Tanya Grotter
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Tanya Grotter (Таня Гроттер) is the female protagonist of a Russian series of books by Dmitri Yemets (Дмитрий Емец). Yemets describes the books as "a cultural reply" to the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.
Courts in the Netherlands prevented the distribution of a Dutch translation of Tanya Grotter and the Magical Double Bass in 2003 after Rowling and her publishers sued arguing that the Grotter books violate copyright law. Yemets and his Moscow-based publishers, Eksmo, argued unsuccessfully that the book constituted a parody, permitted under copyright. Later that year, as the Dutch translation "Tanja Grotter en de magische contrabas" was still legal in Belgium, the Flemish publishers Roularta Books decided to print 1,000 copies (and no more) in order to let people decide whether it was plagiarism, hoping that under those circumstances Rowling and her publishers would not sue. Rowling did not sue, but as there was a lot of interest in the book (Dutch people could buy the book by postal order from another Flemish publisher, Van In) it was soon sold out.
The books tell about Tanya's studies at Tibidoxs (Тибидохс) School for Difficult-to-Raise Magicians - a place where they take magicians from the 'Lopukhoidov' (the Tanya Grotter equivalent to Muggles) world so that they can improve their skills. She's an orphan, has an unusual mole on the tip of her nose, and has magic powers. Just as Harry Potter battles Lord Voldemort aka He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on a recurring basis, Tanya Grotter battles Chuma-del-Tort aka She-Who-Is-Not on a recurring basis.
After the first book, however, the plots do not follow those of the Harry Potter series.
- Таня Гроттер и магический контрабас (Tanya Grotter and the Magical Double Bass)
- Таня Гроттер и Исчезающий Этаж (Tanya Grotter and the Disappearing Floor)
- Таня Гроттер и Золотая Пиявка (Tanya Grotter and the Golden Leech)
- Таня Гроттер и трон Древнира (Tanya Grotter and the Throne of Drevnir)
- Таня Гроттер и посох волхвов (Tanya Grotter and the Pikestaff of the Magi)
- Таня Гроттер и молот Перуна (Tanya Grotter and the Hammer of Perun)
- Таня Гроттер и пенсне Ноя (Tanya Grotter and the Pince-nez of Noah)
- Таня Гроттер и ботинки кентавра (Tanya Grotter and the Boots of the Centaur)
- Таня Гроттер и колодец Посейдона (Tanya Grotter and the Well of Poseidon)
- Таня Гроттер и локон Афродиты (Tanya Grotter and the Curl of Aphrodite)
- Таня Гроттер и перстень с жемчужиной (Tanya Grotter and the Pearl Ring)
There are several spin-offs from the Tanya Grotter series featuring other Tibidox students, Mefodiy Buslaev (Мефодий Буслаев) and Khuliganskoe Fentezi (Хулиганское фэнтези).
- Мефодий Буслаев: Маг Полуночи (Mefodiy Buslaev: Magician of Midnight)
- Мефодий Буслаев: Свиток желаний (Mefodiy Buslaev: Roll of Desire)
- Мефодий Буслаев: Третий всадник мрака (Mefodiy Buslaev: Third Rider of the Gloom)
- Мефодий Буслаев: Билет на Лысую Гору (Mefodiy Buslaev: Ticket to the Bald Mountain)
- Мефодий Буслаев: Месть валькирий (Mefodiy Buslaev:Vengeance of the Valkyries)
- Хулиганское фэнтези: Великое Нечто (Khuliganskoe Fentezi: Great Something)
[edit] List of similarities
- In Tanya Grotter and the Magical Double Bass, Tanya Grotter is an eleven year old orphan girl. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter is an eleven year old orphan boy.
- Tanya Grotter was left orphaned when the darkest magician, the Queen of the Undead, kills her parents. Harry Potter was left orphaned when the dark wizard, the lord of the Death Eaters, kills his parents.
- After the murder, Tanya Grotter was sent to live with distant cousins Ninel and Germain Durnev, and their daughter, Penelopa "Pipy" Durnev. Tanya is abused by her adoptive family until she finds out that she is a magician. Harry Potter is sent to live with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and cousin Dudley Dursley, all three of whom abuse him until he learns that he is a wizard.
- The name of the evil magician who killed Tanya Grotter's parents is Chuma-Del-Tort. The name of the dark wizard who killed Harry Potter's parents is, in official Russian translation, Lord Volan-de-Mort.
- The sorceress is called She-Who-Is-Not by the general population who are afraid to speak her name, as doing so could attract spells made by her (e.g. when academician Sardanapal Chernomorov mentions her name he is attacked by a flat iron that has appeared from nowhere). Lord Voldemort is called He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named by the general populace, who are too afraid to say his name.
- Harry Potter plays quidditch where players fly on magic brooms. Tanya Grotter plays drakonbol where players fly on practically anything. For example: vacuum cleaners, musical instruments, magic lamps, couches, and tennis rackets.
