The Red Shoes and Other Tales

by Metaphrog

There once was a young girl, who was pretty but poor. So poor she had to go barefoot. Her name was Karen and she loved to dance. When Karen becomes an orphan, her great aunt takes her in. One day on a shopping trip, she is bought a beautiful pair of red shoes. The shoes magically come to life and steer Karen down a path she never would have imagined in her wildest dreams, or nightmares. This fresh take on the Hans Christian Andersen classic “The Red Shoes” is a tale of hope, obsession and guilt, retold and lavishly illustrated by multiple-Eisner award nominated creators Metaphrog. Also included is an adaptation of Andersen’s “The Little Match Girl” and an original story, “The Glass Case”.

"Hope, joy, and pain intermingle in these dark, alluring stories, which may leave readers thinking of Andersen as a precursor to modern horror." Publishers Weekly.

"A darkly pensive read, perfect for chilly fall evenings." Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fairy Tales, Comics, Fantasy, Classics, Fiction, Short Stories

64 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2015

About the author

Metaphrog are Franco-Scottish duo Sandra Marrs and John Chalmers, award-winning graphic novelists.

They are winners of The Sunday Herald Scottish Culture Awards 2016 for Best Visual Artist; Excelsior Award Junior 2018; SICBA Outstanding Achievement 2018 and multiple Eisner Awards nominees for their Louis graphic novels.

Their latest graphic novels are fairy tale adaptations The Red Shoes and Other Tales and The Little Mermaid. A third volume, Bluebeard, a feminist fairy tale, will be published by Papercutz in May 2020.

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The adaptions of the two Anderson tales in this volume (the title story and The Little Match Girl) are faithful, so if you are looking for a complete re-invention, this isn’t it. What it is is a powerful illustration adaption of two tales as well as a tale about a boy and a doll. Powerful stories. Nicely illustrated.

[Kaylee Pansieri Lalonde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catastrophically sad tales.

[Kimberly Francisco · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art was fine, technically good but seemed uninspired. The text was likewise, simplistic in the way fairy tales often are, but without the depth simple language can give. The Goodreads summary of the story has more depth than the story itself.

The "other stories" were also fine. Nothing to write home about.

[Emerson and Theodore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haunting stories, picked up at library as a children’s read and good I read first. Excellent excellent drawings.

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the art style in this three story collection, especially the use of muted colors to emphasize the somber moods presented by each.

The Red Shoes was very well done. As an adult I would have liked to see more of the girl's physical decline as she was forced to dance and dance, but I can understand the decision to stay away from anything that might seen as grotesque or too graphic for the intended audience.

The second story, an original, is simple and heartbreaking.

Finally, The Little Match Girl, stays true to the original. It felt rushed, but the message is all there. Again, the final scene showing her death is hinted at, but omitted.

These are NOT feel good stories for children. Actually, I wouldn't recommend this for younger children at all. But it is beautiful and all tied together by theme.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had forgotten how deliciously morbid Hans Christian Andersen was! I love this gorgeous graphic novel. The "other tales" mentioned in the title are "The Glass Case" and "The Little Match Girl". These are the original stories with their macabre endings, though the matchstick girl is more bittersweet. Watch out for sensitive children as one ends with a girl getting her feet chopped off, the other with a real life boy turning into a wooden doll and finally, one where a poor little girl dies on the streets in the middle of winter. Gorgeous, gorgeous book I will be keeping for my fairy tale collection.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

JGN

So dark.
I'm familiar with 2 of the 3 tales but, wow, dark.

The title story is part compulsion, part obsession, part too much of a good thing. It is sad.

The next story, The Glass Class is not one I know but figured out where it was going early on. A warning tale of getting what you wish for? I'm not sure of the message - escaping a brutal home by being locked up forever? Yikes.

The last story, The Little Match Girl, is just a sad commentary on homelessness and death. Her death is just heartbreaking.

It's a junior graphic novel but the stories are dark and brooding. Not for the younger set but older elementary or middle school kids.

[Emilee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was privileged to read an advanced reader copy of this book. I had never read the classic story of the Red Shoes by Hans Christian Andersen. I started out sweet, simple and yet tragic. Then is got a little disturbing. I looked up the original text and it’s been altered. This is a graphic novel version. It’s about a girl who loves to dance and is given a pair of magical red shoes. It also includes a story called The Glass Case and The Little Match Girl. I enjoyed the illustrations. They are all in black and white except the main character.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I count EVERY book I read, even if it's a kids' book, though this one is classified by the library as a graphic novel. I had never read "The Red Shoes," but a few mentions over the years gave me the feeling it wasn't a particularly happy tale. After reading this one and the other two included ("The Glass Case" and "The Little Match Girl"), I decided this was the children's version of Black Mirror. The "happy" endings here are a new take for this girl who grew up on the old Disney princesses. Of course, happiness is a journey, not a destination, right?

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just got this on noisetrade!!!

Oh so wonderful. This was such a fun and super easy read. It took me like five minutes to read it and the rest of the time I just admired the beautiful and a bit dark graphics.

I totally recommend this. Especially if you are like me and are still a young child at heart.
That was such a throwback to my childhood. Especially 'The Little Match Girl' story.

[David Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The figures in these stories are all strangely mannequin-like, and the colour palette remains dusky and muted even when depicting those moments where the fantastic disturbs the ordinary.

Perhaps this is only fitting - after all, this is a book in which pursuing the fulfillment of desire can only lead to mutilation, confinement and death.

It's good stuff. Y'know, for kids!

[Halli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good graphic novel intro. to two of Hans Christian Andersen's tales The Red Shoes and The Little Match Girl, along with an original tale, The Glass Case. These stories all lean a little to the creepy side, but are definitely less creepy than the original tales. Nice illustrations and color.

[Joanna]

Most people are familiar with the Hans Christian Anderson story that Disney turned into the Little Mermaid, but they may not know any of his other tales, or that his stories are much darker than Disney portrayed. This graphic novel focuses on the story of the red shoes, in which a poor but beautiful girl becomes obsessed with a pair of shoes that force her to dance nonstop. The only way to finally free her of her prison is to chop off both of her feet.

Other stories include The Glass Case and The Little Match Girl.

[Kerfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The graphic format works well for these three Hans Christian Anderson stories. The text is pared down and the images take center stage. I did not know the story "The Glass Case", a mirrored reversal of a doll coming to life. And I was moved, as I always am, by "The Little Match Girl", a heartbreaking story which manages to end with light and hope.

[Alessandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art in this book was eye catching, keeping me reading. I enjoyed the little bonus stories at the end! The translation (?) feels a little bit...off, most of the time. It's not awful, just midly incorrect at times. The wording makes this a bit more difficult to enjoy. I still loved reading this for a short while!

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It kept my interest even if I wasn't very fond of the illustrations that much. I've heard of these stories before, but I've forgotten the details. It was nice to refresh my mind and read these stories in a graphic novel form. They're not happy fairy tales at all. I would say all of them have a either disturbing or sad ending to the main character's life.

[Miss Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a graphic novel of short stories that Hans Christian Anderson had written made into a graphic novel form. I really enjoyed this book. I also used it during one of my Tween book discussion groups and the tweens enjoyed it as well.

[Maggie Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Red Shoes is a straight retelling of three fairy tales. The art is quite rich in colour with a strange anime-esque style that actually works rather well. While adults must not find stories they have already read many times compelling, this is a nice edition to give to a kid.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains 3 tales from Hans Christian Andersen.
1. The Red Shoes
2. The Glass Case
3. The Little Match Girl

They are beautifully illustrated, and very quick to read.
I'd recommend for older children and adults, not for young or sensitive children as one is a bit upsetting.

[Mars · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's nothing bad about this book but there's nothing interesting either. It's a very short read for sure and covers the tales of The Red Shoes, The Glass Case, and The Little Match Girl. It's short and easy but nothing interesting or memorable. Solid 3/5.

[Ita · Rating 3 out of 5]

#hanscandersen #redshoes #littlematchgirl #TheGlassCase #dance #guilt #Hope #regret

[Megan Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

All 3 stories are beatifully written and the images are incredible and complement the sotry-telling perfectly

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

No happily-ever-afters here!

[India C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting adaptation of these tales. The illustrations were gorgeous, but I feel like they lost a bit of the heart.

[Kailey Wicked · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this, but I found it to be very lackluster.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

First- these are dark stories.

Do not recommend for kiddos. I like the creepy vibe. It’s kind of like your scary stories around the camp fire. Short. To the point. Decent graphics.

[Jane Vellichor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly tame illustrations that nevertheless do a lovely job of conveying the stories.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was incredibly depressing.

[SuperstarReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this book is about kids suffering horrible fates...

One turning into a wooden doll, another becoming permanently crippled, and the final dying of frost.

3 beautiful stories to be told.

[Nat's Bookshelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. The weren't the best hans christian fairy tales and the artwork was just okay. It would probably be good "spooky" stories for young children but, obviously, not something im really gonna love.