day is added to our time of trial!"

I purchased this to read as bedtime story to my daughter. I love it. She is still a baby and doesn't understand the words yet, but I love reading it to her. The gorgeous artwork make it interesting for us both.

If you're expecting anything like the Disney movie, you will find *very* little here. This story isn't even for little kids, since some parts are rather painful. In Disney's movie, Ariel had only to give up her voice. Here, the mermaid not only has to deal with that, but the witch also tells her that with every step she takes it will feel like knives stabbing into her feet, and even in some tellings of this story, bleed.

The ending is a bit preachy, what with the fact that the little mermaid lacked a soul and could only earn one through good deeds and/or the happiness of children. I like this story, but it's also very bittersweet.

I bought this as a gift for my best friend's 21st birthday. (She loves everything Little Mermaid)
I opened the package and was pleasantly surprised with this book. It's a bit bigger than I expected, but its beautiful! The layout is like a children's story book, but even non-children can enjoy this fairly long story (long for a kids story). The book looks thin but its substantial material. The illustration paintings are just lovely. If you're considering buying a copy of the Little Mermaid, buy this one. You wont be disappointed.

The translation from the original Danish is very nice. And that's what I bought the book for. The artwork is not the best children's book artwork I've seen - but it's okay.