Negative Positive
Title: Fun update of classic fairy tale
Review: Gail Levine seems to be on a one-writer crusade to instill some new millenium sensibilities into well-loved fairy tales. Having a male protagonist is not that only deviation from tradition Levine makes in this little book. The "bad" characters are dim and ignorant more than they are evil and malicious. The "good" characters, for the most part, demonstrate some of the more elevated human traits (patience, intelligence, wit, and optimism.) Moreover, Levine neatly dodges becoming distractingly "polically correct." The writing is excellent - simple yet descriptive. Levine uses humor to temper the "moral of the story" and creates a well-rounded tale while leaving enough room for the imagination to take over. If you want, for yourself or for your children, the magic of fairy tales without the out-of-date stereotypes, Levine's Princess Tales series is an excellent place to start. I also HIGHLY recommend anything by Robin McKinley.
Is the review positive or negative? 