Review of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (book)

Review of “Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them” by J.K. Rowling

While I have seen the Fantastic Beasts movies, I wasn't sure what to expect from the book, not the screenplay. I assumed the book would just be like an encyclopedia about magical creatures with pictures. I did not expect to find the amount of information the book has about magizoology and how these fantastic beasts fit into the wizarding (and muggle) world. It even talks about some of the bureaucracy the Ministry of Magic has to deal with involving beasts. Newt Scamander works in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

The foreword and introduction talk about Newt Scamander, the “author” of Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them. It mentions some of the events from the first Fantastic Beasts movie and even mentions Gellert Grindelwald. So, I was surprised that there was some wizarding history in the book that inspired the films. The book explains some of the accounts of interactions between people and beasts. The International Confederation of Wizards declares that each country is responsible for concealing, caring, and controlling its magical creatures.

The book also defines the term “beast” as pertaining to the wizarding world and classified as a beast or being. A being means any intelligent creature that can understand and follow wizarding laws. Some creatures such as merpeople and centaurs have requested beast status despite possessing intelligence and communication. Fairies, pixies, and gnomes are also classified as beasts even though they appear humanoid. Werewolves fall between both being and beast and require a registry.

Another thing I like about Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them is that it gives a rating for how dangerous the beasts are to people. 5 is a killer or impossible to domesticate, and 1 is boring. Some creatures receive a 5 or 4 not because they are dangerous but rare or extremely wild and can't be tamed. The detailed classification and background for these beasts and how they live in the magical world are fascinating.

We saw some of these creatures in the Harry Potter series. Still, the Fantastic Beasts movies showcase some of these beasts to great realization, except the Erumpent scene in the first Fantastic Beasts movie. I loved seeing the niffler and demiguise as well as Picket the bowtruckle. The movies even introduce beasts that aren't mentioned in the book, like the amazing Zouwu. Hopefully, we will continue to see more amazing creatures going forward in the wizarding world.

I was nervous that this book would just be a dictionary of beasts, and I wouldn't have anything to review. Still, I was pleasantly surprised to get so much detail and history. It would be interesting to reread the Harry Potter books, knowing more about the mentioned creatures. A short yet fun read, I really enjoyed Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them. If you're a Harry Potter fan, I highly recommend reading the book.

Thank you for reading, and be sure to check back every week as I dive into the wizarding world. I'll be reviewing all 7 books and other stories from the PotterVerse, such as "Quidditch Through the Ages." Stay tuned to the blog for new posts every week until Christmas! Be sure to leave a comment or feedback to help improve the blog. Thanks for reading, and be sure to follow the blog on social media for all the updates. 

Read my review of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard."

Read my review for Neil Gaiman's fairy tale "Troll Bridge."

Check out some of my spooky/thriller-inspired stories on WattPad.

"Grave Little Witches"

"Through the Blackout"

Twitter @BelleArboreus

Instagram @Fantastic_literature

Review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Review of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K. Rowling

Buy the book on Amazon here

Immediately after finishing the first book, I started the second book and finished it in a few days. I listen to these books on my morning walks, and the more I am enjoying it, the longer I walk. So, far I've really been enjoying these books, so I look forward to listening to them on my walks, thus I am getting in some good exercise!

So, the book opens with Harry having a bad summer with the Dursely's and Ron comes to rescue him. I like how the books give more characterization of the Dursely's and how Harry doesn't fit in with them. We also get the introduction of Doby the house elf, thus learning about he existence of house elves. Harry then lives with the Weasly's for a couple of weeks. This gives the audience some insight into Ron's home life and how wizard family's live with magic all around them. The second book continues the world building established in the first book and then adds what we need to know for the plot of the story.

The book also adds more to the legend of Lord Voldemort, and it's revealed that his real name is Tom Riddle. The book builds the mystery of how Voldemort and Harry are connected. I love the reveal that Harry can speak parseltongue, a good call back to him speaking to the snake in the first book. A trait that we learn is very rare and must have been a transference of Voldemort's power to Harry when he tried to kill him, leaving Harry with his famous scar.

The Chamber of Secrets also spends more time with some of the ghosts, such as nearly headless Nick and moaning Myrtle. I completely forgot that moaning Mrytle was killed during the last time the chamber of secrets was opened. Something that adds tragedy to the character, despite her being a bit annoying. We also get to understand more of why Filch is so grumpy, it's because he is a squib. A term used for someone who isn't a wizard but comes from a wizarding family. These added details gives more context to character interactions and the history of Hogwarts.

In the second book we also find out why Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts and ends with his name being cleared. We are also introduced to some new characters, Gilderoy Lockehart, Lucius Malfoy and Doby the house elf. I gotta say that I found Doby to be kind of annoying, and kept saying to myself, “get out of here Doby and leave Harry alone”. He ended up causing Harry more trouble and harm then provided any good. However, his living conditions and need to punish himself makes me feel sad for him. Lucius Malfoy is a terrible person, knowingly putting Riddle's diary into Ginny's books and not caring if muggles die. Also, I feel bad for Ginny, it was clever to not give her much screen time because it makes the twist come out of nowhere.

Gilderoy Lockehart. What can we say about him? I love Gilderoy Lockehart! Even though he's a shady, lying and manipulative person who only cares about fame, I still like him. I like him being so self absorbed and a bit oblivious to other people's feelings about him. He keeps trying to fix things or show off his skills that he boasts in his books, but it always goes wrong. Makes me wonder why would he attempt these things when he knows he can't do it? Despite being bad, he's just such a fun character.

I really enjoyed reading this book, not sure if it's better than the first, it about on par. Knowing where the story goes having seen the movies, I'm looking forward to continuing with the series, learning more details in the books. One thing I have wondered is, if Dumbledore and McGonagal know that the Dursely's treat Harry like crap, why do they keep sending him back? When Harry clearly doesn't want to go. Is there no magical wizard orphanage Harry could go to? Maybe we'll get the answers in later books. I'm looking forward to finishing the series.

Thank you for reading and be sure to check back every week as I dive into the wizarding world. I'll be reviewing all 7 books and other stories from the PotterVerse, such as Fantastic Beasts (not the screenplay) and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. So stay tuned to the blog for new posts every week until Christmas! Thanks for reading and be sure to follow the blog on social media for all the updates.

Read my review for Neil Gaiman's fairy tale "Troll Bridge".

If you like to read stories on WattPad, then you're in luck! Because I have recently posted some short stories on WattPad! Get ready for Halloween by reading my spooky/thriller inspired stories.

"Grave Little Witches"

"Through the Blackout"

Twitter @BelleArboreus

Instagram @fantastic_literature

Review of The Tales of Beedle the Bard

 Review of “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” by J.K. Rowling

After finishing the Harry Potter series, I decided to dive headfirst into the rest of the wizarding world by reading other stories such as “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”. The book is first mentioned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Ron refers to it as a children's book filled with the magical world's version of fairy tales. “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” is a collection of five short stories recounted by Beedle the Bard. In between each story is an anecdote by Albus Dumbledore and an explanation of magical terms that people might not know.

The first story is “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot”, a tale about a young man whose father passes away and leaves him a magical pot. The father and son are wizards, and the father used to help the non-magical townsfolk with their problems. The son disapproved, and after the father passed, the villagers came to the son seeking help, and he refused them. Whenever he refused a person, the pot took on the attributes of the people's problems or illnesses. The pot hopped and hobbled and cried and coughed night after night until it drove the son crazy. He decides to solve the people's problems with his wand, and the pot reverts back to pot; a slipped on its foot to prevent the clanking sound.

This story very much feels like it is an old fairy tale with a moral lesson of not being selfish. I enjoyed this story, but it feels a bit too short and rushed. I would like more time with the son being tormented by the hopping pot and learning why it's essential to help people in need. The story addresses the issue of certain wizards hating non-magical people or muggles. I wish the son would realize that muggles are no better or worse than he is, rather than helping them avoid the annoying pot. Because this is a fairy tale, magic replaces the need to explain the moral lesson.

The following story is “The Fountain of Fair Fortune”, which is my favorite of the five tales. This is about three witches, Asha, Altheda, and Amata, seeking the fountain of fortune to resolve each of their issues. Asha has an incurable disease, Altheda was robbed and lost her wealth, and Amata is heartbroken after losing her lover. Once a year, the fountain can heal one person. Accompanying them on their journey is a muggle knight, Sir Luckless. The man helps them overcome some of the obstacles they encounter on their way to the fountain. To cross a stream, one of the witches solves the riddle and gives away her tears. Once they reach the fountain, Asha is in so much pain that she cannot move, so Altheda gathers some herbs from the magic garden and creates a potion that heals Asha from her disease. By accidentally creating a cure, Altheda believes she can sell it and recover her fortunes. So, the two witches off the fountain to Amata, but she is no longer heartbroken after the river washed away her tears. She realizes her ex-lover was a terrible man. So, the three witches offer Sir Luckless to the fountain as a reward for his help. He bathes in the water of the fountain and then asks Amata to marry him. Believing him to be worthy, she agrees with none of them, knowing that the fountain actually contains no healing powers.

I love this story for a few reasons. I love the journey and obstacles the witches have to overcome to reach the fountain. They make their way through the woods, up a hill, and over a river, all classic fairy tale settings. This story is a great fairy tale that has the witches seeking something to fix their problems, only to have their problems fixed along the way. The journey of seeking the fountain itself is the cure that the witches need. The ending of the story depicts the marriage between a witch and a muggle. Like the first story, an issue that is divisive among the magical world with pure-blood lovers hating the mix of muggles with wizards. The one thing I find odd is that the second witch solves the first witch's health problem fairly easily. Which makes sense because these are WITCHES; it's not a surprise they find a magical cure. I suppose they needed the special herbs from the fountain's garden, but the story makes it sound like Altheda only now thinks to try to make a potion cure.

The third story is “The Warlock's Hairy Heart”, probably my least favorite of the five stories. It is also the darkest of the stories dealing with dark magic. A warlock removes his heart because he thinks that love is for fools and refuses to let his heart control him. After his parents die and he inherits the castle and riches. Having never wed, his servants feel sorry for him that no one will ever love him. Overhearing this, the warlock decides to find himself a wife. He sets his eyes on a beautiful woman visiting the town, even though he feels nothing for her. He decides to have a feast and invites the woman. He tries to charm her, but she tells him she can't be with him because he has no heart. The warlock takes the woman down to the dungeon and opens a coffin that contains his heart. Deprived of life for years, the heart has shrunken and turned hairy. The ghastly sight frightens the woman, and she tells the warlock to fix it. He puts the heart back into his chest, but the heart is savage and unruly. The townspeople come down to the dungeon and find the warlock has killed the woman and is holding her heart in his hand. He tries to remove his heart again, but it refuses, so he cuts it out and dies holding a heart in each hand.

This sounds like a story that would have been written by Edgar Allan Poe. It is very much a dark fantasy tale in the spirit of Poe. I'm not so sure what the exact moral lesson is here. The story points out that the warlock does not want his heart to control his actions, which causes him to become a monster. We don't get enough of the woman to provide a counter to the warlock. He doesn't really learn the value of love and why a person's heart is important. It's a great grim tale but lacks the moral lesson I want from a love story.

The fourth story is “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump”. This is another interesting story in the collection. A fake wizard pretends to teach the king magic. The castle's wash maid, Babbitty, watches the impostor and cackles a loud, causing the king humiliation. So, the king demands the fake wizard allow him to create real magic. The impostor sorcerer confronts Babbitty and discovers that she is a witch. He convinces her to do magic for the king, and when the king tries to bring a dog back to life and babbitty cannot, the king turns on the sorcerer. The fake accuses Babbitty, and the king's witch-hunting dogs follow her to a tree. The fake claims that Babbitty has turned into the tree, and the king cuts it down. The stump presumes to cackle, and Babbitty forces the sorcerer to admit he is a fake. She curses the castle, and in return, the king apologizes and proclaims that witches will no longer be hunted. After the king and his people leave, a rabbit hops out from behind the tree, and it is revealed to be Babbitty in disguise.

The commentary to this story is noteworthy for being one of the first stories about a witch or wizard turning into an animal. The first mention of animagi is in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, revealing Sirius Black to be an animagus, turning into a black dog. I'm not fully sure what the moral lesson of this story is. It could be that the impostor should have never lied or that it is wrong to persecute witches. It's not clear what happened to Babbitty after that incident. Does she stay as a rabbit or have to move to another town? Or can she just return to her old life, now that the king has agreed to not hunt witches? It also does not address the fact that the king wanted to learn magic, despite being a muggle, but then was quick to hunt Babbitty for being a witch. Probably a bit of sexist double standards here.

The last story is “The Tale of the Three Brothers”, which was already told in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This is maybe my second favorite of the five stories, maybe because of the actual effect on Harry's story. Three brothers reach a river and use magic to cross it. This calls forth death because the river usually drowns people. Death gives each brother a wish. The first brother asks for the most powerful wand ever, the second brother asks for a way to resurrect the dead, and the third brother asks for a way to hide from death. The first brother uses the wand to battle a foe, but his boastful nature causes him to be killed in his sleep and the wand taken from him. The second brother uses the resurrection stone to bring back his dead lover, but she is cold and does not truly live. This tortures the brother, and so he takes his own life to be with her. The last brother uses the cloak of invisibility to evade death until he is an old man. He gives the cloak to his son and greets death like an old friend. The three objects form the deathly hallows.

This is a great story because of the deathly hallows and because it is a cautionary tale. The first two brothers seek a power they cannot control, and the first brother's arrogance gets him killed. The third brother does not seek power but is clever enough to not trust death. Instead of controlling death, the third brother merely avoids it until he is ready to die. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore tells Harry that the true master of death is not someone who seeks to control death but someone who is not afraid to die. Because Lord Voldermort was afraid to die, he could not truly master the deathly hallows. What makes this story great is that it feels like a proper fairy tale. The three brothers are reminiscent of the three little pigs or Goldilocks and the three bears. Three is a common theme in classic fairy tales. The theme of death is also very much a part of fairy tales, and there is a clear moral lesson being told.

If I were to rank these stories, it would be “The Fountain of Fair Fortune”, “The Tale of the Three Brothers”, “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot”, “Babbitty Rabbitty, and Her Cackling Stump”, and “The Warlock's Hairy Heart”. If you love fairy tales and want to explore more of the wizarding world, then you should read “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”. The audiobook version is a well-done production. Some actors from the movies narrate the stories, and Jude Law reads Dumbledore's commentary. The audio version always uses a lot of sound effects to help immerse the listener into the world of magic. After reading this book, I am looking forward to continuing to dive into the wizarding world by reading “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” next.

If you enjoyed reading this review, please leave your feedback or comments. Thank you, and be sure to follow the blog on social media for all the new updates as I continue to review the Harry Potter series.

https://fantasticlr.blogspot.com/2021/11/review-of-harry-potter-and-sorcerers.html

Read my review for Neil Gaiman's fairy tale "Troll Bridge".

Review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

 

Review of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone” by J.K. Rowling

I was surprised to find that the first book, The Sorcerer's Stone was very much in line with the movie version, with some minor plot changes. Probably because the first book is not very long. I know they'll have to cut out more in the movies as the books get longer. One of the things that I liked in the book, was the characterization and time spent with the Durselys. They are quite despicable people, and the reader quickly understands why Harry hates living with them. The book also explains how the Dursley's ended up in a stone house on an island, which I always wondered from the movie.

Every time I would tell someone that I haven't read the Harry Potter books, I would get people looking at me like there was something wrong with me. Many friends and family have told me that I should read them because they are great books, despite being for children or young adults. Now, after all these years I have finally gotten around to reading the Harry Potter books. For a long time I was turned off by the length of the last few books, it is intimidating. For years I had a rule of not to read anything over 500 pages. But recently I have gotten into audio books; which makes long books easier to get through for me. Having grown up liking the movies, I was familiar with the overall story of Harry Potter. That made it easier to visualize the wizarding world of the books.

The book does a good job of showing how Harry, Ron and Hermione spend their time during the school year. Some thing I think the movies have a more difficult time establishing. Author J.K. Rowling balances introducing the audience to the world, but doesn't get bogged down in minuscule details. We know only what we need to know for the story with a few extra details just for fun. One of the big changes with the book from the movie, is that we get more time with some of the other students, some of which are barely mentioned in the movies. This adds to the world building and makes Hogwarts feel like a diverse school. One of the characters that was cut out of the movies is Ron's older brother Charlie. He's mentioned a few times in the movies but we never see him. So, I was surprised to see that Charlie appears, briefly, in this first book.

Having seen the movie, I already knew that professor Quirrel was the bad guy and not Snape. However, even knowing that, Rowling does such a good job not over playing professor Quirrel's role and really making Snape a suspicious character. As the story goes on, you learn that is just how Snape always acts. I also love the relationship between Hagrid and Harry (as well as Ron and Hermione) that is established in this book. Hagrid is Harry's first guide into the wizarding world and the school of Hogwarts. He also inadvertently aids the kids with information as they try to unravel the mystery of the sorcerers stone.

With all of the hype about Harry Potter over the years, my expectations for the books were high. I think my viewing of the movies have sort of tempered how I can experience the book, because I already know how important Harry Potter is, both in the universe and in pop culture. So, reading the first book, it just felt just a good YA fantasy novel, but because I know it's special, I didn't get that wonderment that people would have had when the book first came out. I am excited to read the next books, though. I happy I am finally getting around to reading Harry Potter.

You can buy "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" here or read it for free with Amazon Prime.

Thank you for reading and be sure to check back every week as I dive into the wizarding world. I'll be reviewing all 7 books and other stories from the PotterVerse, such as Fantastic Beasts (not the screenplay) and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. So stay tuned to the blog for new posts every week until Christmas! Thanks for reading and be sure to follow the blog on social media for all the updates. 

Read my review for Neil Gaiman's fairy tale "Troll Bridge".

If you like to read stories on WattPad, then you're in luck! Because I have recently posted some short stories on WattPad! Get ready for Halloween by reading my spooky/thriller inspired stories. 

"Grave Little Witches"

"Through the Blackout"

Review of Troll Bridge

 Review of “Troll Bridge” by Neil Gaiman

You can read the story for free here or buy the graphic novel here.

Neil Gaiman is a prolific author that spans multiple mediums of storytelling, from comic books, to novels, to television and short stories. A popular writer in the pop culture fandom, I personally have not read anything by Gaiman, until I read this story. Known for writing amazing science fiction and fantasy worlds, I was surprised by the realistic nature of this short story that is a twist on fairy tales.

Troll Bridge is a short story about a boy who encounters a troll, and convinces the troll to spare his life until he is older. When the boy returns as a teenager and encounters the troll, he convinces him yet again to spare his life until he is older. It's not until the man returns after having his wife leave him, that he allows the troll to take his life. The twist is that the troll does not kill the man, but merely steals his life, and the man becomes the troll under the bridge.

The story is set in a small village surrounded by fields and woods. There used to be a train station, with a railroad passing through the town. The setting reflects the growth that the man goes through in his life. As a child the village was small, with older building and the woods were wild and vast. As he grows older, more and more of the fields and woods were removed and newer houses built up the town. This change reflects the loss of innocence in the man. As a child, he still had the rest of his life to live. As a teenager he thought he was in love, but faced with the troll he offered up that love, and realized he could not love her. As an adult who had lost his wife because he committed adultery, he realizes that he is not that small boy anymore who had his whole life ahead of him.

Other than the troll, there are no other elements of fantasy. Instead focuses on the modern world, being built up around this magic troll bridge. Troll Bridge is an interesting take on the fairy-tale genre. It deals with certain themes of fairy-tales, such as tricking a troll, making choices that affect your life, the idea of youth having infinite potential and the old being wasted. There is a good line from the troll, that feels like a fairy-tale. The troll says: “Trolls can smell the rainbows, trolls can smell the stars”... “Trolls can smell the dreams you dreamed before you were ever born.” This stands out more, knowing that the troll is passed from person to person.

Another recurring element is the rocks that the man picks up along the side of the railway tracks. I assumed maybe they were coal, but I don't know if coal has a rainbow sheen. If it is coal, then the metaphor could be that they once had a purpose to fuel the steam engine, but have been used up and discarded, no longer of value. That could be a metaphor applied to the man's life. That's my best guess, otherwise I'm not sure what the strange rocks are, or represent.

This is a delightful yet disturbing modern fairy tale to read. I read it in print, but it was published as a picture book, or graphic novel. I can only imagine how the images could help tell the story. I don't know if I'll be reading anymore stories by Neil Gaiman, but now I have a sample of his work, I'm intrigued. If you are someone who enjoys fairy tales or short fantasy stories, give this one a read.

Starting this Friday I'll be diving into the wizarding world of Harry Potter reviewing all 7 books and other stories from the PotterVerse, such as Fantastic Beasts (not the screenplay) and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. So stay tuned to the blog for new posts every week until Christmas! Thanks for reading and be sure to follow the blog on social media for all the updates. 

If you like to read stories on WattPad, then you're in luck! Because I have recently posted some short stories on WattPad! Get ready for Halloween by reading my spooky/thriller inspired stories. 

"Grave Little Witches"

"Through the Blackout"