Through the Water Curtain

I love Cornelia Funke's books. I'm glad she put this fairy tale collection together. I am familiar with the stories contained in it, I even have some of the stories in individual books. But I love having the collection on hand of all of them! I would think 3rd grade up will enjoy these tales.

I received an arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, I really liked this book because a lot of the stories were from different places around the world, rather than just Europe. I liked how the author used certain versions of tales that were well known too- like the girl who had her brothers turn into swans, it was different in here, and it made it more enjoyable. I also liked that there was commentary on each story after it was told. Cool illustrations also.

Tales all around the World compiled and brought together by a fellow tales lover. The tales make the child in you to listen to the stories narrated by your Granny once again. These tales are handpicked as the collection by the author.

Each tale is different from the other. There’s Fantasy, Mythology, Magic, Witchcraft, Mythical creatures, Prince, and Princess in the tales. The tales unfold the Nation they originated. The author’s opinions at the end of each tale are pretty impressive.

This wonderful selection of 13 tales includes:

* The Boy Who Drew Cats (Japan)
* Kotura, Lord of the Winds (Siberia)
* Through the Water Curtain (Japan)
* The Areca Tree (Vietnam)
* The Maid of the Copper Mountain (Russia)
* The Tale of the Firebird (Russia)
* Bluebeard (France)
* The Six Swans (Germany)
* Golden Foot (France)
* The Story of One Who Set Out to Study Fear (Germany)
* The Frog Princess (Ukraine)
* The One-Handed Murderer ( Italy)
* The Girl Who Gave a Knight a Kiss out of Necessity (Sweden)

The book cover is majestic and brings the tales closer to the reader. Enjoy the classic stories around the world in the book. Recommend the book to all Stories/Tales lovers.

E-ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Thank you, Publisher!

Wonderfuly peaceful with fantastic cover art! Each story was written to perfection and I found it a joy to read.

We've had the hardback in the shop for a while, we sell it to just as many adults as children. It's beautifully written and eminently dip-in-to-able.

This is a beautiful book with a lovely collection of fairy tales for children. I really enjoyed the diverse collection and in particular the ones from Japan and Russia. They are magical and enchanting whilst at the same time haunting and tragic. It is a wonderful hand picked collection.

I've always loved fairy tales but as an American I'm used to the standard ones so this was a nice surprise to read and makes me eager to find even more. Through the Water Curtain is a collection of enchanted tales throughout the world from countries such as Russia, Japan, Siberia, and even Native American folklore. I love that this collection shares these stories but also preserves them as well. It's important that we keep these tales living as long as we can and this book does it beautifully and effortlessly.

This is a charming anthology of fairy tales from around the world, from countries including Japan, Russia, Italy, and Ukraine - meaning the chance of your already having read them is low!

While obviously aimed at children, I found it interesting to hear some different tales to the standard English rote - with some personal favourites being 'The Story of One Who Set Out to Study Fear'. 'The One-Handed Murderer', and the alternative version of 'The Frog Prince'. I found this difficult to rate, as I enjoyed the tales but they are not aimed at my age group (and also I don't have children to read them to), but gave it four stars on the basis that I would have enjoyed them as a child.

I also enjoyed the commentary given by Cornelia Funke after each story, and appreciated that each tale was accredited to the country/retelling author

The cover is gorgeous, and I think this would make a lovely gift for any lover of fairy tales.

I considered myself pretty well versed in folk and fairly tales around the world before I came across Through the Water Curtain. There were in fact a number of stories I'd never despite some a number of themes within them feeling very familiar indeed, credit where it's due, Funke put together a strong collection here.

I enjoyed reading her insights and commentary at the end of each story despite not always agreeing with one or two points she was attempting to make.

As always with collections such as these, the stories have a rather dry and earthy flavour about them, so people picking it up looking for something with a Disney-esque tone should probably stay clear.

Liked this book a lot.

With thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the arc.

I loved this selection of lesser known fairytales. I also enjoyed that the author gave some commentary on them, including her own knowledge of the world's folk and fairytales.

Fairytales are some of the best stories to read regardless of your age.

I enjoyed the assortment of tales here. Some were different versions of familiar tales and some were brand new. Funke's commentary after each one added to book as well.

I definitely recommend!

Great collection of tales! I love all the different fairy tales in this book. I think every parent should have a copy for their kids.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley!

My children and I spent a few nights reading stories from this book together. My ten year old daughter enjoyed some more than others, while my six year old son didn't really show interest in most of them. I enjoyed the majority of them.

Cornelia Funke is an internationally renowned and best selling author of children's books. In the forward to this lovely collection of fairy tales from around the world she acknowledges their influence on her writings and the love she has had for such stories since her childhood. She also examines the nature of folk and fairy tales pointing out that they tend to be quite reactionary with their reinforcement of a patriarchal and hierarchical society. Everyone has their place and woe betide anyone who ignores the commands and orders of their elders and betters.

She also points out the differences that exist from tales emanating from the West and East. Here we have an anthology of 13 tales from around the world and each is followed by why Cornelia Funke has chosen it. This is a wonderful read for both old and young. One interesting bit of advice that Funke gives is that if you are ever visiting a new country or region try reading one of their fairy tales as they often make excellent travel guides and you will feel like a local. I certainly will try this on my next excursion abroad.

I liked this collection of tales and I was surprised to discover a few, even if I have already read a lot.
My favorite was "The tale of the Firebird" but I also loved "The Boy who Drew Cats", which I didn't know.

I also appreciated the comment of the author at the end of the story, which was always very interesting and pushed to the reflection.

In short, a good read! ^^

A must have to add to your child's library! Beautiful and fun to read! I imagine the hard copy is even more beautiful. I loved all of the stories!

A wonderful collection of fairytales from around the globe, an amazing anthology for the child in your life or in my case the child in you. I don’t believe we are ever too old for a fairytale or the joy, heartbreak and huge range of emotions they bring. Well written, beautifully illustrated cover and interesting commentary after each tale, this is a must have for the lovers and dreamers in your life.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

International bestselling children's author Cornelia Funke has long been inspired and fascinated by fairy tales. This wonderful anthology is Funke's personal selection of fairy tales from all around the world - not just from her native Germany but from Russia, Japan and the Native American tradition.

This collection really does highlight some gorgeous stories, where we see Funke pick stories which give us bold young women taking control of their lives which we rarely see in fairy tales that appear in the mainstream. ‘The Girl Who Gave The Knight A Kiss Out Of Neccessity’ is a good example of a good comeuppance tale and a girl taking some power into her own hands and ‘Bluebeard’ where the princess saves herself, are great tales included in this collection.

At the end of each story, Funke’s own perspective on each story and her connections to the stories through her own books makes for interesting reading - and little historical notes really add to this book giving us a deeper appreciation to the great stories that are included in this collection of tales.

I really enjoyed this book, and I wish Funke’s own commentary on the stories was extended as I really enjoyed her perspectives throughout. Perfect present for a child for Christmas!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was such a refreshing and exciting book of fairytales and folklore. Oftentimes we see a lot of European fairytales being told so Through The Water Curtain was a refreshing read because it contained many fairytales from around the world and outside of Europe! It was a fun and tragic read with lessons to be learned from every story. Definitely a great book!

"A delightful, diverse selection of fairy tales from around the world by one of our most beloved children's writers.

International bestselling children's author Cornelia Funke has long been inspired and fascinated by fairy tales. This wonderful anthology is Funke's personal selection of fairy tales from all around the world - not just from her native Germany but from Russia, Japan and the Native American tradition. It's the perfect Christmas gift for any young reader wishing to discover the wider world of fairy tales."

Cornelia Funke's work is so steeped in fairy tales it makes sense for her to select her favorites and release them in a gorgeous edition that is a wonderful addition to anyone's bookshelf.

My thanks to Pushkin Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Through the Water Curtain’ edited by Cornelia Funke in exchange for an honest review.

I have always loved fairy tales and continue to enjoy discovering ones new to me.

‘Through the Water Curtain’ is a diverse collection of folk and fairy tales from around the world intended for readers aged 8-14, though I certainly feel it has appeal for older readers.

Although Cornelia Funke is well established as a writer of children’s fantasy she hasn’t rewritten or reinterpreted these stories but has selected them from existing works, which are credited in the story sources section.

She did write its introduction and concludes each tale with her personal thoughts including highlighting where she has incorporated aspects into her own writings. These reflections have inspired me to add some of her books to my wish list as I am always interested in fantasy inspired by fairy and folk tales.

I was quite taken with the number of strong female characters depicted. Two personal favourites were new to me: ‘The Frog Princess’ from the Ukraine and ‘The Girl Who Gave a Knight a Kiss out of Necessity’ from Sweden.

The cover art is stunning. I have now ordered myself a print edition of this beautiful book.

Enjoyed reading this anthology of short stories from around the world. Especially loved the background to having Areca leaf together with betel nut.
And the finished copy has such a beautiful cover. Love it !

I liked the idea you started with about finding and presenting stories with strong women though this theme fell by the wayside in a few stories. There was also no story included from Native American traditions though I’d love to read some. There are some nice tales from Asia which I enjoyed seeing and reading. Along with some dark stories and ones which have (mainly) heroes who seem to do little to earn their HEA (Vasyl in “The Frog Princess” and Ivan in “The Tale of the Firebird” I’m looking at you two), there is a hilarious one I’d never read before that seemed a bit of Monty Python meets a fairy tale called “The Story of One Who Set Out to Study Fear.” And while I wish there had been more in this vein, the heroines of “The Frog Princess,” “The One-Handed Murderer,” and “The Girl Who Gave a Knight a Kiss Out of Necessity” were great in saving themselves or getting a little revenge. Ah and the front page illustrations for all the stories were lovely, too.

Absolutely adored this! As a German, I've been a long-time fan of Cornelia Funke's works and was please to read this collection of selected fairy tales with original commentary by her! Magical and wonderful and addressing the issues that some old fairy tales still bring to our fantastical storywriting today, this was a delight to read!

This anthology seems to go from more male dominated fairy tales (as most are) to ones where women are shown to be more than just helpless princesses.
I really appreciated that Cornelia Funke went out of her way to find unique stories with different takes on ones we may know or are new all together. Funke's comment's at the end of each story are insightful and ask good questions that prompt both children and adults to think about the origin, purpose and themes in each of the 13 stories.
Each of these stories is just long enough to have substance but short enough that they one could be a great bedtime story. It's a gorgeous little hardback book that would make a lovely gift to any child.
Here are my notes from each story:

Story #1 - The Boy Who Drew Cats
I love that Funke points out in a note at end of the story that this version reads a bit too Western because it’s not the original Japanese translation.
A clever little story about the power of art. I quite liked it.

Story #2 - Kotura, Lord of the Winds
A typical three daughters, none do as they are told except the youngest, story. I’m not a fan of this one as it’s about women taking orders and doing exactly as asked. The shining light here is youngest’s compassion for the old woman and regard for bird.
As Funke mentions, in the post story comment; wouldn’t it be cool if one day these stories were less gender bias?

Story #3 - Through the Water Curtain
I wish walking through a waterfall would take me to another world. Just like balloon, tornado or looking glass might.

Story #4 - The Areca Tree
I could handle being a tree. A rock maybe not so much; but a tree seems doable.
A beautiful story about how love isn’t convenient but can endure.

Story #5 - The Maid of the Copper Mountain
This is a Russian folktale that focuses on not being greedy and keeping your word. I like the way it’s set-up and think it’s so important to give kids good role models these days.

Story #6 - Tale of the Firebird
This story has many of the laws we see in our own fairy tales. Always in threes, rules not to touch things, and promises kept it’s different in that when the hero does something wrong he is forgiven each time. This bothered me at first and then I realized the world would be a better place if we all had more forgiveness in our hearts.

Story #7 - Bluebeard
I struggle with this story. Not because it’s gruesome but because it seems to be giving a warning to women about making poor choices. And while the men that save our lady are her brothers it definitely still indicates that no woman can save herself.
I realize this is typical of a fairy tale but this one seems an odd choice for Funke either way.

Story #8 - The Six Swans
OMG yes! While not quite the version of this story I have heard many times, it’s very close. But this is a personal favourite because of the amazing re-telling that Juliet Marieller wrote called [book:Daughter of the Forest|13928]Daughter of the Forest. It has some of my favourite fiction quotes and easily my favourite romantic moment ever. And that all exists because of this little fairy tale about the bravest girl.

Story #9 - Golden Foot
Hmmm... while Funke points out that this is clearly a pagan story with Christian overtones layered on top and she indicates that is one of the reasons she chose it; I’m still bothered by it. This story makes it seem as though a pagan is indeed evil and his offspring as well. Not a big fan of this one.

Story #10 - The Story of One Who Set Out to Study Fear
Best story yet!! I loved this one. If only we were all so fearless in moments like the ones posed to our hero! Although I can’t help but think anyone with such little fear much be a psychopath. Hmmm...

Story #11 - The Frog Prince
This is not the Grimm version most are familiar with and that Disney popularized. But instead we have a princess that is strong, beautiful (of course, roll eyes) and useful. Her usefulness is my favourite part.

Story #12 - The One-Handed Murderer
I have read this story, almost exactly the same before. It’s one of my personal favourites as the women saves herself... eventually. But it at least says that women are strong enough when pushed far enough. Today’s women just don’t take as much abuse beforehand thankfully.

Story #13 - The Girl who gave a Knight a Kiss out of Necessity
As the last story in this adorable anthology; I like the Funke has ended strong with a strong female story from Sweden.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

A really charming and timeless anthology of varied fairytales. Not to mention I adore Funke so I was already excited for the chance to read this. Each spry was unique and different and I loved that she shared her thoughts at the end of each one.

As both a big fan of Cornelia Funke (editor) and of fairy tales and fables- this book was an absolutely delightful read from start to finish.

Through the Water Curtain gathers fairy tales, some I had read before in other formats and others that were completely unknown to me, and ties them together in a perfect anthology that circles the globe. From Japan to Russia, from Germany to Italy, magic practically leaps from the pages.

Some of the stories had me reliving childhood favorites in a new, haunting way (The Six Swans) while some of the other familiar inclusions were like a warm blanket made of my favorite things (The Tale of the Firebird). Some of the stories I'd never experienced before had me flipping the pages and wondering how I'd never heard of them (Golden Foot) and there really was not a single one that I didn't enjoy.

Reading this was a gift- and one I highly recommend that any fan of fairy tales and fables give themselves.

I was lucky to read via Netgalley Through The Water Curtain by Cornelia Funke which can be described as an anthology of Fairy Tales throughout the world. The fairytales come from different countries such as Siberia, Japan and Korea and I found them more enjoyable than the fairytales like Cinderella because some of the stories showed the female characters to be stronger than their Male Counterparts and this can be seen in The One-handed Murderer. What I also loved that Cornelia wrote why she had chosen these stories as opposed to others. I would definitely recommend this book and will be giving this 4 stars.

I received an advanced review copy for free from NetGalley

Probably one of the best short story collections I’ve ever read. Bonus points for them all being diverse fairy tales from various countries. While I didn’t always agree with Cornelia’s viewpoints on the tales, I enjoyed seeing her thoughts after each one and they made me think more on the subject of why fairy tales stick so well with people.

The Boy Who Drew Cats— A much different kind of fairy tale that I enjoyed very much. A young boy obsessed with drawing cats learns that his skill has a use after all. 4 stars

Kotura, Lord of the Winds--While the message is a little troubling (women should do what they are told), I thought the remaining daughter's bit was enjoyable to read. Her sister's fates are quite brutal though, and I kind of agree with Cornelia Funke's observations on the tasks and what would happen had the daughters been sons instead. 3 stars.

Through the Water Curtain-- A monk discovers a different land through the waterfall and ends up becoming the target for the village's sacrifice. It was interesting to see a guy being set up as the sacrifice in a fairy tale and his solution for the tradition was clever. The monk discovers a new sort of life for himself while displaying the same compassion he had before, Great ending. 4.5 stars!

The Areca Tree--A bittersweet tale about two brothers and a woman who all love one another. 4 stars.

The Maid of the Copper Mountain-- Loved this one. A young miner does the work of the mine's goddess and finds himself tested as well as rewarded. It's bittersweet at the end but I loved the descriptions as well as the maid and the young man. 4.5 stars

The Tale of the Firebird--The youngest son of a ruler goes on a quest with a wolf companion, discovering that not following directions can sometimes lead to the greatest treasure of all. An interesting take as most fairy tales punish those who do not listen. Loved the richness of this Russian tale. Features Baba Yaga the Wicked. 4 stars.

Bluebeard—This one was on the gruesome side, which is right up my alley. I’ve heard this one summarized in the past but I’d never read the actual story itself. Like Cornelia, I have no idea what moral this story is supposed to give but I liked how everything played out. 4.5 stars.

The Six Swans—I loved this one. It has evil witches, animal transformations, and noble sacrifice in it. I loved the king’s daughter for her strength even when others were trying to test it. The ending gave me a stunning image as well. This is one of Cornelia’s favorites and I have to say that I feel the same way. 5 stars!

“The magic of fairy tales is not in their words. It’s in the images their words summon.”

Golden Feet—A very strange tale but I really liked the imagery and the hero’s strength to get out of his misfortunate situation was remarkable. The little twist at the end was interesting. 3 stars

The Story of One Who Set Out to Study Fear —An interesting story about a stupid boy who goes searching for ways to “feel his flesh creep.” It was on the more humorous side and probably one of the most strangest fairy tales I’ve come across. 4 stars.

The Frog Princess—I loved the magical elements in this one. The Frog Princess, as well as her prince, Vasyl’, are also interesting and inventive characters. This tale also involves rewards for sparing others as well as a small quest, which I love reading about. 5 stars.

The One Handed Murderer—I loved how resilient the princess is in this one. The men in her life (father, husband) fail to protect her so she must do so herself. The ending was very satisfactory. 5 stars.

The Girl Who Gave a Knight a Kiss Out of Necessity—A great story about giving someone a taste of their own medicine. Loved the way it was written. The end was delightful. 5 stars.