Heidi Anne Heiner's Blog, page 23

New Book: Relief after Hardship: The Ottoman Turkish Model for The Thousand and One Days by Ulrich Marzolph

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Relief after Hardship: The Ottoman Turkish Model for The Thousand and One Days (Series in Fairy-Tale Studies) by Ulrich Marzolph was released earlier this year, another entry in Wayne State University Press's Series in Fairy-Tale Studies.

Marzolph is a scholar of Islamic studies and has previously published books about the Arabian Nights (Thousand and One Nights), not to be confused with this book's topic, The Thousand and One Days, of which I admit to not having been very familiar when I read this--mostly because reliable English translations are not really around. One public domain version can be found at The thousand and one days; a companion to the "Arabian nights" by Miss (Julia) Pardoe at archives.org, a version that is much abbreviated and intended for a "safe" audience.

You can also find early editions (in two volumes) at The Persian and Turkish tales, compleat, Volume 1 By François Pétis de La Croix and The Thousand and One Days: Persian Tales compleat, Volume 1 By François Pétis de La Croix at Google Books.

Anyway, this is a fascinating volume about a relatively forgotten book of folk tales with a discussion of their sources, their influences, as well as summaries and discussions of the tales. If this area of folklore interests you, this is a must read.

Book description:

The Thousand and One Days, a companion collection to The Thousand and One Nights, was published in 1710-1712 by French Orientalist scholar François Pétis de la Croix who advertised it as the faithful, albeit selective translation of a Persian work. Subsequent research has found that The Thousand and One Days is actually the adapted translation of a fifteenth-century anonymous Ottoman Turkish compilation titled Relief after Hardship. This compilation, in turn, is the enlarged translation of an equally anonymous Persian collection of tales that likely dates back to as early as the thirteenth century. The tales in both the Ottoman Turkish and the Persian collections are mostly tales of the marvelous and the strange, a genre that dominated much of the narrative literatures of the pre-modern Muslim world.

Ulrich Marzolph's Relief after Hardship: The Ottoman Turkish Model for The Thousand and One Days is a detailed assessment of the Ottoman Turkish compilation and its Persian precursor. Based upon Andreas Tietze's unpublished German translation of the Ottoman Turkish Ferec ba'd es-sidde, it traces the origins of the collection's various tales in the pre-modern Persian and Arabic literatures and its impact on Middle Eastern and world tradition and folklore. Ottoman Turkish literature proves to be a suitable candidate for the transmission of tales from East to West long before the European translation of The Thousand and One Nights. Additionally, the concept of "relief after hardship" has the same basic structure as the European fairy tale, wherein the protagonist undergoes a series of trials and tribulations before he attains a betterment of his status. Marzolph contends that the early reception of these tales from Muslim narrative tradition might well have had an inspiring impact on the nascent genre of the European fairy tale that has come to know international success today.

This fascinating compilation of tales is being presented for the first time to an English language audience along with a comprehensive survey of its history, as well as detailed summaries and extensive comparative annotations to the tales that will be of interest to literature and folklore scholars.

About the Author

Ulrich Marzolph is a professor of Islamic studies at the Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany. Having served on the editorial board of the Enzyklopädie des Märchens (1986-2015), he is now conducting a research project studying the impact of narratives from the Muslim Middle East on Western tradition. He is the editor of The Arabian Nights Reader (Wayne State University Press, 2006) and The Arabian Nights in Transnational Perspective (Wayne State University Press, 2007).

New Book: The Pleasures of Metamorphosis: Japanese and English Fairy Tale Transformations of "The Little Mermaid"

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The Pleasures of Metamorphosis: Japanese and English Fairy Tale Transformations of "The Little Mermaid" (Series in Fairy-Tale Studies) by Lucy Fraser was officially released in June, the latest release in Wayne State University Press's Series in Fairy-Tale Studies.

Okay, I received a review copy of this and I admit although mermaids, Japanese folklore, etc. are not my primary areas of focus of interest lately, this book is fascinating and kept me reading. And really, I find the fascination with Andersen's Little Mermaid, well, fascinating. It has never been my favorite fairy tale, but this book helped me understand the ongoing resonance it has with English and Japanese readers (and viewers). It makes me want to revamp the Little Mermaid annotated tale section on SurLaLune site (which is going to get relaunched someday, hopefully by the end of the year!). In the end, this book is catnip because it does study the story cross-culturally which truly is one of my primary interests in fairy tale studies in general.

The Series in Fairy-Tale Studies continues to impress and capture me. So grateful for it and the opportunity it is providing scholars to publish a wide variety of studies in the field.

Book description:

Lucy Fraser's The Pleasures of Metamorphosis: Japanese and English Fairy Tale Transformations of "The Little Mermaid" explores Japanese and English transformations of Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 Danish fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" by focusing on pleasure as a means to analyze the huge variety of texts that transform a canonical fairy tale such as Andersen's. Fraser examines over twenty Japanese and English transformations, including literary texts, illustrated books, films, and television series. This monograph also draws upon criticism in both Japanese and English, meeting a need in Western fairy-tale studies for more culturally diverse perspectives. Fraser provides a model for critical cross-cultural fairy tale analysis in her examination of the journey of a single fairy tale across two languages.

The book begins with the various approaches to reading and writing fairy tales, with a history of "The Little Mermaid" in Japanese and English culture. Disney's The Little Mermaid and Studio Ghibli's Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea are discussed as examples that simulate pleasurable physical experiences through animation's tools of music and voice, and visual effects of movement and metamorphosis. Fraser then explores the literary effects of the fairy tale by male authors, such as Oscar Wilde, Tanizaki Jun'ichiro, and Abe Kobo, who invoke familiar fairy-tale conventions and delineate some of the pleasures of what can be painful enchantment with a mermaid or with the fairy tale itself. The author examines the portrayals of the mermaid in three short stories by Matsumoto Yuko, Kurahashi Yumiko, and Ogawa Yoko, engaging with familiar fairy tales, reference to fairy-tale research, and reflections on the immersive experience of reading. Women characters and authors are also hyperaware of the possible meanings of Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" and of the fairy tale itself, furthering the discussion with Nonaka Hiiragi's novel Ningyo-hime no kutsu, and D[di?]'s novel Sento no ningyo-hime to majo no mori, as well as an episode of the science fiction television series Dark Angel. Fraser concludes that the "pleasure" framework is useful for a cross-cultural study of creative engagements with and transformations of a particular fairy tale.

Few studies have examined Japanese fairy-tale transformations to the extent that Fraser has, presenting fascinating information that will intrigue fairy-tale scholars and those wanting to learn more about the representation of pleasure behind the imaginative and fantastical.

About the Author

Lucy Fraser is a lecturer in Japanese at the University of Queensland, Australia. Her research on Japanese and English retellings of fairy tales in literature and popular culture has appeared in Marvels and Tales: Journal of Fairy-Tale Studies, Japan Forum, and Global Manga Studies. She has also published translations of literature by leading writers such as Kawakami Hiromi and Hoshino Tomoyuki and of literary criticism by academics such as Honda Masuko and Kan Satoko.

New Book: Red Riding Hood and the Big Sad Wolf Vol. 1 by Hachijou Shin

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Red Riding Hood and the Big Sad Wolf Vol. 1 by Hachijou Shin was released in June with the second volume due out in October, see Red Riding Hood and the Big Sad Wolf Vol. 2.

There's no description for the book other than "Based on the video game by Bandai Namco Entertainment, Inc."

But I did find the following description about the series on Crunchy Roll when they announced the publication plans for this series:

Red Riding Hood and the Big Sad Wolf is a cheeky take on the Red Riding Hood story for fans of Alice in the Country of... and Dictatorial Grimoire, and includes plenty of familiar faces from Grimm fairy tales. This clever reinvention of the classic tale reverses the roles of the original, giving readers a lovable, cry-baby Wolf and an outgoing Red Riding Hood who just can’t help but want to tease him.

Once upon a time there lived a kind, sensitive Wolf. He loved the warm sun, the beautiful flowers, and the song of the birds. But one day the Wolf encountered a girl in a red hood. She delighted in making the Wolf cry, and immediately fell in love with his sorrowful face. Now she brings her colorful friends to torment him every day! What is the story behind all the strange characters populating the deep dark wood, and what is a big, sad wolf to do?

Bargain Ebook: Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg

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Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie N. Holmberg is on sale in ebook format for $1.99. If you read the description you can see inspiration from Gingerbread Man and Hansel and Gretel in its pages, at least the food tropes from those tales.

Book description:

Maire is a baker with an extraordinary gift: she can infuse her treats with emotions and abilities, which are then passed on to those who eat them. She doesn’t know why she can do this and remembers nothing of who she is or where she came from.

When marauders raid her town, Maire is captured and sold to the eccentric Allemas, who enslaves her and demands that she produce sinister confections, including a witch’s gingerbread cottage, a living cookie boy, and size-altering cakes.

During her captivity, Maire is visited by Fyel, a ghostly being who is reluctant to reveal his connection to her. The more often they meet, the more her memories return, and she begins to piece together who and what she really is—as well as past mistakes that yield cosmic consequences.

From the author of The Paper Magician series comes a haunting and otherworldly tale of folly and consequence, forgiveness and redemption.

Newish Book: Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella (Tyme #2) by Megan Morrison

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Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella (Tyme #2) by Megan Morrison was released last year but never made it onto the SurLaLune Blog. This is the second in a series by Morrison. The book is the sequel to Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel.

Book description:

Ella Coach has one wish: revolution. Her mother died working in a sweatshop, and Ella wants every laborer in the Blue Kingdom to receive fairer treatment. But to make that happen, she'll need some high-level support...

Prince Dash Charming has one wish: evolution. The Charming Curse forced generations of Charming men to lie, cheat, and break hearts -- but with the witch Envearia's death, the curse has ended. Now Dash wants to be a better person, but he doesn't know where to start...

Serge can grant any wish -- and has: As an executive fairy godfather, he's catered to the wildest whims of spoiled teenagers from the richest, most entitled families in Blue. But now a new name has come up on his list, someone nobody's ever heard of... Ella Coach.

This is a story about three people who want something better and who together find the faith to change their worlds. It's "Cinderella," brilliantly reimagined, and a delightful expansion of the wonderful world of Tyme.

Bargain Ebook: Letters to Zell by Camille Griep TODAY ONLY for $1.99

Letters to Zell by Camille Griep is on sale TODAY ONLY for $1.99 in ebook format.
Book description:

Everything is going according to story for CeCi (Cinderella), Bianca (Snow White), and Rory (Sleeping Beauty)—until the day that Zell (Rapunzel) decides to leave Grimmland and pursue her life. Now, Zell’s best friends are left to wonder whether their own passions are worth risking their predetermined “happily ever afters,” regardless of the consequences. CeCi wonders whether she should become a professional chef, sharp-tongued and quick-witted Bianca wants to escape an engagement to her platonic friend, and Rory will do anything to make her boorish husband love her. But as Bianca’s wedding approaches, can they escape their fates—and is there enough wine in all of the Realm to help them?

In this hilarious modern interpretation of the fairy-tale stories we all know and love, Letters to Zell explores what happens when women abandon the stories they didn’t write for themselves and go completely off script to follow their dreams.

New Book: Zero Repeat Forever by G. S. Prendergast

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Zero Repeat Forever (The Nahx Invasions) by G. S. Prendergast is released this week. The book description for this one references Beauty and the Beast, but some of the reviews imply that is fairly loose. It is the first in a series and this one ends on a cliffhanger, so be aware of that.

Book description:

The 5th Wave meets Beauty and the Beast in this fast-paced and heart-stopping novel about an invasion of murderous creatures and one girl fighting for her life at the end of the world.

He has no voice or name, only a rank, Eighth. He doesn’t know the details of the mission, only the directives that hum in his mind.
Dart the humans. Leave them where they fall.
His job is to protect his Offside. Let her do the shooting.
Until a human kills her…

Sixteen-year-old Raven is at summer camp when the terrifying armored Nahx invade. Isolated in the wilderness, Raven and her fellow campers can only stay put. Await rescue. Raven doesn’t like feeling helpless, but what choice does she have?

Then a Nahx kills her boyfriend.

Thrown together in a violent, unfamiliar world, Eighth and Raven should feel only hate and fear. But when Raven is injured, and Eighth deserts his unit, their survival comes to depend on trusting each other…

New Book: The Mermaid by Jan Brett

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The Mermaid by Jan Brett is officially released this week. Jan Brett has illustrated many favorite fairy tales. This one is an unusual twist, perhaps the most unusual from her to date. It's a Goldilocks story told with mermaids! Catnip for some people I know!

Book description:

A striking under-the-sea version of Goldilocks as only Jan Brett could create.

When Kiniro, a young mermaid, comes upon a gorgeous house made of seashells and coral, she is so curious that she goes inside. She’s thrilled to find a just-right breakfast, pretty little chair, and, best of all, a comfy bed that rocks in the current.

But when the Octopus family returns home, they are not happy to find that someone has been eating their food and breaking their things. Baby has the biggest shock when she finds the mermaid asleep in her bed! Luckily, shock turns to happiness when Kiniro gives her a thoughtful gift before escaping from the twenty-four arms coming her way.

Vibrant, intricate scenes of an underwater paradise transport this classic fairy tale to a magical setting inspired by the seas off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. Chock full of fish and fauna and adventure, Kiniro’s story will enchant readers of all ages.

As always, here are some illustrations that you can view these larger by clicking on them.

New Book: Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic

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Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic is officially released today. According to some of the reviews, this one incorporates Balkan folklore, hence earning it's appearance here on the blog.

Book description:

Fans of Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo will be bewitched by Lana Popovic's debut YA fantasy novel about a bargain that binds the fates—and hearts—of twin sisters to a force larger than life.

All the women in Iris and Malina’s family have the unique magical ability or “gleam” to manipulate beauty. Iris sees flowers as fractals and turns her kaleidoscope visions into glasswork, while Malina interprets moods as music. But their mother has strict rules to keep their gifts a secret, even in their secluded sea-side town. Iris and Malina are not allowed to share their magic with anyone, and above all, they are forbidden from falling in love.

But when their mother is mysteriously attacked, the sisters will have to unearth the truth behind the quiet lives their mother has built for them. They will discover a wicked curse that haunts their family line—but will they find that the very magic that bonds them together is destined to tear them apart forever?

Wicked Like a Wildfire is the first in a two-book series. Readers will be rapt with anticipation for the sequel.

Bargain Ebook: Beyond the Woods: Fairy Tales Retold by Paula Guran (Editor) for $1.99

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Beyond the Woods: Fairy Tales Retold by Paula Guran (Editor) is on sale in ebook format for $1.99, the first time I have seen it bargain priced. If you don't have a copy of Tanith Lee's "Beauty" yet, this book is worth the price for that story alone. The rest are just bonus after that.

Book description:

Once upon a time, the stories that came to be known as "fairy tales" were cultivated to entertain adults more than children; it was only later that they were tamed and pruned into less thorny versions intended for youngsters. But in truth, they have continued to prick the imaginations of readers at all ages. Over the years, authors have often borrowed bits and pieces from these stories, grafting them into their own writing, creating literature with both new meaning and age-old significance. In the last few decades or so, they've also intentionally retold and reinvented the tales in a variety of ways—delightful or dark, wistful or wicked, sweet or satirical—that forge new trails through the forests of fantastic fiction. This new anthology compiles some of the best modern fairy-tale retellings and reinventions from award-winning and bestselling authors, acclaimed storytellers, and exciting new talents, into an enchanting collection. Explore magical new realms by traveling with us, Beyond the Woods . . .

Table of Contents

Introduction: Throwing In – Paula Guran
Tanith Lee – “Red as Blood”
Gene Wolfe – “In the House of Gingerbread”
Angela Slatter – “The Bone Mother”
Elizabeth Bear – “Follow Me Light”
Yoon Ha Lee – “Coin of Hearts Desire”
Nalo Hopkinson – “The Glass Bottle Trick”
Catherynne M. Valente – “The Maiden Tree”
Holly Black – “Coat of Stars”
Caitlín R. Kiernan – “Road of Needles”
Kelly Link – “Travels with the Snow Queen”
Karen Joy Fowler – “Halfway People”
Margo Lanagan – “Catastrophic Disruption of the Head”
Shveta Thakrar – “Lavanya and Deepika”
Theodora Goss – “Princess Lucinda and the Hound of the Moon”
Gardner Dozois – “Fairy Tale”
Peter S. Beagle – “The Queen Who Could Not Walk”
Priya Sharma – “Lebkuchen”
Neil Gaiman – “Diamonds and Pearls: A Fairy Tale”
Richard Bowes – “The Queen and the Cambion”
Octavia Cade – “The Mussel Eater”
Jane Yolen – “Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn”
Steve Duffy – “Bears: A Fairy Tale of 1958”
Charles de Lint –“The Moon Is Drowning While I Sleep”
Veronica Schanoes – “Rats”
Rachel Swirsky – “Beyond the Naked Eye”
Ken Liu – “Good Hunting”
Kirstyn McDermott – “The Moon’s Good Grace”
Peter Straub – “The Juniper Tree”
Jeff VanderMeer – “Greensleeves”
Tanith Lee – “Beauty”