This was a mixed bag! I did really enjoy the connections across cultures of different folklore and mythology, but it felt pretty repetitive; I don’t think the first part or the afterword were necessary. I also think some of the language around race and gender was a bit outdated despite the book having been published in 2012, and I wish the illustrations were as diverse as the folktales’ locales. The research seemed a bit surface-level; the author didn’t seem to use many primary sources. But in general, it was a fun summer read that makes me want to watch Aquamarine ASAP.