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Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand
“ . . . and they lived happily ever after.” Remember the fairy tales you put away after you found that no princess is as beautiful as common sense and happy endings are just the beginning?
Well, the old tales are back, and they’ve grown up! Black Pearls brings you the stories of your childhood, told in a way you’ve never heard before. Instead of lulling you to sleep, they’ll wake you up—to the haunting sadness that waits just inside the windows of a gingerbread cottage, the passion that fuels a witch’s flight, and the heartache that comes, again and again, at the stroke of midnight.
Make no mistake: these stories are as dark as human nature itself. But they shine, too, lit with the fire of our dreams and our hunger for magic.
Well, the old tales are back, and they’ve grown up! Black Pearls brings you the stories of your childhood, told in a way you’ve never heard before. Instead of lulling you to sleep, they’ll wake you up—to the haunting sadness that waits just inside the windows of a gingerbread cottage, the passion that fuels a witch’s flight, and the heartache that comes, again and again, at the stroke of midnight.
Make no mistake: these stories are as dark as human nature itself. But they shine, too, lit with the fire of our dreams and our hunger for magic.
211 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2008
12 people are currently reading
1796 people want to read
About the author
Louise Hawes
17 books58 followersI live in North Carolina, where time moves more slowly than it did in New York. That means my day can include writing, working with new writers, yoga, and hanging OUT with my sweet teacher, Mother Nature.
I have two grown children, both teachers. They are, deliciously and, to me always surprisingly, among my two best friends on the planet.
I'm a teacher as well as an author, serving proudly on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program, and at Mainely Writing, an intensive week-long writing retreat on the coast of you know which beautiful New England state.
What's new? A collaborative graphic novel, A FLIGHT OF ANGELS, comes out from Vertigo/DC Comics in November!
I have two grown children, both teachers. They are, deliciously and, to me always surprisingly, among my two best friends on the planet.
I'm a teacher as well as an author, serving proudly on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program, and at Mainely Writing, an intensive week-long writing retreat on the coast of you know which beautiful New England state.
What's new? A collaborative graphic novel, A FLIGHT OF ANGELS, comes out from Vertigo/DC Comics in November!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
March 16, 2009
This is a beautifully written collection. Hawes retells six familiar stories and a nursery rhyme. Rather than the idyllic heroes and princesses, these are stories of human desire, frailty, cruelty, and loyalty. Reacquaint yourself with Jack the Giant-killer, Hansel and Gretel, the Pied Piper of Hamlin and Lady Godiva. Meet Rapunzel’s mother, as well as the seventh of the seven dwarves, and the emasculated prince who married Cinderella.
Kirkus Reviews writes that these seven tales are
I considered this point of view for a long time, because I didn’t find this book to be erotic or highly sexual. Certainly the Grimm Brothers’ tales can be as dark as anything Hawes has offered here. Perhaps Kirkus Reviews are comparing the tales to the G-rated Disney versions. In that case, then…yes. Hawe’s faerie world is “sinister and highly sexual.”
Instead of “sexual,” however, I would use the word “appetite.” Hawe’s collection of tales shows human appetites in all their variations: for money, for fame, for ease, and, yes, for sexual connection, as well as sexual gratification. Further, Hawes writes in tones as darkly lush and precious as any jewel, pearls or no.
I recommend this book on its own literary merits, but if I still haven’t convinced you to read it, consider this: I have one good reason for you to read this book. The illustration of the Pied Piper of Hamlin makes any imagining of Edward Cullen seem like a toad-faced bottom-dweller. Rebecca Guay’s illustrations make these black pearls truly luminous.
Kirkus Reviews writes that these seven tales are
magical and sometimes erotic happily-never-after retellings. . . In this sinister, highly sexual faerie world, heroes are often evil and villains are sometimes innocents who simply don't get to tell their side of the story.
I considered this point of view for a long time, because I didn’t find this book to be erotic or highly sexual. Certainly the Grimm Brothers’ tales can be as dark as anything Hawes has offered here. Perhaps Kirkus Reviews are comparing the tales to the G-rated Disney versions. In that case, then…yes. Hawe’s faerie world is “sinister and highly sexual.”
Instead of “sexual,” however, I would use the word “appetite.” Hawe’s collection of tales shows human appetites in all their variations: for money, for fame, for ease, and, yes, for sexual connection, as well as sexual gratification. Further, Hawes writes in tones as darkly lush and precious as any jewel, pearls or no.
I recommend this book on its own literary merits, but if I still haven’t convinced you to read it, consider this: I have one good reason for you to read this book. The illustration of the Pied Piper of Hamlin makes any imagining of Edward Cullen seem like a toad-faced bottom-dweller. Rebecca Guay’s illustrations make these black pearls truly luminous.
January 13, 2009
I love fairy tale retellings and this collection is one of the best that I have read. There's not a bad story in the entire collection, I especially liked her versions of Cinderella and Lady Godiva. I checked this out from the library but it's on my to-buy list because I can't wait to re-read it!
May 25, 2021
A lovely collection of seven retellings with illustrations by Rebecca Guay, an artist with a style I liked very much, though I'd have loved it better had she done them coloured instead of black and white.
Of the stories, the ones that stood out to me were Dame Nigran's Tower, a Rapunzel retelling from the witch's point of view, Pipe Dreams, a Pied Piper of Hamelin retelling from the POV of the crippled girl left behind, Ashes, a Cinderella retelling from the prince's POV; and Evelyn's Song, a Jack and the Beanstalk retelling from a very unusual and unique standpoint. Besides the twists Hawes came up with for her plots, I liked the grittier and darker atmosphere they all have, which isn't as dark as to make the stories bleak and depressing.
Of the stories, the ones that stood out to me were Dame Nigran's Tower, a Rapunzel retelling from the witch's point of view, Pipe Dreams, a Pied Piper of Hamelin retelling from the POV of the crippled girl left behind, Ashes, a Cinderella retelling from the prince's POV; and Evelyn's Song, a Jack and the Beanstalk retelling from a very unusual and unique standpoint. Besides the twists Hawes came up with for her plots, I liked the grittier and darker atmosphere they all have, which isn't as dark as to make the stories bleak and depressing.
May 1, 2009
(Book read and reviewed four years ago--just realized I never copied it over here.)
Once upon a time, there was a woman who was so caught up in a book that she did nothing all day but read it, from cover to cover.
Black Pearls is a gem. Louise Hawes' dark, sensual fairy tale retellings and Rebecca Guay's evocative illustrations work perfectly together to form one of the best books of retold tales that I've ever read. I checked this out from the library, but I've resolved that I simply must have a copy of my own to treasure.
Hawes' prose is perfect for the genre. Her writing is beautiful without being heavy, and she has a talent for conveying visceral images in arch, elegant turns of phrase. She's also got a knack for metaphors. They're sometimes unexpected, sometimes familiar, and always perfectly fitting for the character who thinks them. (Rapunzel's witch compares hatred to poisonous mushrooms, Gretel notes that her angry stepmother is "set and stiff as beaten cream," and one of the seven dwarfs sees a bedraggled Snow White as a diamond that has not yet been cut.) My favorite metaphor in the book comes from the Snow White retelling as well: "watching the orange village at the bottom of the fire tumble into ruin".
My favorite among the tales is "Evelyn's Song," which tells the story of the golden singing harp from Jack and the Beanstalk. It's a haunting tale of servitude and freedom. The other stories, too, look at the old tales from new angles and explore the tangled emotions that lurk within the archetypes.
I would recommend this collection to anyone who enjoyed the Datlow/Windling fairy tale series, Tanith Lee's Red as Blood, and though Hawes sets her tales in "once upon a time" rather than our time, Francesca Lia Block's The Rose and the Beast.
Once upon a time, there was a woman who was so caught up in a book that she did nothing all day but read it, from cover to cover.
Black Pearls is a gem. Louise Hawes' dark, sensual fairy tale retellings and Rebecca Guay's evocative illustrations work perfectly together to form one of the best books of retold tales that I've ever read. I checked this out from the library, but I've resolved that I simply must have a copy of my own to treasure.
Hawes' prose is perfect for the genre. Her writing is beautiful without being heavy, and she has a talent for conveying visceral images in arch, elegant turns of phrase. She's also got a knack for metaphors. They're sometimes unexpected, sometimes familiar, and always perfectly fitting for the character who thinks them. (Rapunzel's witch compares hatred to poisonous mushrooms, Gretel notes that her angry stepmother is "set and stiff as beaten cream," and one of the seven dwarfs sees a bedraggled Snow White as a diamond that has not yet been cut.) My favorite metaphor in the book comes from the Snow White retelling as well: "watching the orange village at the bottom of the fire tumble into ruin".
My favorite among the tales is "Evelyn's Song," which tells the story of the golden singing harp from Jack and the Beanstalk. It's a haunting tale of servitude and freedom. The other stories, too, look at the old tales from new angles and explore the tangled emotions that lurk within the archetypes.
I would recommend this collection to anyone who enjoyed the Datlow/Windling fairy tale series, Tanith Lee's Red as Blood, and though Hawes sets her tales in "once upon a time" rather than our time, Francesca Lia Block's The Rose and the Beast.
December 27, 2008
A collection of the traditional fairy tales retold in a dark and twisted manner.
Dame Nigran’s Tower – This retelling of Rapunzel starts out strong, with a great back story for the “witch” character, but after building and building there is no dramatic resolution or any sort of climax.
Pipe Dreams – One of the best in the collection. The Pied Piper story climbs and climbs in tension to the heart breaking conclusion that even though I knew was coming I couldn’t stop myself from anxiously turning each page.
Mother Love - Pardon the expression, but it gets down to the “bare bones” of the story of Hansel and Gretel. It’s gruesome.
Ashes – Cinderella turns out to be both blood thirsty and rather simple minded. This might work as expanded into novel form.
Evelyn’s Song – Again, starts out strong by exploring the back-story of a character, in this case the singing harp in the beanstalk story, but falters towards the end with a somewhat meh ending.
Diamonda – A sad story of a love unreturned.
Naked – One of the best here, the lady Godiva story is retold into one of love and forgiveness. A beautiful love story of a husband and wife rediscovering their love.
Dame Nigran’s Tower – This retelling of Rapunzel starts out strong, with a great back story for the “witch” character, but after building and building there is no dramatic resolution or any sort of climax.
Pipe Dreams – One of the best in the collection. The Pied Piper story climbs and climbs in tension to the heart breaking conclusion that even though I knew was coming I couldn’t stop myself from anxiously turning each page.
Mother Love - Pardon the expression, but it gets down to the “bare bones” of the story of Hansel and Gretel. It’s gruesome.
Ashes – Cinderella turns out to be both blood thirsty and rather simple minded. This might work as expanded into novel form.
Evelyn’s Song – Again, starts out strong by exploring the back-story of a character, in this case the singing harp in the beanstalk story, but falters towards the end with a somewhat meh ending.
Diamonda – A sad story of a love unreturned.
Naked – One of the best here, the lady Godiva story is retold into one of love and forgiveness. A beautiful love story of a husband and wife rediscovering their love.
November 11, 2009
I thought this was a really clever book along the same lines as Gregory McGuire. New perspectives on older classic tales. Each of the Chapters is a short story so it is an easy one to read while at work. (Way to go Heidster-I want a job like that) I read them just before bed to unwind and am happy to report that no nightmares were had. Take note those of you with small children.
March 5, 2025
First story — a Rapunzel retelling with an unsatisfactory ending scores 3⭐️. I did like Tabby who seems to accidentally end up with the baby, who is named Rampion, and loves to fly. The way her flight and brand of witchcraft are described reminded me of the film The Witch (2015).
Second story — a pied-piper retelling, it didn’t feel like it added much or at least not much that was interesting. I was hoping that a main character with a disability (a limb difference) would have been a little more interesting, there's also mention of a blind girl towards the end. I did like what I think it was trying to say about age and possibly being a 'child at heart' as Emmett is 15 and not allowed to go with the 'children' yet he is able to hear the music, but I wanted a little more. 3⭐️
Third story — Hansel & Gretel, not loving the angel aspect, oh and I do not care for the depiction of the witch. They were in that house for months. Ugh it went on for too long. At first Gretel's work brings nothing and now it feeds them, ugh just say the famine is over. 2⭐️ I did like how they didn’t actually push the witch in but she falls into the oven in her attempt to get Hansel in. I also hated the shortening of Gretel to Gret, when my mind's ear 'hears' it, I cringe.
Fourth story — a Cinderella retelling from the prince’s POV, I liked it a lot better than the other stories so far 3.5-4⭐️ didn’t necessarily like the adultery but I did like how the the queen could have been the fairy godmother and the parallels between the prince and his father. I also liked how Cinderella was written.
Fifth story — a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, from the harp’s perspective. I love this choice of POV and how her curse was resolved, I also appreciated how Jack's mother was more of a character 4⭐️
Sixth story — a retelling of Snow White primarily from the youngest dwarf’s POV 4-4.5⭐️ although a little conflicted about the ending with Erin, I thought the way it was written, the visual imagery, that her name is Diamonda, and other details were fantastic. I appreciated the little detail that the man that saves Diamonda is a healer, and he heals her rather than it being labeled "true love's kiss" so it's not as creepy as a prince going around kissing unconscious young women. I loved that Erin was also actively trying to counter the poison by trying to do his own research.
Seventh (last) story — a retelling of Godiva 4.5 ⭐️ In the story she is riding to the home where a baby girl is being born, Godiva's husband, Leofric the Earl of Mercia fathered the child and Godiva is going there to give the child a dowry/financial support. Leofric does not want to acknowledge the child in anyway and so Godiva says she will go without any of his property -- so no gowns/clothing and the dowry is from a recent conquest that was going to be given as charity so Godiva reasons that it's not Leofric's. Godiva is also mourning the loss of a son, she is grief stricken as well as coping with her husband's adultery/infidelity (partly while riding on a horse named Fidelity, love the horse's name) and how they return from this heartbreak. I don't usually give a synopsis but I wanted to better remember this as well as contrast it to the historical legend that is Lady Godiva. In history the reason that she rides naked is "to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation that her husband, Leofric, imposed on his tenants." Wiki tells me on Godiva's page that they had nine children, one of them being Ælfgar (which Hawes used as the name of the child that Godiva was mourning), but in history he survived to adulthood, and on Leofric's page "it is not clear whether [Godiva] was the mother of Ælfgar, Leofric's only known child".
I've been wanting to read this collection of fairy tale retellings for over ten years, I'm happy that I was able to through an inter-library loan.
Second story — a pied-piper retelling, it didn’t feel like it added much or at least not much that was interesting. I was hoping that a main character with a disability (a limb difference) would have been a little more interesting, there's also mention of a blind girl towards the end. I did like what I think it was trying to say about age and possibly being a 'child at heart' as Emmett is 15 and not allowed to go with the 'children' yet he is able to hear the music, but I wanted a little more. 3⭐️
Third story — Hansel & Gretel, not loving the angel aspect, oh and I do not care for the depiction of the witch. They were in that house for months. Ugh it went on for too long. At first Gretel's work brings nothing and now it feeds them, ugh just say the famine is over. 2⭐️ I did like how they didn’t actually push the witch in but she falls into the oven in her attempt to get Hansel in. I also hated the shortening of Gretel to Gret, when my mind's ear 'hears' it, I cringe.
Fourth story — a Cinderella retelling from the prince’s POV, I liked it a lot better than the other stories so far 3.5-4⭐️ didn’t necessarily like the adultery but I did like how the the queen could have been the fairy godmother and the parallels between the prince and his father. I also liked how Cinderella was written.
Fifth story — a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, from the harp’s perspective. I love this choice of POV and how her curse was resolved, I also appreciated how Jack's mother was more of a character 4⭐️
Sixth story — a retelling of Snow White primarily from the youngest dwarf’s POV 4-4.5⭐️ although a little conflicted about the ending with Erin, I thought the way it was written, the visual imagery, that her name is Diamonda, and other details were fantastic. I appreciated the little detail that the man that saves Diamonda is a healer, and he heals her rather than it being labeled "true love's kiss" so it's not as creepy as a prince going around kissing unconscious young women. I loved that Erin was also actively trying to counter the poison by trying to do his own research.
Seventh (last) story — a retelling of Godiva 4.5 ⭐️ In the story she is riding to the home where a baby girl is being born, Godiva's husband, Leofric the Earl of Mercia fathered the child and Godiva is going there to give the child a dowry/financial support. Leofric does not want to acknowledge the child in anyway and so Godiva says she will go without any of his property -- so no gowns/clothing and the dowry is from a recent conquest that was going to be given as charity so Godiva reasons that it's not Leofric's. Godiva is also mourning the loss of a son, she is grief stricken as well as coping with her husband's adultery/infidelity (partly while riding on a horse named Fidelity, love the horse's name) and how they return from this heartbreak. I don't usually give a synopsis but I wanted to better remember this as well as contrast it to the historical legend that is Lady Godiva. In history the reason that she rides naked is "to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation that her husband, Leofric, imposed on his tenants." Wiki tells me on Godiva's page that they had nine children, one of them being Ælfgar (which Hawes used as the name of the child that Godiva was mourning), but in history he survived to adulthood, and on Leofric's page "it is not clear whether [Godiva] was the mother of Ælfgar, Leofric's only known child".
I've been wanting to read this collection of fairy tale retellings for over ten years, I'm happy that I was able to through an inter-library loan.
April 6, 2010
A few weekends ago I saw an interview with authoress Louise Hawes on one of my favorite locally produced public television programs, North Carolina Book Watch. Always consisting of guest authors who either reside in or are from North Carolina the show is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to genre and subject matter. By and large I’m not usually so engaged by what the guest has to say about their latest work as I am in what they have to say about their writing process and publishing experiences. In fact, I recall one episode wherein the host expressed what sounded to my ears like contempt for horror fiction and the people who enjoy reading it. So, it was indeed a pleasant surprise when I heard Ms. Hawes talking about the ‘dark’ and ‘gothic’ nature of her latest published work; “Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand”. I was further impressed with the way in which she answered one of the host’s many questions concerning her book as one of her characters. It takes a special sort of mind to be able to slip easily from self to character and then back again and also a certain level of bravery to do so in front of a state wide television audience. I was on Amazon ordering a copy of her book before the interview was over.
“Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand” is a collection of seven ‘re-imagined’ old favorite fairytales, but these are far from the fairy stories most of us had read to use as children. Ms. Hawes is not kidding in the least when she calls these stories ‘dark’ and to boot they are illustrated.
There is “Dame Nigran’s Tower”. This is the story of Repunzel told from the point of view of the witch, Tabitha “Tabby” Nigran, who suffers much hardship and pain at the hands of both the nearby townspeople and ultimately Repunzel herself.
“Pipe Dreams” is the story of the Pied Piper from the eyes of one of the children he lead away. Haven’t you ever wondered what that music of his must have sounded like? Well, Emmett knows all too well what pull the piper’s tune can have on a heart.
“Mother’s Love” is Hansel and Gretel told by Gretel herself. Gretel in this story has a dream time guardian angel who tries to warn her against the dangers of the house made of sweets, but hunger wins out and the reader is treated to a twisted little tale about loyalty.
“Ashes” is the prince from the Cinderella fairytale’s story, who finds out, as most men do, that marriage has a really nasty way of changing a relationship and the woman he married might not have been of his choosing after all. Revenge and making peace and the best of your situation in life are the key themes in this story and are the only ‘happy’ in the happily ever after.
“Evelyn’s Song” is the tale of how the golden harp came into being and what happened after Jack went up the beanstalk and stole it away from the giant. This is quite a different picture of brave Jack then most of us are use to, but then that is to be expected when his character is being summed up by one of the items he pilfered and gained his fame by.
“Diamonda” is Snow White and her story is told by one of the seven dwarfs who takes her in and loves her. By far the most erotic story in the collection it is also a very touching story about unrequited love and the devotion and sadness it brings.
“Naked” is the story of the why and where to of Godiva’s famous ride. This is the only story that lacks magic. It is also lacking some of the ‘darkness’ that runs throughout the other stories, but it too is well worth the read.
All and all, I’d say I was very pleased with my knee jerk purchases of this book. It is most likely the best thing I’ve read this past year and something I’d wholeheartedly suggest to anyone with a love for fantasy or, if they can over look the magical aspects, emotional stories about the human condition. Go get this one and read it, now.
“Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand” is a collection of seven ‘re-imagined’ old favorite fairytales, but these are far from the fairy stories most of us had read to use as children. Ms. Hawes is not kidding in the least when she calls these stories ‘dark’ and to boot they are illustrated.
There is “Dame Nigran’s Tower”. This is the story of Repunzel told from the point of view of the witch, Tabitha “Tabby” Nigran, who suffers much hardship and pain at the hands of both the nearby townspeople and ultimately Repunzel herself.
“Pipe Dreams” is the story of the Pied Piper from the eyes of one of the children he lead away. Haven’t you ever wondered what that music of his must have sounded like? Well, Emmett knows all too well what pull the piper’s tune can have on a heart.
“Mother’s Love” is Hansel and Gretel told by Gretel herself. Gretel in this story has a dream time guardian angel who tries to warn her against the dangers of the house made of sweets, but hunger wins out and the reader is treated to a twisted little tale about loyalty.
“Ashes” is the prince from the Cinderella fairytale’s story, who finds out, as most men do, that marriage has a really nasty way of changing a relationship and the woman he married might not have been of his choosing after all. Revenge and making peace and the best of your situation in life are the key themes in this story and are the only ‘happy’ in the happily ever after.
“Evelyn’s Song” is the tale of how the golden harp came into being and what happened after Jack went up the beanstalk and stole it away from the giant. This is quite a different picture of brave Jack then most of us are use to, but then that is to be expected when his character is being summed up by one of the items he pilfered and gained his fame by.
“Diamonda” is Snow White and her story is told by one of the seven dwarfs who takes her in and loves her. By far the most erotic story in the collection it is also a very touching story about unrequited love and the devotion and sadness it brings.
“Naked” is the story of the why and where to of Godiva’s famous ride. This is the only story that lacks magic. It is also lacking some of the ‘darkness’ that runs throughout the other stories, but it too is well worth the read.
All and all, I’d say I was very pleased with my knee jerk purchases of this book. It is most likely the best thing I’ve read this past year and something I’d wholeheartedly suggest to anyone with a love for fantasy or, if they can over look the magical aspects, emotional stories about the human condition. Go get this one and read it, now.
August 24, 2015
Remember the fairy tales you put away after experience taught you that no princess is as beautiful as common sense and happy endings are just the beginning?
Black Pearls had two things I love most about fairy-tale retellings: it was dark and its stories were from the POV of a character often overlooked in traditional versions. Hawes brilliantly shifted the perspective of classic fairy tales so that we're forced to see the story from a whole new angle. Loved it!!
"Dame Nigran's Tower" - 5 stars - I absolutely loved reading the tale of Rapunzel from the "evil witch" POV. I'm sure many parents would read this version and think, "But Tabby was only trying to protect Rampion." I had to wonder, was the narrator (Tabby) entirely honest/reliable? Did Rampion exaggerate the situation to land a prince?
"Pipe Dreams" - 3 stars - A retelling of the Pied Piper which was okay for me. However, I've never really been a fan of the original or its many variations.
"Mother Love" - 4 stars - A dark yet touching retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I could really envision this being the "true" story of such a family. Did Gretel eat her brother to stay alive? Or did they really encounter the witch in a gingerbread house? Whatever the answer, Gretel survived, and she did so because of her guardian angel, whether real or imagined.
"Ashes" - 5 stars - Okay, when it comes to Cinderella, I'm not the biggest fan. There have been a few retellings over the years that draw me closer to liking the fairy tale, but I'm never really sold on it. Hawes' version was the first time I was all-in. Beginning at the night of the ball and told from the POV of Prince Charming who, yes, is reeled in by Cinderella's beauty, but falls in love with her laugh, joy and honesty. In other words, it's who she is not what she looks like. Well, he's not the first person to get suckered by a clever mask and a long con.
"Evelyn's Song" - 5 stars - Jack, the Giant Killer, from the perspective of the magical harp, which is actually an enchanted girl, who, after having failed to obey her aunt, was cursed to do as commanded. The downside being she was transformed into the instrument required to carry out her final order, "Play!"
"Diamonda" - 4 stars - A retelling of Snow White in which one of the dwarfs, Erin, battles his unrequited love for Diamonda. Once she's found her happily ever after, he has to decide if he can live without her.
"Naked" - 3 stars - Combines the nursery rhyme, "Banbury Cross," with the legend of Lady Godiva. However, instead of it being tax relief for the peasants, she's riding naked to atone for her husband's infidelity. I liked this story the least of all the tales in this collection.
Lastly, I don't want to leave out the beautiful illustrations by Rebecca Guay. There was only one per tale but they captured the essence of each perfectly.
5 stars
Black Pearls had two things I love most about fairy-tale retellings: it was dark and its stories were from the POV of a character often overlooked in traditional versions. Hawes brilliantly shifted the perspective of classic fairy tales so that we're forced to see the story from a whole new angle. Loved it!!
"Dame Nigran's Tower" - 5 stars - I absolutely loved reading the tale of Rapunzel from the "evil witch" POV. I'm sure many parents would read this version and think, "But Tabby was only trying to protect Rampion." I had to wonder, was the narrator (Tabby) entirely honest/reliable? Did Rampion exaggerate the situation to land a prince?
"Pipe Dreams" - 3 stars - A retelling of the Pied Piper which was okay for me. However, I've never really been a fan of the original or its many variations.
"Mother Love" - 4 stars - A dark yet touching retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I could really envision this being the "true" story of such a family. Did Gretel eat her brother to stay alive? Or did they really encounter the witch in a gingerbread house? Whatever the answer, Gretel survived, and she did so because of her guardian angel, whether real or imagined.
"Ashes" - 5 stars - Okay, when it comes to Cinderella, I'm not the biggest fan. There have been a few retellings over the years that draw me closer to liking the fairy tale, but I'm never really sold on it. Hawes' version was the first time I was all-in. Beginning at the night of the ball and told from the POV of Prince Charming who, yes, is reeled in by Cinderella's beauty, but falls in love with her laugh, joy and honesty. In other words, it's who she is not what she looks like. Well, he's not the first person to get suckered by a clever mask and a long con.
"Evelyn's Song" - 5 stars - Jack, the Giant Killer, from the perspective of the magical harp, which is actually an enchanted girl, who, after having failed to obey her aunt, was cursed to do as commanded. The downside being she was transformed into the instrument required to carry out her final order, "Play!"
"Diamonda" - 4 stars - A retelling of Snow White in which one of the dwarfs, Erin, battles his unrequited love for Diamonda. Once she's found her happily ever after, he has to decide if he can live without her.
"Naked" - 3 stars - Combines the nursery rhyme, "Banbury Cross," with the legend of Lady Godiva. However, instead of it being tax relief for the peasants, she's riding naked to atone for her husband's infidelity. I liked this story the least of all the tales in this collection.
Lastly, I don't want to leave out the beautiful illustrations by Rebecca Guay. There was only one per tale but they captured the essence of each perfectly.
5 stars
September 29, 2010
I have such a soft spot for "darkly" reimagined fairy tales. I put off reading this book for the longest time, but after finally breaking down and reading the first few pages, I had to give it a go.
Dame Nigran's Tower (Rapunzel) - This is hands down my favorite story from the book. You never really get to read much about the infamous witch, and this story gives her such a lovely and yet heartbreaking life. The ending literally brought me to tears. Needless to say, I'll never think of Rapunzel the same again. 5/5
Pipe Dreams (Pied Piper) - Not really much of a change from the original tale of leading the children away. I did feel bad for Emmett, and despite the wonderful imagery I couldn't really get into this one. 3/5
Mother Love (Hansel And Gretel) - My least favorite of them all. The writing was good, and despite the twist it was just too close to the original to be considered an interesting reimagining. 2/5
Ashes (Cinderella) - A wonderful twist on the dancing, laughing Cinderella we've all come to know via Disney. Choosing to write the story from the prince's point of view was a fabulous idea. I love that the queen's intentions are so harmless and yet are basically a large part of her son's undoing. 4/5
Evelyn's Song (Jack And The Beanstalk/Jack The Giant Killer) - I had no idea exactly what this tale was going to be about until Evelyn's transformation. I've read the story of Jack a thousand times as a child and never imagined I'd one day read the tale from the harp's point of view. 4/5
Diamonda (Snow White) - The imagery and heartache in this was wonderful. I also must give the author kudos for naming the dwarves originally. Too often their names are cliched; besides the Disney version, I've only ever seen them nameless or given corresponding names such as Monday, Tuesday, etc. Erin's emotions tugged at my heartstrings. 5/5
Naked (Lady Godiva) - When I first purchased this I looked through the story titles and tried to decipher which was a retellling of what, and I just couldn't put my finger on a fairy tale that involved nudity. I was pleasantly surprised once I started reading it. The only story with a "happy" ending besides Evelyn's Song, this is definitely one that will make you smile and possibly let out a "How sweet..." 5/5
I'm very pleased with this book, and can't wait to find more like it!
Dame Nigran's Tower (Rapunzel) - This is hands down my favorite story from the book. You never really get to read much about the infamous witch, and this story gives her such a lovely and yet heartbreaking life. The ending literally brought me to tears. Needless to say, I'll never think of Rapunzel the same again. 5/5
Pipe Dreams (Pied Piper) - Not really much of a change from the original tale of leading the children away. I did feel bad for Emmett, and despite the wonderful imagery I couldn't really get into this one. 3/5
Mother Love (Hansel And Gretel) - My least favorite of them all. The writing was good, and despite the twist it was just too close to the original to be considered an interesting reimagining. 2/5
Ashes (Cinderella) - A wonderful twist on the dancing, laughing Cinderella we've all come to know via Disney. Choosing to write the story from the prince's point of view was a fabulous idea. I love that the queen's intentions are so harmless and yet are basically a large part of her son's undoing. 4/5
Evelyn's Song (Jack And The Beanstalk/Jack The Giant Killer) - I had no idea exactly what this tale was going to be about until Evelyn's transformation. I've read the story of Jack a thousand times as a child and never imagined I'd one day read the tale from the harp's point of view. 4/5
Diamonda (Snow White) - The imagery and heartache in this was wonderful. I also must give the author kudos for naming the dwarves originally. Too often their names are cliched; besides the Disney version, I've only ever seen them nameless or given corresponding names such as Monday, Tuesday, etc. Erin's emotions tugged at my heartstrings. 5/5
Naked (Lady Godiva) - When I first purchased this I looked through the story titles and tried to decipher which was a retellling of what, and I just couldn't put my finger on a fairy tale that involved nudity. I was pleasantly surprised once I started reading it. The only story with a "happy" ending besides Evelyn's Song, this is definitely one that will make you smile and possibly let out a "How sweet..." 5/5
I'm very pleased with this book, and can't wait to find more like it!
July 14, 2008
Hawes, Louise Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand, 211 pgs. Houghton Mifflin Company; Language~G, Sexual Content~PG-13; Violence~PG
At first glance, this title appears to be the telling of some dark faerie tale. Unfortunately the cover is very misleading. Hawes takes 7 known fairy tales and retells them in a non-traditional way, while intriguing to the fairytale connoisseur; the stories are far from scary and are often full of disturbing images with underlying sexual inferences. This collection will leave most readers slightly disappointed.
Upper MS/HS. Optional Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
At first glance, this title appears to be the telling of some dark faerie tale. Unfortunately the cover is very misleading. Hawes takes 7 known fairy tales and retells them in a non-traditional way, while intriguing to the fairytale connoisseur; the stories are far from scary and are often full of disturbing images with underlying sexual inferences. This collection will leave most readers slightly disappointed.
Upper MS/HS. Optional Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
August 1, 2008
Once upon a time there was an author who decided all fairy tales were about sex. Seriously, I was hoping for a bit more in this book. It was all about sex and murder. And the stories were not much changed from what you could imagine yourself (at least, i think so). Everyone has imagined the fairy tales after their so called "happily ever afters" and what they would be like. Not very original, not very creative. I don't reccomend it.
November 4, 2019
This collection came to my attention because of--you guessed it--Rebecca Guay's illustrations. Her illustrations are incredible and deserve five stars. The writing was not as great, but still mostly enjoyable.
Dame Nigran's Tower: 2/5 Mehhhhh. I don't care about anything in this story.
Pipe Dreams: 4.5/5 This was the second-best story in this collection. I loved reading Emmett's perspective, but this could have been improved if it had explored the aftermath more. I wanted a longer story!
Mother's Love: 2/5 Mehhhh. I like that she was willing to take risks but the guardian angel imagery felt very out of place with the rest of the story.
Ashes: 4/5 This was very creative and well-written but I didn't like the ending; it moved too quickly.
Evelyn's Song: 5 /5 My favorite in this collection. This was incredibly creative and beautiful short story. The ending was weak, but everything else was incredible. It felt like a folk song. It took me a few pages to even realize which fairy tale it was based on.
Diamonda: 0/5 This was disgustingly rapey. I can't believe anyone liked this.
Naked: 3.5.5 This one was good but felt very short. It needed to be expanded more.
Dame Nigran's Tower: 2/5 Mehhhhh. I don't care about anything in this story.
Pipe Dreams: 4.5/5 This was the second-best story in this collection. I loved reading Emmett's perspective, but this could have been improved if it had explored the aftermath more. I wanted a longer story!
Mother's Love: 2/5 Mehhhh. I like that she was willing to take risks but the guardian angel imagery felt very out of place with the rest of the story.
Ashes: 4/5 This was very creative and well-written but I didn't like the ending; it moved too quickly.
Evelyn's Song: 5 /5 My favorite in this collection. This was incredibly creative and beautiful short story. The ending was weak, but everything else was incredible. It felt like a folk song. It took me a few pages to even realize which fairy tale it was based on.
Diamonda: 0/5 This was disgustingly rapey. I can't believe anyone liked this.
Naked: 3.5.5 This one was good but felt very short. It needed to be expanded more.
January 10, 2018
Hawes, Louise Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand, 211 pgs. Houghton Mifflin Company; Language~G, Sexual Content~PG-13; Violence~PG
At first glance, this title appears to be the telling of some dark faerie tale. Unfortunately the cover is very misleading. Hawes takes 7 known fairy tales and retells them in a non-traditional way, while intriguing to the fairytale connoisseur; the stories are far from scary and are often full of disturbing images with underlying sexual inferences. This collection will leave most readers slightly disappointed.
Upper MS/HS. Optional Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008...
At first glance, this title appears to be the telling of some dark faerie tale. Unfortunately the cover is very misleading. Hawes takes 7 known fairy tales and retells them in a non-traditional way, while intriguing to the fairytale connoisseur; the stories are far from scary and are often full of disturbing images with underlying sexual inferences. This collection will leave most readers slightly disappointed.
Upper MS/HS. Optional Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008...
January 3, 2019
(3.5 stars) This is a collection of fairy tales, but echoing back to their darker past. The book includes versions of Rapunzel, with more of the story about the witch, a rather grim version of Hansel and Gretel, the Pied Piper, Cinderella, Snow White, and Lady Godiva, among others. Each provides a different twist on the classic tale, some with forbidden love, heartbreak, or cruelty. The illustrations add a perfect complement to the stories.
May 1, 2018
Black Pearls is full of interesting takes on classic tales. Though none have the traditional happy ending, they were still, for the most part, a delight to read. Hawes' writing is very flowery and vivid, never failing to bring characters and places to life. The illustrations included in each chapter were well done as well, and added a certain charm and authenticity to the book.
December 19, 2020
A dark, creative, and entertaining retelling of seven classic fairy tales. I loved how each story was told from a new perspective and even added new twists to the stories. My favorite story in the book was a retelling of Jack and the Bean Stock, which was told from the magic harp's point of view. Overall, the entire book was a quick read and had beautiful artwork for each story.
December 21, 2023
I liked this book, despite generally disliking both anthologies and fairytale retelllings. There was something dark and compelling about these. My favorites were easily Evelyn's Song (Jack and the Beanstalk) and Diamonda (Snow White), although there was something to like about all of them, which I find rare in an anthology.
October 12, 2018
I read this mainly for the version of "Lady Godiva" within it. An excellent re-telling. Entertaining and beautiful. Highly recommended for lovers of dark fairy tales and folklores with new, more interesting twists.
December 31, 2023
A collection of fairy tale retellings with some fresh twists.
April 21, 2010
I love the names of the stories, and the illustrations were beautifully disturbing. With regards to the writing, the book just got better and better. It started out a little slow, and in the beginning, I wasn't overly impressed. The first story was the tale of Rapunzel, told by the witch. You got to know and understand the witch a little better, but overall I felt it was rather lackluster.
Next was the Pied Piper, and while it was better, it didn't feel overly new or original. The best part of that story was understanding what the Piper played that brought every child in the village running to keep up.
The Pied Piper was good start (Rapunzel was only so-so...) but I became fully engrossed in the collection of stories with Hansel and Gretel. This story takes one of the fairy tales that I've always felt ends pretty happily, and causes it to flirt heavily with the darker side of human nature. The worst part about that, it that the ending to this story is more likely what would have happened than the ending usually told. This story, and Cinderella are, in my opinion, the darkest of the 7 stories collected here.
Cinderella is next, and this story is told by the prince, something that I have never seen before. The prince in Cinderella gets a pretty bad rap. He always seems to be a rather spineless sap... But here, he is a stronger character, one who is easily understood and very easy to sympathize with. It is others in the story who need a closer look and what one finds with that look is not pleasant. I truly pitty the prince in this story.
Jack and the Beanstalk is story number 5, and in this we learn how the giant received his magical playing harp, and what became of her after Jack (who is perhaps not so heroic as one might have previously assumed) takes her away from the giant's home, and also explains why the stories often have the harp crying out for help from the master, awakening him from his slumber.
Snow White comes next, and was perhaps the most tragic of all the stories and the one I felt was written with the most emotion. I've never imagined how hard it must have been for the dwarfs before... (Lust)
The final story tells the story of the infamous ride of Lady Godiva. While not a fairy tale, it is a myth/legend. However, as this slight misfit of the type of tale it is, this story doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the stories in the collection. Each of the other stories in this collection explore some of the darkest aspects of human nature, but this one, although beautifully written, did not. It doesn't begin as a happy tale, but it ends perfectly. I really enjoyed the retelling, but I think it would probably have fit better inside a different collection.
All in all, I was very impressed with this collection of tales. I don't normally love short stories, but these were beautifully written, and most of them were rather brilliant.
Next was the Pied Piper, and while it was better, it didn't feel overly new or original. The best part of that story was understanding what the Piper played that brought every child in the village running to keep up.
The Pied Piper was good start (Rapunzel was only so-so...) but I became fully engrossed in the collection of stories with Hansel and Gretel. This story takes one of the fairy tales that I've always felt ends pretty happily, and causes it to flirt heavily with the darker side of human nature. The worst part about that, it that the ending to this story is more likely what would have happened than the ending usually told. This story, and Cinderella are, in my opinion, the darkest of the 7 stories collected here.
Cinderella is next, and this story is told by the prince, something that I have never seen before. The prince in Cinderella gets a pretty bad rap. He always seems to be a rather spineless sap... But here, he is a stronger character, one who is easily understood and very easy to sympathize with. It is others in the story who need a closer look and what one finds with that look is not pleasant. I truly pitty the prince in this story.
Jack and the Beanstalk is story number 5, and in this we learn how the giant received his magical playing harp, and what became of her after Jack (who is perhaps not so heroic as one might have previously assumed) takes her away from the giant's home, and also explains why the stories often have the harp crying out for help from the master, awakening him from his slumber.
Snow White comes next, and was perhaps the most tragic of all the stories and the one I felt was written with the most emotion. I've never imagined how hard it must have been for the dwarfs before... (Lust)
The final story tells the story of the infamous ride of Lady Godiva. While not a fairy tale, it is a myth/legend. However, as this slight misfit of the type of tale it is, this story doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the stories in the collection. Each of the other stories in this collection explore some of the darkest aspects of human nature, but this one, although beautifully written, did not. It doesn't begin as a happy tale, but it ends perfectly. I really enjoyed the retelling, but I think it would probably have fit better inside a different collection.
All in all, I was very impressed with this collection of tales. I don't normally love short stories, but these were beautifully written, and most of them were rather brilliant.
April 5, 2013
Name: Gail Roshong
APA citation: Hawes, L. (2008). Black pearls: A faerie strand. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Genre: short story
Award: Austin American Statesman-Best Books of the Year (2008) Gold Award
Format: print
Selection process: Academic Search Complete listed several reviews of Black Pearls: A Fairie Strand. The Kirkus Reviews and Booklist (Frances Bradburn) both reviewed it favorably in 2008, shortly after it was published.
Review:
Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand consists of seven fairy tales retooled in a dark, sensual, and macabre twist. Titled Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand, this collection recreates classic children’s tales into black, murky, and shadowy re-imaginings told from another very slanted point of view. In Hawe’s ominous fairy world, the pure of heart can become villainous and antagonists become the innocents. One of the seven dwarves falls in love with Snow White, and Rapunzel turns into Rampion, the illusory daughter of a benevolent witch. Cinderella is self absorbed and ruthless as her enfeebled prince tells his story, and Hansel hops into the blistering oven with his mother. “Evelyn’s Song” relates the fate of the giant’s beautiful, passionate harp from Jack and the Beanstalk and “Pipe Dreams” recounts a crippled child’s foul and cruel experience with the Pied Piper. Why Lady Godiva in “Naked” is included in this grouping is only know to Hawes. These folk motifs take on an entirely new flavor akin to deep red maple syrup in this strand of black pearls.
Recommended for grades 10-12, Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand’s esoteric appeal is enhanced by illustrator Rebecca Guay’s sumptuous and cryptic pencil drawings. This book would be a welcome addition to any young adult fairy tale collection.
Recommended: Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand is highly recommended as a very original and sensual version of what has been thought of as happily-ever-after tales. This grisly retelling, however, does NOT belong in the children’s room!
APA citation: Hawes, L. (2008). Black pearls: A faerie strand. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Genre: short story
Award: Austin American Statesman-Best Books of the Year (2008) Gold Award
Format: print
Selection process: Academic Search Complete listed several reviews of Black Pearls: A Fairie Strand. The Kirkus Reviews and Booklist (Frances Bradburn) both reviewed it favorably in 2008, shortly after it was published.
Review:
Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand consists of seven fairy tales retooled in a dark, sensual, and macabre twist. Titled Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand, this collection recreates classic children’s tales into black, murky, and shadowy re-imaginings told from another very slanted point of view. In Hawe’s ominous fairy world, the pure of heart can become villainous and antagonists become the innocents. One of the seven dwarves falls in love with Snow White, and Rapunzel turns into Rampion, the illusory daughter of a benevolent witch. Cinderella is self absorbed and ruthless as her enfeebled prince tells his story, and Hansel hops into the blistering oven with his mother. “Evelyn’s Song” relates the fate of the giant’s beautiful, passionate harp from Jack and the Beanstalk and “Pipe Dreams” recounts a crippled child’s foul and cruel experience with the Pied Piper. Why Lady Godiva in “Naked” is included in this grouping is only know to Hawes. These folk motifs take on an entirely new flavor akin to deep red maple syrup in this strand of black pearls.
Recommended for grades 10-12, Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand’s esoteric appeal is enhanced by illustrator Rebecca Guay’s sumptuous and cryptic pencil drawings. This book would be a welcome addition to any young adult fairy tale collection.
Recommended: Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand is highly recommended as a very original and sensual version of what has been thought of as happily-ever-after tales. This grisly retelling, however, does NOT belong in the children’s room!
October 11, 2014
Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand I couldn't get through the last two so I base my review on the other 5 which I did read, although 'skim' would be the better term because it was easy to get bored and lost in the writing and skip ahead without losing the understanding of what the plot was.I expected something dark when I picked up this one. After all it took me a little time to realize that the lady on the cover had bloody fingers on her left hand and blood dripping down her sleeve onto her gown. This however didn't reflect what the inside of the book would be like in any way. The only redemption was that the stories that were chosen were done with a twist that hadn't been considered before, and stories of the Piper and the golden flute from Jack and the Bean Stock were probably never explored before either. But this made up little for the fact that the writing was just so dull. The only reason why "Ashes" was the most memorable of the five I did read was because it was a completely different characterization of Cinderella in a very negative way, which stimulated the mind and caused an inner debate of whether how she's acting is justifiable or not.Otherwise this collection ended up being nothing special. A rather bland, flat grouping of stories that, apart from the Cinderella retelling, didn't feel like they added much depth to the originals. The cover and title are beautiful but misleading, and the promised dark and luscious tales aren't as dark as they turned out to be.
November 12, 2012
Reviewed by The Compulsive Reader for TeensReadToo.com
In this mesmerizing book, seven classic fairy tales have been retold; presented in a mature, yet still very magical, way.
Learn the truth behind Rapunzel's imprisonment, and what really happened to Hansel and Gretal in the candied house in the woods. You'll discover what happened to the children the Pied Piper stole away, and how Cinderella and her prince lived after "Happily Ever After." Find out why the harp wanted to stay with her monstrous giant of a master rather than go with Jack, and how the Seven Dwarves fared after Snow White left to be with her prince. And, most intriguing of all, you'll learn the true reason behind Lady Godiva's legendary ride.
So immerse yourself in this wonderfully written collection of some of the best known tales of all time and their wonderfully human characters, who are passionate, fallible, and not all as they seem. They are different, a bit more true to life, and better suited for the more mature and thoughtful reader, but won't fail to evoke the same feelings they did when you heard first heard them as a child.
Stirring, sad, triumphant, and poignant, you'll devour each and every artfully portrayed tale.
In this mesmerizing book, seven classic fairy tales have been retold; presented in a mature, yet still very magical, way.
Learn the truth behind Rapunzel's imprisonment, and what really happened to Hansel and Gretal in the candied house in the woods. You'll discover what happened to the children the Pied Piper stole away, and how Cinderella and her prince lived after "Happily Ever After." Find out why the harp wanted to stay with her monstrous giant of a master rather than go with Jack, and how the Seven Dwarves fared after Snow White left to be with her prince. And, most intriguing of all, you'll learn the true reason behind Lady Godiva's legendary ride.
So immerse yourself in this wonderfully written collection of some of the best known tales of all time and their wonderfully human characters, who are passionate, fallible, and not all as they seem. They are different, a bit more true to life, and better suited for the more mature and thoughtful reader, but won't fail to evoke the same feelings they did when you heard first heard them as a child.
Stirring, sad, triumphant, and poignant, you'll devour each and every artfully portrayed tale.
January 19, 2014
Ms. Hawes lends her unique vision to this collection of old tales given decidedly new twists. In mostly female voices, she shows how wonderfully old stories we think we know can be quite refreshed when given a different perspective. So we read the sorrowful tale of the supposed “witch” who is given a baby to love who then grows up to be a feckless, heartless and frivolous girl. Gretel’s love is no match for her brother’s gluttony and twisted desire for maternal affection. The prince longs for his wife to be a friend but instead gets a poverty-stricken girl bent on revenge and becoming a great lady, no better than his cold, aloof, aristocratic mother.
The stories spin on, unraveling and raveling themselves into altered garments. The illustrations by Rebecca Guay are lovely, too, managing to capture subtle nuances of expression, form and exquisite detail. They are realistic in shape and somewhat daring, showing nudity in a couple of without being explicit.
While ostensibly for young adults, old readers of fantasy would be thrilled to add this to their collection.
The stories spin on, unraveling and raveling themselves into altered garments. The illustrations by Rebecca Guay are lovely, too, managing to capture subtle nuances of expression, form and exquisite detail. They are realistic in shape and somewhat daring, showing nudity in a couple of without being explicit.
While ostensibly for young adults, old readers of fantasy would be thrilled to add this to their collection.
May 22, 2013
I'd imagine that I'd be hooked on this if it was a novel about just one story... but alas, there are so many in here. Short stories that are actually retellings of basic fairy tales.
I did not like how many ended. I would've loved a happy ending or one full of promise, but even the one that did (Naked) didn't seem all that attention grabbing to me. I guess I had very high expectations. I didn't expect this book to be what it was (fairy tale retellings), and there were stories that ended in death... and stupidity.
I mean, yeah, maybe the real world is riddled with stuff like that, but the characters in these retellings gave up. It would've been great to see them not give up and be stronger, you know? That's about one of the only complaints I have about this.
Other than that, the writing style is wonderful, though. Everything is set back to the religious Middle Ages, which is a plus, aaaaand it read very well. The different perspectives make the stories refreshing, but... I just wish some of the endings had been different.
I did not like how many ended. I would've loved a happy ending or one full of promise, but even the one that did (Naked) didn't seem all that attention grabbing to me. I guess I had very high expectations. I didn't expect this book to be what it was (fairy tale retellings), and there were stories that ended in death... and stupidity.
I mean, yeah, maybe the real world is riddled with stuff like that, but the characters in these retellings gave up. It would've been great to see them not give up and be stronger, you know? That's about one of the only complaints I have about this.
Other than that, the writing style is wonderful, though. Everything is set back to the religious Middle Ages, which is a plus, aaaaand it read very well. The different perspectives make the stories refreshing, but... I just wish some of the endings had been different.
March 21, 2019
In high school once, for an art class, we took a trip down to the contemporary art museum. I went in with high hopes and excitement and came out with images of horrifying marionettes and phallic movie media scarred across my brain. This book had a similar effect.
The whole book, if my thoughts were audible, you would hear, "huh?", "WTF?", and "Should I finish this mess?". Black Pearls, I was under the impression, would be yet another, fun, modern, dark fairy tale retelling. What it ended up as was odd, often unoriginal, sexually doused (not the good kind either), and not "dark" and "modern" at all.
I gave the book 2 stars in the end because, for me, 2 stars means I'm indifferent. I felt somewhere between I don't care and I guess. Wouldn't think twice if I didn't have it on my shelf. Wasn't really worth my time. Either way though, as always, my reviews are my opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own. Pick it up, give it a read, you might feel otherwise. Just not for me.
The whole book, if my thoughts were audible, you would hear, "huh?", "WTF?", and "Should I finish this mess?". Black Pearls, I was under the impression, would be yet another, fun, modern, dark fairy tale retelling. What it ended up as was odd, often unoriginal, sexually doused (not the good kind either), and not "dark" and "modern" at all.
I gave the book 2 stars in the end because, for me, 2 stars means I'm indifferent. I felt somewhere between I don't care and I guess. Wouldn't think twice if I didn't have it on my shelf. Wasn't really worth my time. Either way though, as always, my reviews are my opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own. Pick it up, give it a read, you might feel otherwise. Just not for me.
February 1, 2012
Hawes paints a wonderful, but more mature picture with each of these seven updated fairy tales told from varying points of view, shifting with each story. The endings are not happily-ever-afters at all, but some do provide this sense of hope after all the horrible events that have occurred. Along with each story comes a drawing from Rebecca Guay depicting a particular scene from that story, and they are absolutely lovely and add another layer to this amazing collection. I think my favorite story out of all of them is "Ashes", where we see Cinderella's tale from the prince's point of view and it's also where we see what happened after the happily-ever-after. Highly recommended if you love fairy tales and want to see a much-needed change to them, or even if you just want another great read!
November 22, 2008
Normally, I don't like writing reviews cuz it takes away precious time that I could be reading another book but this one is definitely worth it. These are indeed the same stories that we've all read or heard when we were little but the depth and pure humanity of these retellings completely outshines the originals. Each of the seven stories is told from a secondary speaker on the black-and-white, easy to catagorize list of characters, but the wisdom they bring- and a lot of times the heartache- is so much more poignant than the earlier versions. I kept trying to put it down but three hours later, there wasn't anything left to read.
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