Title: The Snow Queen
Author: Hans Christian Andersen
First Published: 1845
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars (average rating on Goodreads: 3.91)
I would recommend this book to: Anyone who appreciates a good fairy tale
The Beginning: Now then, let us begin. When we are at the end of the story, we shall know more than we know now: but to begin.
I got this one for free from Audible. It’s a tradition that they give their subscribers a free story during the holidays. I love that. And I was so excited that they’d chosen a fairy tale this Christmas. I’d decided to save this one until I my vacation had started and I had no plans at all. That day was December 25.
Her breath became thicker and thicker, and took the form of little angels who grew larger and larger as soon as they touched the ground.
I settled deep into my most comfortable chair, right in front of our Christmas tree. I picked up my new knitting project and pressed play. The music and the narrator were perfect for my mood. The Snow Queen was quite a treat, a glimpse into a magical world.
I can give her no greater power than she has already, said the woman; don’t you see how strong that is? How men and animals are obliged to serve her, and how well she has got through the world, barefooted as she is. She cannot receive any power from me greater than she now has, which consists in her own purity and innocence of heart. If she cannot herself obtain access to the Snow Queen, and remove the glass fragments from little Kay, we can do nothing to help her.
I loved the idea about the mirror, which shows the ugly side of reality. It shatters and is spread across the world and into the eyes (and hearts) of people. This was wonderfully described and completely won me over. We follow Kai who is struck by a fragment of the mirror and slowly changes his personality, until he gets lost in the woods and is picked up by the Snow Queen. His friend, Gerda, goes on a quest to find him. This quest didn’t interest me that much. But I loved the parts about the Snow Queen, the mirror and Kai’s transformation. This was the fascinating part of the story – and so well conducted. If there had been more focus on this part, it could easily have been a 5-star read.
Det er et meget dejligt eventyr. Elsker H.C. Andersens små historier 🙂
Ja, de er så fine. Kunne godt tænke mig at (gen)læse nogle flere af dem.