Book Review: The Tales of Beedle the Who?

(Source: HarryPotter.Wikia)

As you’ve probably already noticed, I am a fan of J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world. My admiration came from a young age, but despite this, I’ve yet to read all of J.K. Rowling’s works.

This Halloween, I binge-watched the first three installments of the movies.

It’s been a while since I immersed myself in the glory of the Harry Potter series and I’ll admit, I miss it. Still, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read all seven installments consecutively, therefore, I decided to read The Tales of Beedle The Bard.

“The heroes and heroines who triumph in his stories are not those with the most powerful magic, but rather those who demonstrate the most kindness, common sense and ingenuity.”

---

What You Need to Know

Rating:****

Genre: Fantasy

Age Group: 10+

Length: 105 pages

Illustrations were drawn by J.K. Rowling and Mary GrandPré, who also illustrated all seven of the Harry Potter books. According to Scholastic, proceeds of this novel will benefit the Children’s High-Level charity, which protects children’s rights and seeks to protect young people.

---

What It’s About

The Tales of Beedle The Bard is a collection of short stories, first mentioned in the last installment of The Harry Potter series. The Tale of The Three Brothers, in particular, helped the trio defeat Lord Voldemort. These stories are popular among young wizards and witches, and have often been challenged by wizards who are anti-muggle. The current installment had been translated by Hermione Granger after it was given to her by Albus Dumbledore. The collection is comprised of 5 different tales: The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, The Warlock’s Hairy Heart, Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump, and The Tale of the Three Brothers.

The tales include commentary written by Albus Dumbledore eighteen months prior to his death.

---

What I think

Author, Stephen King, says “A lot of writers […]have a tendency to think of ‘the novel’ and once you get your mind set on ‘the novel,’ it’s very easy to lose whatever trick is that involves writing a short story.”

So, how many of my favorite authors can write good short stories?

J.K. Rowling is definitely one of them.

Each of the stories in The Tales of Beedle the Bard has a different message, as it should be, but one thing I enjoy is the coherence throughout the collection. Given that the events in the Harry Potter series deal with bloodlines and the balance between good and evil, it makes sense that the fictional folklore of the wizarding world would influence pro and anti-muggle wizards.

Overall, the collection was a fun read that could be easily enjoyed snuggled in a blanket and cup of hot chocolate at hand.

The Wizard and The Hopping Pot

(Source: Illustrations by J.K. Rowling and Mary GrandPre via HarryPotter.Wikia)

The plot of the first story is fairly simple. A selfish wizard, whose father was a famous healer, inherits an enchanted pot. Inside the pot, there is a shoe with a note reading: “In the fond hope, my son, that you will never need this.” The mean-hearted man, refuses to help those who seek medical care. With each refusal, the pot develops the malady of the person and grows a foot to follow him around. The wizard can no longer sleep due the noise made by the pot, and decides to cure all of those brought before him. The pot then begins to heal and the shoe appears once more. The wizard then places the shoe on the foot of the pot, and they walk off into the sunset.

I’ll be honest, this wasn’t one of my favorite stories in the collection. The story was well-written but I didn’t take much from the story.

I enjoyed the after-notes with Dumbledore, however short they may have been.

The Fountain of Fair Fortune

(Source: Illustrations by J.K Rowling and Mary GrandPre via HarryPotter.Wikia)

The second story is about a mystical fountain, rumored to grant fair fortune to those who bathe in it. No person has been able to accomplish the feat, but one day, three witches are able to penetrate the walls surrounding the fountain. One of the witches accidentally drags a knight along, and they are forced to work together to reach the fountain. The first witch wants health, the second seeks fortune, and the third wants to be cured of heartbreak. The knight has no hope that he will be given the opportunity to bathe in the fountain. As the group solves each riddle, they are able to move a bit forward. Along the way, the second witch mixes a potion that cures the disease of the first witch and the second witch gives her a fortune in return. The third witch comes to the realization that she never loved the man who broke her heart and lets the knight bathe in the fountain. The knight, who has fallen in love with the third witch, bathes in the fountain and then asks her to marry him. She accepts and all three of the witches—along with the knight—live full and happy lives without realizing the fountain had no powers at all.

An article by The Statesman, reports that fantasy books are twice as popular with young readers than novels set in a more realistic world. While I definitely believe this to be true and include myself in this statistic, I think it is equally important to relate fantasy to reality.

The Fountain of Fair Fortune is a great example of using fantasy to draw from reality. The knight from the story feels that he is less than the women who have been gifted magic, but finds that he is able to create his own fortune after all.

The underlying message of this story—magic isn’t necessary to solve problems— is a powerful one. We often tend to escape reality by reading, but it’s also crucial (especially for children) to know that their dreams can be achieved of their own merit.

I like this.

The Warlock’s Hairy Heart

(Source: Illustrations by J.K. Rowling and Mary GrandPre HarryPotter.Wikia)

This story is about a wizard who recurs to dark magic in order to keep his heart from feeling emotion. For years, the wizard thinks he is the envy of all, but when he overhears a negative conversation about him, he decides to take a bride. He chooses a beautiful woman and begins to court her. The woman is not fooled by his facade and tells him she will not marry him because he is incapable of love. The wizard then shows her his heart, which has been locked away, and has been so neglected that it is covered in hair. In order to prove the woman wrong, the wizard opens his chest and puts the heart inside his body. Still, the years have taken their toll, and when he realizes his hairy heart will take away his magic, he decides to switch the woman’s heart with his own. He kills the woman, but before he is able to replace the heart, he dies with a heart in each hand.

Out of all the stories, this is the darkest. But the message is that emotions make people human.

 Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump

(Source: Illustrations by J.K. Rowling and Mary GrandPre via HarryPotter.Wikia)

The fourth story is about a man who pretends to be a wizard in order to receive money and gold. The king, who wants to keep all magic for himself, solicits the help of a wizard who will train him in magic. The fake wizard, who has fooled the king, is then tested. When he realizes that one of the servants is a real witch, he threatens her into helping him. The king puts on a show to display his new skills, but does not know that the witch is behind the acts. When he is asked to revive a dead dog, the woman stops using her magic. She is soon revealed to be a witch and the con-man admits he lied. The witch is hunted, but threatens the king that if any witch or wizard is harmed in his kingdom, he will feel the strike of a blade. It is then proclaimed that no witch or wizard will ever be harmed, and a statue of her is built. The witch then leaves the kingdom, never to be seen again.

I liked the messages within the story—lies are always uncovered, magic is not to be trifled with, arrogance can lead to treachery.

As the blogger, WriteMeg, said “Any fan of Potter will be delighted to relive one hundred pages with Dumbledore’s running dialogue, and there’s some insight to be gained about the Wizarding world from Beedle, who lived in the fifteenth century.”

A fun historical lesson is always appreciated.

The Tale of the Three Brothers

(Source: Illustrations by J.K. Rowling and Mary GrandPre via FanPop)

The last story is one that may be familiar to all who have read or seen the Harry Potter movies. This is the story of the three brothers. The three brothers are walking through the forest when they encounter a river that has claimed the lives of many. Skilled in the magical arts, they build a bridge, but are stopped by Death. He asks them what they might like in return for being clever. The first brother receives the most powerful wand on the earth, the second a resurrection stone, and the third receives a cloak of invisibility. The first two brothers meet untimely deaths, but the third brother, who chose his gift wisely, is able to evade death for years. It is only after he reaches old age, that he sheds the cloak of invisibility and meets Death as a friend. 

This is my favorite story in The Tales of Beedle the Bard. 

One of the reasons that I feel the story is so cherished is that it adds to the world of Harry Potter. The deathly hallows are introduced, which in turn helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione defeat Lord Voldemort. This is a story that demonstrates powerful tropes: immortality cannot be reached, humility is prized, and wisdom is a virtue. Blogger, JCarsonWrites, says “It’s the sort of story you can imagine reading as a child and being totally intrigued by.”

This is a collection that feeds into the soul of Harry Potter enthusiasts.

(Source: Giphy)

The Word with Book to Movie Adaptations

 

(Source: Pixabay)

Experiencing the magic of seeing pages transcend onto the big screen is one of my greatest joys as a reader.

Here are a few titles to look out for.

---

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

(Source: FoxMovies)

This novel is about a sixteen-year-old boy named Jacob who witnesses his grandfather’s murder at the hands of a mysterious creature. Of course, no one believes Jacob, and he soon begins to have nightmares. During a visit to the orphanage his grandfather grew up in, Jacob discovers old photographs that suggest a mysterious secret is lurking behind the walls of the home.

(Source: Reelz)

According to ComingSoon, the movie adaptation is set to release on March 4, 2016 with Asa Butterfield as the lead. Filming began earlier this year with Tim Burton as director. Other cast members include: Eva Green, Samuel L. Jackson, Allison Janney, Chris O’Dowd, Ella Purnell, and Terence Stamp.

Personally, I cannot think of a greater director than Tim Burton for this project. His talent for portraying dark and playful themes is a perfect fit. Will he be able to stay true to the novel and embody the eeriness of Ransom Riggs work? I hope so.

The biggest challenge of this adaptation will be to appeal to a larger audience. If done correctly, Tim Burton will be able to adapt a movie franchise that could be as successful as The Hunger Games trilogy.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

(Source: ComingSoon)

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a novel in possession of a good premisemmust be in want of…brain-eating zombies.

An article on LiveScience, reported that fantasies about the zombie apocalypse make up a large part of post-apocalyptic pop culture.

I believe it.

The novel will be a spin on Jane Austen’s, Pride and Prejudice, and set in an alternate reality. Elizabeth and her sisters are zombie-fighting warriors while Mr.Darcy, is a famous zombie hunter. The premise to this story remains true to Austen’s work, however, there is more action and brutal twists to the original plot.

Being a Pride and Prejudice fan, I am interested in this dark tone of the interpretation….and skeptical. Will it flop like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (which was also written by Smith)? Or will it surprise us like Warm Bodies (another zombie book to movie adaptation)?

Pride and Prejudice is a novel that has stood the test of time, so the original premise to be kept alive. If the zombies compromise the overall message of the story, I’m afraid things will go South quickly.

Based on this trailer, it seems like the story will focus on the effect zombies have had on societal life, which could be an interesting turn.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

(Source: MovieNewz)

It’s been a while since I finished the last installment of the Divergent Series, but the second movie left me feeling like I had been reading a different book. As movie blogger, TheMovieGuru, said “the film’s choppy structure and tediousness prevents it from ever doing anything interesting.”

This story is about a sixteen-year-old girl, Tris Prior, who lives in a futuristic Chicago, divided into factions based on virtues. Tris, who does not fit into any faction (divergent), is then forced to pick a faction and face the dangers that come with being divergent. In the last installment, Allegiant, we see Tris Prior stepping across the wall that surrounds Chicago, finding out what lies ahead, and exactly what it means to be divergent.

One major flaw is that the creators have decided to split the novel into two movies. Despite the thickness of the novel, the book does not have enough content to be split into two movies.

I will definitely have to check out this last installment. Who knows? It might surprise us all.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

(Source: Collider)

Will I ever get enough of the Harry Potter world?

Probably not.

When the film was first announced, I couldn’t help but think it was a dire mistake. How could this film compete with the original franchise?

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a fictional textbook written by magizoologist, Newt Scamander. This textbook is first mentioned in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when Harry takes a look at the list of required materials for first-year students. The textbook offers descriptions about different magical beasts, their environment, and whether or not they are dangerous. The reading also includes a forward by Albus Dumbledore, information about the author, and subsections titled: What is a Beast?, A Brief History of Muggle Awareness of Fantastic Beasts, Magical Beasts in Hiding, and Why Magizoology Matters.

So, how is this becoming a movie?

I have no idea, but I’m excited to find out.

According to YouTube channel, Clevver Movies, the movie is set to be released on November 18, 2016 with Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander. The film is being directed by David Yates and the screenplay has been written by our very own J.K. Rowling. Interestingly enough, this will be the first installment in three movies and will include noted actors: Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Ezra Miller, Ron Perlman, and Katherine Waterston.

When interviewed by Entertainment Weekly, David Yates told reporters that Fantastic Beasts would most likely resemble Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Since this is my favorite of the Harry Potter movies, I just about swooned.

As long as the script and visual effects to par,  I suspect we can expect great things from Fantastic Beasts.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

(Source: ShadowhuntersTV)

This series is about an 18-year-old girl named Clary Fray who lives with her mother, Jocelyn Fairchild, in New York. One night, she and her best friend decide to visit a popular night club, where she witnesses a young man killing another attendee. Unbeknownst to Clary, the young man belongs to a race of half-human/half-angel warriors that fight demons threatening the human world. The attendee is actually a demon in disguise, and no one but Clary can see these angel-human warriors. Clary begins to think she’s going crazy, but when her mother goes missing, she reaches out to the warriors to find her mother. Clary then begins to realize that there’s a reason she can see the warriors and she might hold the key to her mother’s disappearance

Blogger, TheM0vieBlog, offered a great summary saying “The only real problems with The Mortal Instruments become obvious when the movie slows down and starts playing into the teenage fantasy tropes with earnestness rather than self-awareness.”

Still, there was hope, and earlier this year, ABC Family announced they were picking up a TV show based on the novels. The series was renamed Shadowhunters and recast.

The biggest obstacle I see in the tv series is the script. How do you make angel-human warriors appealing and sound mature? That’s a tough one.

In reality, I think the companion series, The Infernal Devices, would be a bigger hit. It’s set in the same Shadowhunter universe but takes place in the 1800’s. The magic gives the novel a steampunk feel and the characters are much more lovable and complex. It would also add maturity to the script, given the language used in Victorian London.

ABC Family’s Youtube channel recently released two previews of the series. Check them out and judge for yourself. Will we be tuning it?

The show will premiere on January 12, 2016 and I do hope it gets enough viewers to help the show progress. Perhaps we might also see The Infernal Devices adapted. Fingers crossed.

So far, 2016 holds some promising book to movie releases. I can only hope we see these titles provide entertainment and gather even more fans/readers around the world.