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The Dream Stealer
A village of Russian peasants rebuild their homes on a train to flee an evil wolf, only to be saved by a little girl's dream and the knowledge of the witch Baba Yaga.
118 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1983
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2948 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Maguire
113 books9,257 followersGregory Maguire is an American author, whose novels are revisionist retellings of children's stories (such as L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz into Wicked). He received his Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Tufts University, and his B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany. He was a professor and co-director at the Simmons College Center for the Study of Children's Literature from 1979-1985. In 1987 he co-founded Children's Literature New England (a non-profit educational charity).
Maguire has served as artist-in-residence at the Blue Mountain Center, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Hambidge Center. He lives in Concord, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
August 27, 2015
This short novel reads like a fable, ripe with Russian culture and built on the foundation of well-known and more obscure Russian folklore. Two children in a small village in Russia called Miersk face the knowledge that the Blood Prince, a huge, demonic wolf, is coming their way and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
Underneath all the fable elements, there is a strong theme of the alienation of childhood from adulthood. Children are rarely heeded, listened to, or taken seriously. Through a benign sort of emotional neglect, adults leave children to build their own worlds and societies among themselves to fill an emotional void. I'm speaking in generalities. There are plenty of wonderful parents who are intimately involved in their children's lives. There are also parents who mean well, but are weighted under by the cares of life. You can see that dynamic in this book. Pasha's father is in the shadow of his own father, a dominant and opinionated man who dismisses Pasha's concerns as being ridiculous. Other than when he is needed for chores, it appears as though Pasha is left to his own devices. Whereas Lisette's father has been soured by the loss of his beloved wife and therefore neglects his daughter and his infant son when he's not raging and yelling at Lisette. Pasha and Lisette form a friendship of necessity that becomes true as they muster their courage to save their village from the Blood Prince.
I admit I rushed through reading this because I had to return it back to the library that day. I feel that I had taken my time, I would have been better able to bask in the richness of Russian culture on display. Russian culture is my thing. I have an absurd attraction to it and the language. Some might argue that mistakes were made, but I felt it was well done. There are some very lovely and magical moments that would make for a striking animated film that I hope will be made some day. Baba Yaga plays a prominent role and while she's generally regarded as a villain, she's a huge help to the people of the village, perhaps for her own reasons.
I think I would have given this a higher rating if it had been a little deeper and richer. I am probably asking too much, since this is a children's book. For what there was, it was a lovely little fable.
Underneath all the fable elements, there is a strong theme of the alienation of childhood from adulthood. Children are rarely heeded, listened to, or taken seriously. Through a benign sort of emotional neglect, adults leave children to build their own worlds and societies among themselves to fill an emotional void. I'm speaking in generalities. There are plenty of wonderful parents who are intimately involved in their children's lives. There are also parents who mean well, but are weighted under by the cares of life. You can see that dynamic in this book. Pasha's father is in the shadow of his own father, a dominant and opinionated man who dismisses Pasha's concerns as being ridiculous. Other than when he is needed for chores, it appears as though Pasha is left to his own devices. Whereas Lisette's father has been soured by the loss of his beloved wife and therefore neglects his daughter and his infant son when he's not raging and yelling at Lisette. Pasha and Lisette form a friendship of necessity that becomes true as they muster their courage to save their village from the Blood Prince.
I admit I rushed through reading this because I had to return it back to the library that day. I feel that I had taken my time, I would have been better able to bask in the richness of Russian culture on display. Russian culture is my thing. I have an absurd attraction to it and the language. Some might argue that mistakes were made, but I felt it was well done. There are some very lovely and magical moments that would make for a striking animated film that I hope will be made some day. Baba Yaga plays a prominent role and while she's generally regarded as a villain, she's a huge help to the people of the village, perhaps for her own reasons.
I think I would have given this a higher rating if it had been a little deeper and richer. I am probably asking too much, since this is a children's book. For what there was, it was a lovely little fable.
June 12, 2015
Nice idea but couldn't get into fully. The setting is wonderful and loved the idea of the Blood Prince but all in all I was mostly bored.
The writing went back and forth for me being wonderful and dry.
*shrugs * Oh well, on to the next
The writing went back and forth for me being wonderful and dry.
*shrugs * Oh well, on to the next
April 13, 2017
2.5
I picked this up because a conversation about fairy tale retelling came up in a group recently that didn't focus on the Big 20 in fairy tales, and I started looking around and came across this story about Baba Yaga. I've liked Maguire's other work, especially Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, so I thought I'd give it a go.
Well - it's ok, thus the 2-star goodreads rating. It didn't have any of the depth of his other books - and some of that can be written off as it being more geared for kids, I guess, but some of it is just the writing and story were just sort of flat. I can deal with lack of depth as long as there's something of interest about the story... but it just was kinda meh, which is why it took me 3 days to get through a story barely over 100 pages.
Honestly, I'm not even sure I'd recommend it to kids, because it's kind of boring, really. It did get ok at the end, but it was a slog to get there.
Meh.
I picked this up because a conversation about fairy tale retelling came up in a group recently that didn't focus on the Big 20 in fairy tales, and I started looking around and came across this story about Baba Yaga. I've liked Maguire's other work, especially Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, so I thought I'd give it a go.
Well - it's ok, thus the 2-star goodreads rating. It didn't have any of the depth of his other books - and some of that can be written off as it being more geared for kids, I guess, but some of it is just the writing and story were just sort of flat. I can deal with lack of depth as long as there's something of interest about the story... but it just was kinda meh, which is why it took me 3 days to get through a story barely over 100 pages.
Honestly, I'm not even sure I'd recommend it to kids, because it's kind of boring, really. It did get ok at the end, but it was a slog to get there.
Meh.
August 31, 2023
“A spider goes back and forth, a thread, a thread, spinning a circular ladder that falls in on itself like a dream. A dream goes back and forth, a face, a gesture, and most of it is empty, unfilled air like the spaces of a web. Precious little information you get from either. But at the heart of each is the answer.”
TITLE—The Dream Stealer
AUTHOR—Gregory Maguire
PUBLISHED—2002 (orig. 1983)
PUBLISHER—Clarion Books (orig. Harper & Row)
GENRE—middle grade folktale
SETTING—the thousand-mile forest and the village of Miersk in Old Russia
MAIN THEMES/SUBJECTS—dreams & omens, folktales & folk memory, matriarchal wisdom & protection, friendship, family, community, prejudice & distrust, Baba Yaga, the Firebird, gorgeous whimsical imagery (a village on a train, Baba Yaga’s hilarious house, Baba Yaga herself), beautiful writing, unique take on the quest trope, very cozy
“…so she told me: ‘Onya, don't be a fool. Believe in your imaginings, frightening as they are. They may give you the courage to fight a dozen bears.’”
My thoughts:
This was my first of Maguire’s books for children that I’ve read and I wasn’t sure what to expect but this book was just as beautiful and I loved it just as much as his works that I’ve read for adults. I loved the nuanced characters and how, even though the two children were the main characters, the other members of the community were equally developed so as to show how everyone has a place in the village. I also loved his take on Baba Yaga who was the perfect amount of grubby and powerful, deviant and generous, and wise and hilarious.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy wholesome and whimsical middle grade folk/fairy/fantasy stories. This book is best read while cozy.
Final note: Shocked to see that this book is out of print though so definitely going to start hunting down a copy for my shelves! 👀
“‘Oh, there's no end to the fun a simple soul can have if she's possessed of a clever mind,’ she said blithely to the skulls in the cauldron before crashing a heavy iron lid down upon them.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Season: Winter
CW // grief (Please feel free to DM me for more specifics!)
Further Reading—
- everything else by Gregory Maguire
- EGG & SPOON by Gregory Maguire (which sounds like it’s a sort of different version of this story)
July 5, 2010
I've enjoyed Russian folklore and fairy tales since I took a few language classes in college, and this does not disappoint. There's nothing like a dream-eating wolf, a witch in a hut on chicken legs, and a village of both skeptics and the superstitious. Of course, it's the children who ultimately discover how to save their village. It's exciting to me to see Russian legends take form in America.
Kids who like fairy tales and fantasy will enjoy this, especially if they get into the gorier elements. Think Hansel and Gretel and the Three Little Pigs. It's all about survival in this tale. This would mesh really well with some of the more traditional folktales about Vasilissa the Beautiful or Baba Yaga.
Some scary elements.
Kids who like fairy tales and fantasy will enjoy this, especially if they get into the gorier elements. Think Hansel and Gretel and the Three Little Pigs. It's all about survival in this tale. This would mesh really well with some of the more traditional folktales about Vasilissa the Beautiful or Baba Yaga.
Some scary elements.
January 21, 2018
Enjoyable children's story
September 26, 2016
This review and others posted over at
my blog.
The Blood Prince, a deadly, mythical wolf with the power to steal souls, is on the move once more and is rumored to be headed for the small village of Miersk. When friends Pasha and Lisette see a rare firebird, it sets them off on a quest to find the witch Baba Yaga and hopefully save their village from the Blood Prince.
This little novella combines elements from the Russian folktales of Baba Yaga, the Firebird and Vasilissa the Beautiful – none of which I’ve read, so I can’t speak to Maguire’s interpretation of them. However, I can say this is a well-crafted tale and it felt like folklore, even if I wasn’t familiar with the parts.
The characters were fun, especially Baba Yaga, who is eccentric, hideous and dangerous, yet devotes a good deal of her time and resources to helping the two young children and their village. Despite the short page count, Baba Yaga makes a pretty loveable anti-hero. The friendship between the children is cute too.
I enjoyed the fantastical elements in the story as well as the way Maguire wove several tales into one seamless reimagining.
It’s a short story so I won’t say much more than that, but it is suitable for younger readers and fans of fairy/folk tales.
The Blood Prince, a deadly, mythical wolf with the power to steal souls, is on the move once more and is rumored to be headed for the small village of Miersk. When friends Pasha and Lisette see a rare firebird, it sets them off on a quest to find the witch Baba Yaga and hopefully save their village from the Blood Prince.
This little novella combines elements from the Russian folktales of Baba Yaga, the Firebird and Vasilissa the Beautiful – none of which I’ve read, so I can’t speak to Maguire’s interpretation of them. However, I can say this is a well-crafted tale and it felt like folklore, even if I wasn’t familiar with the parts.
The characters were fun, especially Baba Yaga, who is eccentric, hideous and dangerous, yet devotes a good deal of her time and resources to helping the two young children and their village. Despite the short page count, Baba Yaga makes a pretty loveable anti-hero. The friendship between the children is cute too.
I enjoyed the fantastical elements in the story as well as the way Maguire wove several tales into one seamless reimagining.
It’s a short story so I won’t say much more than that, but it is suitable for younger readers and fans of fairy/folk tales.
November 8, 2008
Based on Eastern European folklore, this children's book is fantastic for all ages. I enjoyed this story much more than his "adult" fiction, of which he is most popularly know for his novel "Wicked". Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy "Wicked" and "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" but the "Dream Stealer" is such a nicely crafted tale. Like many "Adult" writers who dip their hands in Children's or YA fiction (Terry Pratchett most notably) paring the writing down to a simple elegance accessible to a wider range of ages seems to challenge writers like Maguire and Pratchett to higher levels of storytelling. Anyone who is a Maguire fan should read this novel and any young readers out there looking for a good story should check this out as well. "The Dream Stealer" will appeal to anyone who enjoyed Mordicai Gerstein's "The Old Country" and vice versa.
January 5, 2024
A simple fairy tale-like story that combines real experiences and emotions with the mythical beings and happenings of the village. A wolf (or the rumor of a wolf) is threatening to destroy the town people and two small children capture the hearts of the reader. The witch, Baba Yaga, is a character that intrigued me from start to finish. The author excels at intense imagery, and I could feel the story as I read it. One of my favorite scenes, without spoilers, is when the train was leaving the village and Lisette ran to her father. Simply beautiful and a story that inspires, gives hope, and gives meaning to our relationships in life.
May 2, 2017
This must be a retelling of a Russian folktale, because I could swear I've read about a village being rebuilt on the flatcars of a train before. I love Baba Yaga stories, and Maguire does a great job of giving her an interesting personality, part good, part evil, part crochety old lady. And I absolutely love the silhouette-type illustrations. A very atmospheric book. Recommended.
September 13, 2019
The Dream Stealer is about a girl who loses her mom and her dad gets married to another woman that has two girls and they get jealous through time because the girl named Vasilisa was pretty and her stepmom and her daughters weren't. As the years went by nobody knew where the doll was and they only thought it was a tale but not real. As the book continues they try to solve the mystery that her mom dreamed as she was a kid before she died.
I gave this book a 5 because I thought the book was amazing because I thought it was almost like all fairy tale stories all in one with a touch of mystery and courage in between. Also, I liked the parts where the mean characters soon help a family figure out the dream. After that, I thought that this book deserved 5 stars because other than it is a good book I thought its mystery was cool and how everyone works together to figure it out
I gave this book a 5 because I thought the book was amazing because I thought it was almost like all fairy tale stories all in one with a touch of mystery and courage in between. Also, I liked the parts where the mean characters soon help a family figure out the dream. After that, I thought that this book deserved 5 stars because other than it is a good book I thought its mystery was cool and how everyone works together to figure it out
June 24, 2021
Most of us know Gregory Maguire as the author of the Wicked Years series - Wicked, Son of a Witch, etc. But did you know that, long before Wicked, he started as a writer of children's books?
Published in 1983, The Dream Stealer is one of his first books for children. Set in czarist Russia, it has elements of Russian fairy tales - Baba Yaga, the Firebird, Vasilissa the Beautiful - but it's a completely original story.
[Although the edition I read was published by Harper & Row in January 1983, it did not have the prologue or illustrations referred to in the Goodreads book description for that edition.]
Published in 1983, The Dream Stealer is one of his first books for children. Set in czarist Russia, it has elements of Russian fairy tales - Baba Yaga, the Firebird, Vasilissa the Beautiful - but it's a completely original story.
[Although the edition I read was published by Harper & Row in January 1983, it did not have the prologue or illustrations referred to in the Goodreads book description for that edition.]
January 13, 2021
The Dream Stealer is a great winter read, as well as a good introduction into traditional Russian/slavic folklore. It felt like a high stakes fairy tale all the way through and I enjoyed trying to read it in a Russian accent.
When a village is threatened by a large murderous wolf they all gather their belongings and flee (with the reluctant Baba Yaga to aid them) on the train, until they can find a solution to defeat him. I was intrigued from beginning to end and the ending was such a sweet one.
When a village is threatened by a large murderous wolf they all gather their belongings and flee (with the reluctant Baba Yaga to aid them) on the train, until they can find a solution to defeat him. I was intrigued from beginning to end and the ending was such a sweet one.
November 16, 2021
The Dream Stealer is an okay book. Ok, not great I found myself fading out of the book and losing interest. It is an easy read yet I didn't love reading it. I did like the mystery and adventure in this book. Another thing I enjoyed about this book would be that I could picture the scenarios of the book in my head. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, I recommend it if you enjoy a short read and light intensity and I would not recommend this if you love a long story or intense script with detailed literature.
May 24, 2017
This book is like the majority of Maguire's books! Either it's really good and you can't put it down or it's dry and boring and you just can't get into the story. There is no middle ground here. Couldn't get into it
January 10, 2018
3.5 stars.
I didn't realize this was a middle school-age book when I started it. I adore children's fiction, but this telling/merging of several Russian folk-tales fell a little flat. I love Maguire's books, but think he should stick to adult fiction.
I didn't realize this was a middle school-age book when I started it. I adore children's fiction, but this telling/merging of several Russian folk-tales fell a little flat. I love Maguire's books, but think he should stick to adult fiction.
March 10, 2018
3.5/5 stars
October 24, 2019
I really enjoy this book. It's well written. Story is wonderful. Good to read to your kids. Or have your kids read it Enjoy.n
October 10, 2020
Baba Yaga helps a village defend itself from the Blood Prince. It was really dense for a children's book. Lots to process and no pictures. It was good, just heavy.
February 12, 2021
Cute story. I would've loved having this read out loud to me as a kid, that's for sure! :)
September 10, 2022
Not super familiar with Russian folklore so this wasn't the usual experience of reading Gregory Maguire's tales which are familiar yet different.
Also a little darker than his usual fare.
Also a little darker than his usual fare.
April 19, 2025
A brilliant retelling of Vasilisa the Beautiful. It is the book I wanted that I didn't know had been written.
February 18, 2026
Kind of flat but lots of potential.
May 14, 2013
Legend has it that a great wolf named The Blood Prince stalks the northern forests of Russia, biding his time before he wreaks havoc devouring bodies and stealing souls of the townspeople. The village of Miersk lies in wait, doing their best to forget the legend and hoping that by blocking the Blood Prince out of their memories, they will manage to escape his wrath. Two children from Miersk, Pasha and Lisette do not force The Blood Prince from their minds, instead they stand strong in their belief of the Prince, and their ability to outwit him and save their village. Gregory Maguire uses his fantastical storytelling skills to weave renowned Russian folk tales into a new fable fit for all ages. Through Maguire’s novel we are able to imagine tales of Vasilissa the Beautiful, Baba Yaga, and the legendary Firebird.
The story was charming and filled with very interesting characters. I was especially fond of Baba Yaga, and this novel did lead me to read different European folktales featuring this supernatural being. The two children were steadfast and selfless, they showed extreme bravery and encouraged the adults around them to rise up and fight for what they love. I especially loved the way the characters grew through the novel and how their backgrounds shaped them into unique individuals, each character had their own tale to tell and it helped the reader become more in tune with the story as a whole.
Anyone who has had the pleasure of reading a novel written by Gregory Maguire will not be surprised to know that the prose of The Dream Stealer was beautiful. Maguire has a knack for writing lyrical tales that jump off the page and make the reader crave more. That being said, I still had a hard time getting through The Dream Stealer. Though the writing was beautiful, I still felt rather bored while reading and it took me a very long time to finally finish. Full disclosure: I went into the novel expecting more of a retelling of sorts, reminiscent of Maguire’s other novels. I also went in with very little background on the European folktales. I do believe that I may have appreciated the novel more if I had different expectations and if I had a different understanding of the original tales that Maguire used as a reference.
For those of you looking for a novel that reads very much like the tales of old, in which you can find the moral of the story and the growth of a character, this is the novel for you. I believe it would be greatly appreciated if read aloud to a child, rather than read on your own.
The story was charming and filled with very interesting characters. I was especially fond of Baba Yaga, and this novel did lead me to read different European folktales featuring this supernatural being. The two children were steadfast and selfless, they showed extreme bravery and encouraged the adults around them to rise up and fight for what they love. I especially loved the way the characters grew through the novel and how their backgrounds shaped them into unique individuals, each character had their own tale to tell and it helped the reader become more in tune with the story as a whole.
Anyone who has had the pleasure of reading a novel written by Gregory Maguire will not be surprised to know that the prose of The Dream Stealer was beautiful. Maguire has a knack for writing lyrical tales that jump off the page and make the reader crave more. That being said, I still had a hard time getting through The Dream Stealer. Though the writing was beautiful, I still felt rather bored while reading and it took me a very long time to finally finish. Full disclosure: I went into the novel expecting more of a retelling of sorts, reminiscent of Maguire’s other novels. I also went in with very little background on the European folktales. I do believe that I may have appreciated the novel more if I had different expectations and if I had a different understanding of the original tales that Maguire used as a reference.
For those of you looking for a novel that reads very much like the tales of old, in which you can find the moral of the story and the growth of a character, this is the novel for you. I believe it would be greatly appreciated if read aloud to a child, rather than read on your own.
September 19, 2012
This book was a pleasant surprise. Narrated in the style of a fairy tale with charming characters, bewitched creatures, and magic galore, it makes one feel like a six year old again, expecting Baba Yaga to pop out of the bushes or a house to sprout legs at any moment. While there are many humorous and fun passages, the story is also sobering as the reader is reminded that it is based on Russian fairy tales, and there is never enough to eat, not enough work, and no opportunities for betterment. This tale is as much about being grateful for the things you already have as it is about bravery, love and steadfastness.
The characters are surprisingly well developed with personal histories and unique problems. Pasha and Lisette, who are best friends, feel the worry emanating from the adults that the Blood Prince will come and eat every inhabitant of the village Miersk, and so they set out to find the frightening and powerful witch, Baba Yaga. An unlikely and tenuous relationship develops between witch and village and they formulate a plan to find and vanquish the vicious wolf. The characters evolve throughout the story, learning patience, self-sacrifice, and how to express the love one feels along the way.
This is not a long book nor is it difficult to read, though it is thoughtful and, I think, one of Gregory Maguire's better narratives. I would recommend The Dream Stealer to anyone who has ever had a passion for traditional fairy tales or folktales or enjoys magic and wishes to mix their reading list up a bit.
The characters are surprisingly well developed with personal histories and unique problems. Pasha and Lisette, who are best friends, feel the worry emanating from the adults that the Blood Prince will come and eat every inhabitant of the village Miersk, and so they set out to find the frightening and powerful witch, Baba Yaga. An unlikely and tenuous relationship develops between witch and village and they formulate a plan to find and vanquish the vicious wolf. The characters evolve throughout the story, learning patience, self-sacrifice, and how to express the love one feels along the way.
This is not a long book nor is it difficult to read, though it is thoughtful and, I think, one of Gregory Maguire's better narratives. I would recommend The Dream Stealer to anyone who has ever had a passion for traditional fairy tales or folktales or enjoys magic and wishes to mix their reading list up a bit.
February 14, 2016
This is one of the darling little books that I reread sometimes just to feel the warm fuzzies. It is inspired by Russian folklore, particularly Vassalisa the Beautiful (sorta Cinderella), Baba Yaga (the witch with iron teeth who flies with a mortar and pestle and owns a hut on chicken legs guarded by the skulls of her enemies), and the Firebird, which is somewhat like a pheonix. The story is about to Russian peasant children in the village of Miersk, before the revolution but after trains. It is a bad year, because the Blood Prince, a demonic wolf straight from the land of nightmares, is on the prowl. The two children, Pasha and Lisette, see a firebird, which is sure to be an omen regarding the fate of Miersk, but only Baba Yaga can say what it means...
This is a children's book, and simple style embraces that fact. There is gentle humor and some frightening happenings, but the heart of this book is the difficulty of being a child in a world that needs you to grow up, and also the joy of simply being a child. Are there some cheesy bits? Sure, but it is never condescending as some kid's books are, for me, the emotional appeal overwhelms any cheese factor.
This is a children's book, and simple style embraces that fact. There is gentle humor and some frightening happenings, but the heart of this book is the difficulty of being a child in a world that needs you to grow up, and also the joy of simply being a child. Are there some cheesy bits? Sure, but it is never condescending as some kid's books are, for me, the emotional appeal overwhelms any cheese factor.
April 21, 2010
Ages: 9-12
Plot: The village of Miersk is being threatened by a figure many thought was just a story -the Blood Prince. That is until two children, who still believe in the stories, decide to take the fate of their village into their own hands.
Assessment: This is an interesting modernization and joining of popular folktales of the Grimm genre, and it certainly sets the imagination running. I love the idea of moving a town onto a train!
This is a story that focuses on how children can make a difference. The children in this story are among the most brave in their entire village, but they both still really want someone to acknowledge it.
The story takes place maybe around the 1930s or 40s, in a small rural village in Europe. This is a good story for older children who might stick with the story even though they do not relate to the environment.
Plot: The village of Miersk is being threatened by a figure many thought was just a story -the Blood Prince. That is until two children, who still believe in the stories, decide to take the fate of their village into their own hands.
Assessment: This is an interesting modernization and joining of popular folktales of the Grimm genre, and it certainly sets the imagination running. I love the idea of moving a town onto a train!
This is a story that focuses on how children can make a difference. The children in this story are among the most brave in their entire village, but they both still really want someone to acknowledge it.
The story takes place maybe around the 1930s or 40s, in a small rural village in Europe. This is a good story for older children who might stick with the story even though they do not relate to the environment.
February 4, 2012
The book is a retelling of a Russian fairy tale about a witch named Baba Yaga and a terrifying wolf called the Blood Prince who wants to steal the children’s dreams. The characters are cute in a one-note way that works in fairy tales; they’re villagers who can barely agree on anything, and that’s amusing. The folk characters and the type of magic come across as unique and different because most of us in the US don’t know old Russian tales the way we do Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson. I mean, who ever thought of a smelly old woman flying around in a mortar, wielding a pestle, followed by her house walking around on chicken legs? Maguire’s wry humor works here through sparse, easy language that is appropriate for young readers. It’s a sweet, fun tale that would be good for bedtime stories and reading lessons.
September 26, 2011
This was disappointing to me. This is more because I usually LOVE Gregory Maguire's fiction geared towards adult (which tend toward more of the fractured fairy tales rather than true folklore) rather than because anything was particularly wrong with the book. In reading reviews on Amazon, I have to agree with comments that it was both "beautifully written" AND it "could not hold my interest." How does THAT work? But in seriousness, I could see this being truly scary to YOUNG readers (age 4-8??...I think not) and even older ones. That is to say, I'm not sure of its broad appeal. Indeed, I think some of its "revival" is due to Maguire's mega-success with such works as Wicked. Not a bad book....just didn't knock my socks off like some of his works.
August 1, 2008
Dream Stealer is a less warped retelling than Gregory Maguire in known for; it sticks close to the Baba Yaga legends but throws in enough twists on Russian village life to stay fairly interesting. The child characters focus the narration on a familial quest rather than on a more epic tale--that, at least, is fairly common for Gregory Maguire. I've been thinking about this one since I read it and I think my disappointment with it is rooted in the lack of deviation from norm: it reads more like a folktale itself than a Maguire retelling ala Wicked.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews