12 Comments

The minute the cricket got smashed I knew this was the book for me!!

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LOL, yes. It’s considerably dark in places. And subverts most of one’s expectations.

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I first read this book a couple years ago and was blown away. I was curious what you’d think. Enjoyed your thoughts and the insights from the edition you read. Thanks for sharing.

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You’re welcome! Glad you liked it.

I really had no idea what to expect; so much of what’s in the air (at least in America) about the story is skewed by Walt Disney’s Pinocchio that to encounter the original is to encounter surprise with almost every page.

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Now that you've read it, I recommend you watch del Toro's adaptation of Collodi's story on Netflix. (Remember he also does horror.) For me, his adaptation is far more true than Disney's. I'm one of those people who has always disliked Pinocchio, mostly because the Disney movie gave me nightmares as a child! I admit, I haven't read Collodi's story because of my bias (read: fear) of the story overall, but I may attempt it. When I was in Tuscany a few years back, the true Italian Pinocchio was everywhere and I really ought to read the original.

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It’s like a lot of fairy tales in that it’s dark and surreal. I was actually caught off guard by that because I had no ideas what to expect. I didn’t enjoy every part of the book and found the moralizing a bit heavy in places, but the overall effect was was surprising and surprisingly good.

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I'm going to have to read this someday

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It’s well worth it.

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What a cheerfully coherant review

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Why, thank you! It was a delight to write.

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Interesting parallels!

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Yes! Collodi’s approach was very playful, and he leaves a lot for readers to play with too.

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