[Some minor points are spoiled about this story.]
Right off the bat, I want to say that this book is a hidden gem. I had no idea how fun this one was going to be. I wanted to read it because I was a fan of the Disney movie from 1961. I liked the whole idea of a dastardly villain and his henchman trying to ruin people's lives and even kill people to suit their selfish desires. Where the movie did indeed have these ideas, the book takes it a step further that I never expected.
The thing that surprised me was how evil the evil people were. They were so quick to kill people, even relatives and children if it would only make them feel better. Barnaby was the villain of this story, and he was trying to kill the lover of Contrary Mary so that she would be forced to marry him. It was all just so devious. The things people do for sex, jeez!
The whole story is set in a fairy tale world where characters from nursery rhymes are sort of just living normal lives. There are still fairies and magical things present, but it all seems normal and expected to the people encountering them. Even the addition of Toyland, the place where all the Christmas toy come from, felt like just another city. It's really a very interesting setup for a story.
One major difference from the movie came by way of the Master Toymaker. In the movie, he was extremely lovable and even invented a special toy that was already pulled apart for children who always broke their own toys. He was lovable and endearing. But in the book, he is a murderous old man who is constantly plotting to murder the children he makes the toys for. I was so shocked by this. Apparently this is how it was with the operetta too. Disney just changed it.
Honestly, I like both versions, but the book is definitely my favorite. I also want to give a big shoutout for the superb illustrations. They were done by someone named Allen Atkinson, and they really brought everything to life with these very detailed paintings.
"Babes in Toyland" is a wonderful fairy tale, and I do recommend it. This book is a bit obscure, but it is still floating around out there. If you are a lover of fairy tales with dastardly villains going against courageous heroes, then you should definitely not pass this one up. It was just so much fun to read.
This blog was written on March 15, 2023.
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Very interesting that a story of silly themes is in a context of normalcy with villains that are deadly. The silliness and peril are extremes and the normalcy maintains a base standards that keeps them extreme. The imagined world is both grounded and fantastic.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good mix. The contrast of innocense crossed with villainy was particularly awesome.
DeleteFantastic that you find so many hidden gems! I like that danger is real and they don't soften it for the kids. The Master Toymaker sound likes a creepy villain for sure.
ReplyDeleteYeah and so incredibly different than the Toymaker from the movie.
DeleteMy sister and I listened to the record of this constantly as children. It was silly and fun, and the voices really brought the characters to life. The book appears to have more serious themes, but the danger could deepen the enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteThe author did say he was trying to capture the severity of the original musical. You may have gotten a hold of a cleaned up version.
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