The promotional materials I'd read about this book made a point of stressing that "this wasn't a fairy tale," and so, although I knew it was a retelli...moreThe promotional materials I'd read about this book made a point of stressing that "this wasn't a fairy tale," and so, although I knew it was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I expected the connection to be a little more tenuous than it actually was. Instead, it's more-or-less a by-the-book retelling with the main element of newness coming from it being set in modern New York City. But even with this premise, the vehicle of the spell, the transformation, and the story are surprisingly traditional.
I did like that the modern setting allowed the exploration of what kind of modern teen would deserve to undergo such a curse, and I have to say, Kyle Kingsbury was certainly in need of "a lesson." Deepening the "spoiled rotten" stereotype was the fact that he lived with his dad, his mother having left when he was younger, and that his dad really idealized superficiality, so that even his relationship with his son was totally superficial. The father-son dynamic is the one bit that did make me feel sympathy toward Kyle even before he started to soften his heart. And seeing how his image-obsessed father dealt with his transformation also added a new element to the B&B story.
Perhaps it's this dynamic that made the first half of the story more enjoyable to me than the second half, which became much more traditional. The love story is sweet, but the love interest sort of got on my nerves (although she was a really wonderful person and deserving of the good that came her way -- I think she was perhaps "too good" and too innocent, which is why I'd have trouble being friends with her.) I liked that she was a redhead, though, and that she was supposedly "plain" -- she wasn't described as beautiful until after the Beast began falling in love with her. There are times during his "courtship" that his desire for her struck me as a little creepy, and I wasn't sure if that was intentional or not. He was beastly, after all.
Oh, Alex Flinn must either love classics or think all teenagers should be reading them. She crammed so many references to classics into this book that I made a whole book display around Adrian and Lindy's reading list at the library! Another nice "gateway" book, even if it is a little fluffy. (less)
Like many retellings, this one takes the traditional elements of the fairy tale and sets them all within a world where they make "sense." In this case...moreLike many retellings, this one takes the traditional elements of the fairy tale and sets them all within a world where they make "sense." In this case, the elements in question were the fairy tale's obsession with the Goose Girl's golden hair, her ability to talk to her horse, and the wind's strange behavior. While I like the way Shannon Hale has made sense of these elements, I do feel like it took some of the compelling bizarreness out of the story. I was also disappointed that some of the more creepy elements, like the horse head talking after its death, weren't in this rendition. However, I did like the characterization of Ani (the Goose Girl) as a quiet, awkward, and innocent princess who must grow into her mantle of royalty even though she may feel more comfortable among the geese. The depiction of Selia (the maid who takes Ani's place) was also done well; Shannon Hale does particularly well showing us Selia through Ani's eyes, so that she seems completely benign during Ani's more innocent days. There were a couple big themes in this book, including claiming one's identity and what gives some folks more of a "right" to rule than others. I wish the latter had been explored a little more deeply, but I think that Shannon Hale, like most modern women, might feel a little conflicted about the princess archetype.
(I'd actually give this book 3.5 stars, but that's not an option.)(less)
I'd heard very mixed reviews on this one, so I went into it a little cautiously. On an objective level, I can see the book's shortcomings: the charact...moreI'd heard very mixed reviews on this one, so I went into it a little cautiously. On an objective level, I can see the book's shortcomings: the characters felt a tad bit underdeveloped, there was sometimes a "lot going on", and clumsy writing in the form of cliches and melodrama occasionally made its way into the prose. Its roots as a NaNoWriMo novel show a bit in its short timeline (it all happens within a two-week span) and it's, "Whoa, now let's make this happen!" plot twists.
Still, somehow, this all worked for me. The story kept me invested the entire time -- it was dark and dystopic enough to pique my interest, but light enough to make returning (and staying for a while) "enjoyable." It brings something truly new to the table in terms of the Cinderella story -- and not just that Cinderella is a cyborg, although that's an interesting take, too. At the same time, it stays true to the heart of the original tale about a girl caught in a complicated and abusive relationship with her family that has eroded her sense of self-worth. Still, Cinder is not a pushover.
I liked this world peopled with just a handful of empires (somehow the U.K. is still independent!), androids, plagues, and people living on the moon. And I like that the story takes place in China, which is where most folklorist think the Cinderella myth began. I can see how people might think the book was all over the place, but I thought it fit together surprisingly well.
For the first time that I can remember, I've read a book in a series before any of the later books have come out! I'm looking forward to the release of the second story in the series in February, and I can already see hints of what other futuristic fairy tales might be in store. (less)
My friend Jenn recommended this book to me when I told her that my favorite part of the Sisters Grimm book was seeing a bunch of fairy tale characters...moreMy friend Jenn recommended this book to me when I told her that my favorite part of the Sisters Grimm book was seeing a bunch of fairy tale characters all at once and in modern times. In this book (actually the first 5 comic books in the FABLES series), there's a similar premise, with fairy tale characters living in New York after being driven out of their homelands. I liked the same thing about it that I liked in the Sisters Grimm, although I appreciated its freedom to tackle more "adult" topics. But aside from that, I was actually really surprised by how similar the two stories were; both feature a lot of angry fairy tale characters who have been driven from their homelands and want to return to it; both feature fairy tale detectives; and one of the comic books, The Unusual Suspects, even has the same title as one of the Sisters Grimm books. It makes me wonder which came first, and whether this is a case of collective consciousness (which *is* where fairy tales dwell, after all), or if one was inspired by the other (hey, I'd like to do a story like this for kids! / hey, I'd like to do a story like this for adults!)
The end of the book was sort of anti-climactic, but I'm still tempted to read the next one even though Jenn warned me that they go downhill from here. But I was really diggin' reading something with pictures; I've read less since going freelance because I read stuff on the computer almost all day, and this provided a really nice break. Maybe this is a good time in my life to start exploring graphic novels in earnest. (less)
I originally passed up a free review copy of this book, but then wished I hadn't when I learned it's a loose retelling of Snow White.
Enough of the Sno...moreI originally passed up a free review copy of this book, but then wished I hadn't when I learned it's a loose retelling of Snow White.
Enough of the Snow White story has been changed for this to feel more like a fantasy with themes reminiscent of Snow White than a straightforward retelling. Still, the most important elements are all there -- a jealous queen, a poison apple, and a magic mirror (also gnomes, which are close enough to dwarfs). The aspects that are different don't take away from the fairy tale motif.
The most striking differences between this story and the traditional story are that Aza (Snow White) is not beautiful (although she longs to be), and the jealous queen is not her stepmother. The portrayal of the queen not as a vain and demented older woman, but as an inexperienced and insecure adolescent the same age as Aza was especially compelling. Although less dark than the Evil Stepmother character, Queen Ivi comes across as both real and relateable, and I felt that once again, the Evil Queen stole the show.
The story seems to go on a bit too long after it ought to have resolved itself, and, although the magic mirror serves as the story's true villain, it didn't have quite the "creepy" factor I would have liked. Although, to be fair, GCL doesn't really seem to be going for the creepy or dark tone a lot of retellings aspire to; if anything, her retellings are more whimsical than the originals.
Since singing plays a large part in the story, I recommend listening to the Full Cast Audio version, which includes songs -- even though Aza's voice isn't as beautiful as I could have imagined it in my own head based on the descriptions (and Ivi's voice is much more beautiful than the story would have you expect).(less)
This book was sort of like a double retelling -- one of Snow White, and one of the Italian Borgias family. I really liked the use of historical events...moreThis book was sort of like a double retelling -- one of Snow White, and one of the Italian Borgias family. I really liked the use of historical events and people as the backdrop of this fairy tale, particularly the use of Lucrezia Borgia as the "evil stepmother." It made me wish I knew more about the family's actual history because I think I would have enjoyed it more. But as much as I liked that aspect, the rootedness of the story in history and politics made some of the more fantastical elements (dwarves that "evolved" out of rocks, the magic mirror, Snow White's multiple-year sleeping episodes on more than one occasion) feel a little out of place. Essentially, I wanted the fantastical elements to be as clearly defined as the historical and political elements, but they sort of weirdly just floated in and out. I also felt like Gregory Maguire laid a lot of groundwork in the first half of the book with the intricacy I've come to appreciate about his writing, but the second half felt rushed, as though he suddenly remembered he was writing a Snow White retelling and had to get all the elements in there. And I couldn't find a way to justify the way the narrative went beyond head-hopping to switch between third and first person with no apparent rhyme or reason (I'm sure he had one because he must have explained it to his editor SOMEHOW, but I didn't invest myself in discovering it). Still, he breathed a lot of newness into an old story without totally mangling it, and that's the measure of a truly good retelling in my book.(less)
This novel is a retelling of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" which is probably one of the most underappreciated fairy tales out there. Unfortun...moreThis novel is a retelling of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" which is probably one of the most underappreciated fairy tales out there. Unfortunately, this retelling doesn't quite do it justice. The author chose to use multiple viewpoints, which felt more like a gimmick and less like the best way to tell the story (especially since I was only really interested in the stories from two of the five narrators). Also, no one ever seems to have given Edith that all important advice to "show and not tell." Despite the novel being almost 500 pages long, reading it feels more like skimming a summary than entering a world. For example, she uses phrases such as, "It was clear they really loved each other," without telling us what made it clear, which makes it sound like it actually wasn't all that clear at all.
Her treatment of the white bear and the four winds was interesting, but I didn't really appreciate the latter until I read her own afterward (which, incidentally, was more interesting than the story itself).
Even though it's only a two-star book, I find myself holding onto it because I'm rather proud of my collection of retold fairy tales.(less)
I considered reading this book for a long time because of the fairy tale element, but put it off because I'm not a big fan of mysteries or detective s...moreI considered reading this book for a long time because of the fairy tale element, but put it off because I'm not a big fan of mysteries or detective stories. But after months of seeing rave reviews of it on NewMoon.com, I finally decided to give it a whirl.
It's a sweet little adventure story, although the orphaned children motif starts feeling a little overused when you're still reading juvenile fiction at the age of 28 ;). The detective story element of the book didn't appeal to me any more when I was actually reading it, but it was a worthwhile read just to see the way fairy tale characters were handled in a modern setting, which was fun, clever, and imaginative. I felt a little irritated by the broad definition of "fairy tale", including characters such as Mowgli from the Jungle Book, but the author approaches it in a way that almost convinces me to overlook my rigid interpretation of what "fairy tale" means.
The ending also felt a little random, but the author's afterward was worth reading just because it's fun to hear how he reread a billion fairy tales before he started writing his. And I'll read the other books in the series just to see what happens to the fairy tale characters; maybe I'll come to appreciate detective stories along the way. (less)
I probably wouldn't have read this book if it wasn't a fairy tale retelling, since a story about two sisters who are werewolf hunters wouldn't particu...moreI probably wouldn't have read this book if it wasn't a fairy tale retelling, since a story about two sisters who are werewolf hunters wouldn't particularly appeal to me. So maybe it's not the book's fault that it fell a little flat ... as a retelling it has an interesting premise, but the setting and tone felt disjointed. Although it takes place in modern times, there's an element of it that still feels pastoral and rustic, and then another that makes it feel as though it takes place in the fifties or sixties. Granted, the sisters are poor, so maybe the lack of cell phones and other modern devices can be chalked up to that ... but I couldn't totally buy that they were able to live as long as they did without social services showing up a little more often, or that they could fend them off as easily as they did. The Fenrys (werewolf) aspect also strained credibility a little bit. Would there really be so many werewolves hanging around a small Georgia town? And if so, why would "moving" (as one character does to be kept safe from them) help? Are we to assume that there are fewer werewolves out in the rest of the U.S.?
The love story that is central to the plot didn't really do much for me, and the age difference even made it a little yucky, although it obviously wasn't supposed to be. But I honestly lose a little respect for 21 year old men who hook up with 16 year olds, even if I was once a 16 year old pining after a 21 year old man (who was decent enough not to take me up on it). What redeemed this book for me was the (mostly) believable relationship and tension between the sisters as they realized that they wanted different things out of life, and as they struggled to establish an identity separate from one another. The book is told in alternating perspectives between the older and younger sister, and the older one (Scarlet) was my favorite character. Still, I don't think her narrating the whole book would have made me like it more, as the "softness" Rosie brings to the story seems an appropriate balance. Perhaps one good thing about this book (although not enough to make it worth another star) is that it did inspire me to start working on my Red Riding Hood concept album again. Let's see what I can do with the story. ;)(less)
Despite my fondness for retellings, I put off reading this book for a while because, well, I just couldn't get that excited about a plot in which the...moreDespite my fondness for retellings, I put off reading this book for a while because, well, I just couldn't get that excited about a plot in which the main characters were frogs. But when I found out that Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" was based loosely on the book, I decided to suck it up and give it a try.
It's a sweet, charming story -- one in which the frogs quickly become "human" enough to overcome my initial reservations. The other animals are also nicely personified, given personalities that fit with their species without limiting them to it. In actuality, the tone of the book is very "Disney-esque," with cute sidekicks and a "diamond in the rough" princess, which is why I think I'll find myself a little baffled by how much they'll change the story anyway. But, I guess I'm always up for a retelling. (less)
While the first book relied on its re-imagining of traditional fairy tale characters to hold my interest, the second book in the series has a plot str...moreWhile the first book relied on its re-imagining of traditional fairy tale characters to hold my interest, the second book in the series has a plot strong enough to stand on its own. With the "introductions" and "setting of the stage" out of the way, the story starts moving much more quickly in this installment. In addition, "The Unusual Suspects" deepens Sabrina's character substantially, with her character development playing an integral role in the overall story arc. This installment also whips out some of the most interesting "ever afters" (fairy tale characters) such as Rumplestiltskin and Little Red Riding Hood. The ambiance is also quite a bit darker than the first one. AND it ends on a cliffhanger, which may have just converted me from a "casual" reader to a devoted one (although I still think Buckley's actual writing is pretty mediocre). This is one subgenre of murder mystery that could I could definitely get hooked on.(less)
This book interested me because it claims to be a "retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story" where "the princess is the beast." But this story had...moreThis book interested me because it claims to be a "retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story" where "the princess is the beast." But this story had SO little in common with the B&B story that it wasn't really justified being called a retelling. In fact, if I hadn't read that about it, it probably wouldn't have reminded me of B&B at all. And although it's categorized as a "romance," the romantic element took backseat to a lot of unimpressive subplots that didn't tie together well at all. The main plot was about the persecution of people who had "animal magic" in the kingdom. The main character George, a prince on the verge of becoming king, has the animal magic but has to stay closeted out of fear. So the main tension revolves around George having to come out about his abilities. This story is about 200 pages longer than it needed to be, since all the conflicts were resolved way too easily in the end. And despite being 400 + pages, I spent a lot of time wondering what any of the settings actually looked like, since the description and place markers were vague. I think this had the potential to be a very moving and haunting story, if it would have gone through at least two more drafts.(less)
The library catalog lists this book under "ghost stories." At first, I thought it was misfiled. It was a retelling of Rumplestiltskin, not a ghost sto...moreThe library catalog lists this book under "ghost stories." At first, I thought it was misfiled. It was a retelling of Rumplestiltskin, not a ghost story! Well, turns out it was both. Which works surprisingly well.
This is the first Rumplestiltskin retelling I've ever read, and it brought several truly new things to the table. Besides the ghost story angle, the tale is also set during a time that mirrors the Industrial Revolution rather than the more typical medieval setting. I've seen many reviews refer to this book as "intricate," as indeed it is -- which seems particularly fitting for a story that is so pre-occupied with weaving and craftsmanship. It's remarkably well-researched and the setting and the characters who people it are three-dimensional and believable. With that said, I was a little surprised that no one mentioned the underside of that intricacy, which was ... that it could make the story feel very slow.
If you can appreciate all the tiny details that make up a place and time, perhaps that won't bother you. To be honest, it bothered me just a little. Although I identified with the sisters' plight and their desperation to save their failing wool mill, which employed much of the city, I also often found myself wondering if it was worth all their trouble. Perhaps I would not make a good heroine in a book such as this, since I would have thrown in the towel a lot sooner. :p Still, while I could appreciate what was happening with the world-building prior to Rumplestiltskin appearance (which doesn't happen till nearly halfway through the book), I didn't feel things really began to pick up until then, at which point the stakes were raised and the book pulled itself firmly into four-star territory. Elizabeth Bunce does the character of Rumplestiltskin justice, managing to make him intriguing, terrifying, and sympathetic all in turn. And her creative "spin" (if you'll forgive the pun) on the old tale make this worth reading for any fairy tale enthusiast. (less)
Snow White's diplomatic visit to the Sultan of Scheherazade fame is the catalyst for this graphic novel, which is a collection of retellings--or more...moreSnow White's diplomatic visit to the Sultan of Scheherazade fame is the catalyst for this graphic novel, which is a collection of retellings--or more like, extensions--of fairy tales within the same world as the Fables universe. The re-imaginings were compelling, if a little heavy on the sex and violence (and combinations thereof). In some ways, I enjoyed this more than the first volume of Fables because there's less to keep track of and each story is quite self-contained. Also, the artwork is stunning -- the best I've ever seen in "comic book" form. (less)
Despite the narrator's "too modern" tone, this is one of the better retellings I've read, actually bringing something truly new to the story. It was...more Despite the narrator's "too modern" tone, this is one of the better retellings I've read, actually bringing something truly new to the story. It was kind of like Sleeping Beauty meets Alice and Wonderland, and I liked the chaotic edge, as well as the characters, who all seemed like real (and interesting) people. The first half was more compelling than the second half, where it departed a bit too much from the Sleeping Beauty story to be really satisfying to me as a retelling. But it was still worth reading. (less)
This was the first book by Patricia McKillip I've ever read, and the first fantasy novel I've read in quite a long time. I was impressed by how evocat...moreThis was the first book by Patricia McKillip I've ever read, and the first fantasy novel I've read in quite a long time. I was impressed by how evocative McKillip's writing was; there was a sense of "place" that was both dream-like and tangible. I identified with her protagonists' sense of never quite belonging as well as her inexplicable yearning for something she couldn't quite name. The intricacy of the family relationships, particularly between Rose and her sister, were also well done. Somehow, she manages to create a narrative that gets away with weaving between the "real world" and something like a waking dream without coming across as too hallucinatory. This was a novel that made me remember why I love fantasy so much. (less)
This came very close to being a five-star book, and it was easy for me to see why it's garnered so much admiration amongst fans of retold fairy tales....moreThis came very close to being a five-star book, and it was easy for me to see why it's garnered so much admiration amongst fans of retold fairy tales. The only thing that kept it from getting five-stars is that there were two or three stories that fell short. But the rest of the stories more than made up for it.
Most of the stories in this collection felt just the right "length" to give fairy tales a deeper exploration without dragging them out more than necessary. As I work on my own fairy tale short story/novella, it served as a really good model for the myriad ways in which such a story could be successful. Some of the stories in this collection stayed closer to the originals than others, but I appreciated the diversity--some stories were modern retellings, others took place more-or-less in the "original" time and place, some were erotic, others were horrific, and a few were funny. "I Shall Do Thee Mischief in the Wood," the second Red Riding Hood retelling in the book, was probably my favorite. Many of the stories had haunting images that were hard to shake, though, and even the stories I didn't like were well written. This really is a collection of "master" storytellers doing what they do best. (less)
I feel like I've talked about this book so much already that it's silly to give it an official review, but here goes:
This book starts out so brutal th...moreI feel like I've talked about this book so much already that it's silly to give it an official review, but here goes:
This book starts out so brutal that I found myself wondering if such detailed wretchedness was really crucial to the plot. It turns out that it is, and that it must be juxtaposed against the beauty and peace in the book for you to have a full understanding of what is being offered and withheld. Although this is a retelling of Snow White and Rose Red (something I didn't realize until about halfway in), it's also so much more than that. Like the best retellings, it "makes sense" of the odder tidbits in the fairy tale -- the fact that nothing bad ever happened to Snow White, Rose Red, an their mother, falling in love with bears, and a strange gnome obsessed with treasure. But it's also an examination of what you're willing to give up for safety, and the dangers of choosing an imaginary life over a real one. The writing is absolutely gorgeous, the characters and settings vivid and believable. There is both unbearable pain and unbearable sweetness here, and the book brought me to tears several times. The only thing that keeps me from giving the book a five star rating is the fact that it felt like it went on a little too long at the end; some of the ending sequences felt more like a half-hearted sequel than something integral to the plot. Still, I loved this book enough to stay in it even a little longer than I ought. (less)
Things that would have made me like this book better: 1. If I would have been reading it aloud to a 10-year-old. It would have been fun to giggle with...moreThings that would have made me like this book better: 1. If I would have been reading it aloud to a 10-year-old. It would have been fun to giggle with a kid over some of the dialogue, and the sentences were short and well-constructed, making it a perfect read-aloud book. 2. If I had known all the fairy tales Gail Carson Levine was parodying. I was only familiar with a couple of them -- and I like retellings when I can appreciate them as retellings. As plain ol' stories, they're just a little weird. 3. If all 6 stories hadn't been in one book (yeah, I know, that was the point). But I felt compelled to read the whole thing start-to-finish, and Good Lord, as fun as these stories were, THEY GOT SO REPETATIVE. 4. If I hadn't moved straight (no pun intended) from Fairy Tales: Traditional Stories Retold for Gay Men to this one. I think I was Fairy-Taled out.
Gail's quirky characters and her sense of humor were what kept me going, because there wasn't a lot of originality as far as the storytelling went. Still, I'm keeping this book around for that fateful day when I can hopefully read it aloud to someone. :)
The premise of a "Christian" retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story intrigued me. Although I think Zondervan is a bit heavy-handed on the religio...moreThe premise of a "Christian" retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story intrigued me. Although I think Zondervan is a bit heavy-handed on the religious front, I do appreciate that they publish Christian fiction across a wide range of genres. And the religious aspect in this book was well-handled, grappling with questions that many young adults still exploring their faith might have: what role does God play in romantic love? Does the Bible actually say that women are evil? And of course, Why do bad things happen to good people? It doesn't answer these questions outright, but instead allows the characters a faith that can be a catalyst for understanding their daily struggles.
Unfortunately, this book falls prey to a lot of the pitfalls of secular romances -- the protagonist is unbearably beautiful, and that attribute seems to be focused on more than her inner qualities; and the love interest is brooding, a little dark, possibly dangerous (and 25 years old, marrying a 15 year old, but I can forgive that in the historical context even though it seems a little skeezy today.)
The writing feels fairly amateur, and the characters are sickeningly one-dimensional -- especially the "ditzy" other girls who work as servants in the "Beast's" manor, and the lecherous bailiff who has designs on the protagonist. Still, it's a book I'd feel safe giving to teens who are looking for fantasy that's not too "dark," or romance that's not too sexy. (less)
This book was a little slow to get going, with its depiction of modern day fairy tales a little too cutesy (although maybe I'm just reading way too mu...moreThis book was a little slow to get going, with its depiction of modern day fairy tales a little too cutesy (although maybe I'm just reading way too much of this stuff these days). But once the characters actually enter "The Wild" -- short for "The Wild Wood," the fairy tale forest of days gone by that has taken over Julie's city -- things really pick up.
This book's interpretation of fairy tale stories is especially interesting. Within "the wild," people are stripped of their free will, seduced or compelled into carrying out the Wild's stories. Once a story reaches "the end," the characters forget their pasts and start the whole cycle over again. (This is what accounts for the hundreds of different versions of the same fairy tales, as the stories didn't play out the exact same way every time). Five hundred years ago, Rapunzel led the charge for fairy tale characters to escape the Wild and have control over their own lives, and now that the Wild is back, Rapunzel's daughter Julie must do the same.
I liked the surreality within the Wild, the juxtaposition of the familiar and the unexpected, and the downright creepiness of it at times. I kept thinking that this would make a REALLY cool stop-motion animated film (but a quick Google search reveals there isn't one in the works, sigh). And the one thing that irked me throughout the story was the author's disregard that Rapunzel actually had *twins* in most versions of the story (she's one of the only mainstream Grimm characters to have babies within the context of the story, so it seemed especially unjust to ignore that element in a story about Rapunzel's kid). Still, I give the author the benefit of the doubt and figure maybe there are a bunch of Rapunzel versions I don't know about out there, sans twins. (less)
I think I really would have liked this book a lot back when I was fifteen, and yearned to go "deeper" into Disney stories than what was shown onscreen...moreI think I really would have liked this book a lot back when I was fifteen, and yearned to go "deeper" into Disney stories than what was shown onscreen.
Still, reading this as an adult, and as a retelling enthusiast, I felt that it fell flat. It read like fan-fiction, complete with overly simplistic writing and glaring errors (really, Disney hyperion? Did you lay off your editors, too?). It's the author's first novel--she usually writes comics--and it felt like a beginner's attempt. Although it was intriguing to see the Wicked Queen as a desperately insecure woman who deeply loved both her husband and her adopted daughter (Snow White), her transformation from that woman to the one we know wasn't fully believable. Moreover, the introduction of villains/characters who play a central part in her transformation but who don't appear in the Snow White movie deflected responsibility for her choices and transformation somewhat, which ultimately weakened them. Still, I appreciated the depiction of a woman who was deeply disturbed and conflicted over the more simplistic "jealous woman" portrait that we've received of the Wicked Queen up to this point. Snow White also emerges as a more interesting, fleshed out character than she is in the movie. And the ending was strangely, and surprisingly, satisfying, offering potential redemption of the Wicked Queen after all (that is, if you choose to interpret it that way ...). Even though I wasn't totally impressed with this offering, I would be interested in reading more novelizations of Disney character backstories if they became available.
I may end up swapping this book (haven't decided for sure whether I'll keep it in my retellings collection or not), so if your name is Jenna or Krystl and you want first dibs, let me know!(less)
The back of this book made it sound like it was going to be a retelling of Cinderella, which was why it interested me. Cinderella actually ended up ha...moreThe back of this book made it sound like it was going to be a retelling of Cinderella, which was why it interested me. Cinderella actually ended up having a rather small and unimpressive role near the end. This book relies quite a bit on being cutesy and clever as the author tries to address fairy tales in a hip way (example: Little Red Riding Hood swaps her cloak for a denim jacket). Esme inverts what we consider "good" or "bad" behavior in order to create the world that her main characters, witches, live in. For example, when Hunky Dory, the main character, talks back to her teacher, the teacher says, "No use trying to earn last minute extra credit by back-talking!" Again, cute but still not enough to carry the book.
The book does get its own legs beneath it about 2/3 of the way in -- and if you didn't like fairy-tale in-jokes, you wouldn't have stuck around that long -- when Hunky Dory begins questioning her path as a witch and wanting to explore the possibility of becoming a fairy godmother. Her struggle is painted with all the nuances of coming out -- denial, shocked family members, people wondering where this desire came from, her questioning whether it's worth it to be true to herself, etc. So once it gets going, Esme handles the identity quest story nicely. And whereas most book endings leave something to be desired, this one ends on a surprisingly sweet and satisfying note.(less)
A modernization of the Pied Piper story in which the Piper is a rock and roll star who lures children away has so much potential, especially since it...moreA modernization of the Pied Piper story in which the Piper is a rock and roll star who lures children away has so much potential, especially since it could play in to all the fears that adults have about kids and rock and roll. But the characters all felt half-developed and none of them struck me as particularly interesting. I couldn't feel any sympathy for the Piper (he was under a curse) and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to or not, but I would have liked to have felt something. The whole book just felt slapped together, with a very anti-climactic ending. I did appreciate the nod to homosexuality, though.
**
P.S.: The preface to this book was pretty interesting -- I never realized before reading it that the Pied Piper of Hamlin was based on a real instance of a piper "luring" kids away in medieval times. Creepy.(less)
The chapters in this book were REALLY long, which made it a poor choice for reading before bed. I think that with shorter chapters, I would have enjoy...moreThe chapters in this book were REALLY long, which made it a poor choice for reading before bed. I think that with shorter chapters, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more; when I was winding down and feeling sleepy, parts of this story just felt a little too slow-moving and detailed to me.
But with that said, I really like the idea of a Sleeping Beauty retelling from the Prince's perspective (he's the one who remains awake, after all). Certain aspects of the story were fairly predictable, but there were a few twists that took me by surprise. And while a few passages reeked of "first novel" (such as some awkward dialogue near the end where all the characters analyzed their experience), the story did a good job of making fairy tale reality complex and multi-dimensional, and I was especially impressed with the story's climax scenes, which were as vivid as a film without having that terrible "book-that-wants-to-be-a-movie" feel. All-in-all, a worthwile read. (less)
I think what I liked best about this book was its tumble-forward writing style, which seemed perfectly suited to a thirteen-year-old, accident-prone f...moreI think what I liked best about this book was its tumble-forward writing style, which seemed perfectly suited to a thirteen-year-old, accident-prone fairy. What I liked least was that it wasn't actually much of a retelling -- more of a long prequel to the Sleeping Beauty story. But the small role Sleeping Beauty did play in the story was amusing, and uniquely visioned. Also, Jane Yolen inspires me. Over 300 books! And still passionate about what she does and compassionate toward other writers. (less)
This is a strange little book, recasting the story of Little Red Riding Hood in something of an urban wasteland. It's unclear exactly who this book is...moreThis is a strange little book, recasting the story of Little Red Riding Hood in something of an urban wasteland. It's unclear exactly who this book is supposed to appeal to -- it's a bit too dark to read to children as a picture book (School Library Journal recommends it for ages 12+, but the Sioux Falls library has it shelved in children's), but not quite meaty or edgy enough to appeal to teens. Also, the fact that it looks so much like a traditional picture book, and not, say, a graphic novel, seems like it would alienate potential older readers before they delved inside. On the other hand, parents reading it to their children might be unpleasantly surprised by its dark tone.
Overall, Ivan and I came to the conclusion that it may be best suited to parents wanting the Red Riding Hood story to retain the same impact as a cautionary tale as it may have originally, for children who may not understand the symbolism of the woods and the wolf in the original. It seems its best use would be as a "readaloud" only AFTER a parent had reviewed it independently and decided s/he wanted to use it with their children, making sure to give it proper context. (less)
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