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Hiddensee A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker Gregory Maguire 9780062684387 Books

Download As PDF : Hiddensee A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker Gregory Maguire 9780062684387 Books

From the author of the beloved New York Times bestseller Wicked, the magical story of a toymaker, a nutcracker, and a legend remade . . .

Gregory Maguire returns with an inventive novel inspired by a timeless holiday legend, intertwining the story of the famous Nutcracker with the life of the mysterious toy maker named Drosselmeier who carves him.

Hiddensee An island of white sandy beaches, salt marshes, steep cliffs, and pine forests north of Berlin in the Baltic Sea, an island that is an enchanting bohemian retreat and home to a large artists' colony-- a wellspring of inspiration for the Romantic imagination . . .

Having brought his legions of devoted readers to Oz in Wicked and to Wonderland in After Alice, Maguire now takes us to the realms of the Brothers Grimm and E. T. A. Hoffmann-- the enchanted Black Forest of Bavaria and the salons of Munich. Hiddensee imagines the backstory of the Nutcracker, revealing how this entrancing creature came to be carved and how he guided an ailing girl named Klara through a dreamy paradise on a Christmas Eve. At the heart of Hoffmann's mysterious tale hovers Godfather Drosselmeier-- the ominous, canny, one-eyed toy maker made immortal by Petipa and Tchaikovsky's fairy tale ballet-- who presents the once and future Nutcracker to Klara, his goddaughter.

But Hiddensee is not just a retelling of a classic story. Maguire discovers in the flowering of German Romanticism ties to Hellenic mystery-cults-- a fascination with death and the afterlife-- and ponders a profound question How can a person who is abused by life, shortchanged and challenged, nevertheless access secrets that benefit the disadvantaged and powerless? Ultimately, Hiddensee offers a message of hope. If the compromised Godfather Drosselmeier can bring an enchanted Nutcracker to a young girl in distress on a dark winter evening, perhaps everyone, however lonely or marginalized, has something precious to share.

 

Hiddensee A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker Gregory Maguire 9780062684387 Books

If there are two people there you will find three opinions. I have read the reviews of this book not just here at Amazon but at other sites. My take away? People are brutal. This new work by Maguire is not for everyone, nor should it be. If you are hung up and starry eyed about Wicked, then pass on this one. However, if you want to be immersed in a rich, dark forest that gave birth to Hans Christian Anderson, The Brothers Grimm and German Romanticism,then this is the place for you. The book is so full of grief, longing and restrained feelings. They permeate every leaf and bower of the text. How does a novelist weave so seamlessly the worlds of 19th century Bavaria, Anton Mesmer and German Romantic painters and then situate them somewhere in the region of fairy tales? He researched deeply his subjects and wove them, with gorgeous prose, into a story of lost childhoods and lost imaginations. It may not be perfect. Yes, even I wanted a section or two to glide by. Yet, by the final few pages I knew something had been found within me; my own lost forest. I now am happy to say I will pay closer attention to it and to the dreams and hidden keys found in odd and seemingly unheard of places. My hat is off to you Mr. Maguire.

Product details Hardcover 304 pages Publisher William Morrow; First Edition edition (October 31, 2017) Language English ISBN-10 9780062684387 ISBN-13 978-0062684387 ASIN 0062684388

Tags : Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker [Gregory Maguire] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <strong>From the author of the beloved <em>New York Times </em>bestseller <em>Wicked, </em>the magical story of a toymaker,Gregory Maguire,Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker,William Morrow,0062684388,Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology,Fantasy - Historical,Literary,Christmas fiction.,Christmas stories,Fairy tales,Fairy tales;Adaptations.,Fantasy fiction.,Hoffmann, E. T. A,AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY,FICTION Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology,FICTION Fantasy General,FICTION Fantasy Historical,FICTION Literary,Fiction,Fiction-Fairy Tales, Folklore & Mythology,FictionFairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology,FictionFantasy - General,GENERAL,General Adult,Germany,United States

Hiddensee A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker Gregory Maguire 9780062684387 Books Reviews

I loved Hiddensee. I rarely ever write reviews, but I had read a lukewarm piece about this book, and I felt I had to add to its praise. This book is a beautiful and engaging fairy tale for adults. The language is unique, exquisite, and nuanced in a way I didn’t expect. Long into the night I found myself reading and unable to put down this enchanting tale. The main character is charming and hard to resist, the tone dark and yet inviting, and the secondary characters beautifully drawn. This book is more proof of Mr. Maguire’s skill and talent.
This story alternated between captivating and dragging on. However, I kept reading because I was hoping for a satisfying ending that tied the rest the story together somewhat....instead I got a quick slap of mayonnaise on my peanut butter and cheese sandwich.....I cannot recommend investing the time to read this book.
I could not get through this story. The characters weren't likable, nor was the plot. I guess when I purchased it, I thought it would be more Nutcracker oriented, but that really isn't so. My mistake! I passed it on to a friend, hoping someone will find enjoyment from it... but I doubt it.
Intriguing, thought-provoking and with the bizarre twists and turns of plot and mind that characterize Gregory Maguire's amazing tales. I loved the touches of history and descriptions of people and places. I plan to read it again. Very highly recommnded!
This was a very strange book. I loved the atmosphere at first but was a bit hard to stay involved with the story as it got stranger & stranger. The ending was a bit of letdown. I almost DNF but wanted to give it a chance. It’s well written, just not my cup of tea, I guess.
Since reading "Wicked" more than 20 years ago, I have marveled at Mr. Maguire's talent for retelling classic fairy tales with modern vigor. Hiddensee does not disappoint and, in fact, takes me back to those early days in his career, when I felt as though he had written expressly for me. Perhaps all his readers feel this way. Even so, I felt as though once again I was his only audience. Thank you, sir.
I have only seen "The Nutcracker" performance once. I didn't like it at all. I thought it was silly and strange. I had never read about it. I have a friend who is NUTS about The Nutcracker and owns an amazing collection. I bought this book for her because of her love of everything Nutcracker. I decided to read a few pages to see what it was about. I was hooked.

I enjoyed the story from beginning to end. I have a vague idea about what The Nutcracker is about from this book, but that play/ballet I saw...well, that Mother Ginger just threw me! Now I am very interested in learning more. This book is the backstory to The Nutcracker.

This was a great book to read around Christmas. I hope my friend enjoys it as much as I did. I might have liked it more because I don't know the original story.
If there are two people there you will find three opinions. I have read the reviews of this book not just here at but at other sites. My take away? People are brutal. This new work by Maguire is not for everyone, nor should it be. If you are hung up and starry eyed about Wicked, then pass on this one. However, if you want to be immersed in a rich, dark forest that gave birth to Hans Christian Anderson, The Brothers Grimm and German Romanticism,then this is the place for you. The book is so full of grief, longing and restrained feelings. They permeate every leaf and bower of the text. How does a novelist weave so seamlessly the worlds of 19th century Bavaria, Anton Mesmer and German Romantic painters and then situate them somewhere in the region of fairy tales? He researched deeply his subjects and wove them, with gorgeous prose, into a story of lost childhoods and lost imaginations. It may not be perfect. Yes, even I wanted a section or two to glide by. Yet, by the final few pages I knew something had been found within me; my own lost forest. I now am happy to say I will pay closer attention to it and to the dreams and hidden keys found in odd and seemingly unheard of places. My hat is off to you Mr. Maguire.