The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann is a dark and imaginative tale that explores themes of imagination and freedom. The story is well-written and features beautiful illustrations, but the pacing is uneven, rushing through the most interesting parts.
The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann is a dark and imaginative tale that delves into themes of imagination and the contrast between a regimented world and one free of rules. Marie, the protagonist, is drawn to the Nutcracker's world, seeing the freedom it offers her. The story is well-written and features beautiful illustrations by Sanna Annukka, which bring the tale to life. However, the pacing is uneven, with the story rushing through the most interesting parts and spending too much time on setup. This makes the action feel less urgent and the villain less threatening. Despite these issues, the story is worth a read, especially in this illustrated edition.
Quick quotes
There are some gruesome images during the battle between the Nutcracker and the seven-headed Mouse King.
The book suggests that letting your imagination run free is both a positive and a negative.
The only problem is, the story has really odd pacing. It wastes so much time setting everything up but rushes all of the really interesting parts.