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Acordar uma princesa pode ser letal.
Para fãs de Once Upon a Time e Grimm, a série Encantadas prova que contos de fadas são para adultos!
Quando um príncipe mimado é enviado pelo seu pai para tentar desvendar os mistérios de um reino perdido, ninguém imagina os perigos que ele encontrará pela frente! Acompanhado da figura sóbria e sagaz do Caçador e de Petra, uma jovem valente que possui uma ligação muito forte com a floresta, o príncipe acaba encontrando um reino adormecido por uma estranha magia. Todos os seres vivos foram cercados pela densa mata e estão dormindo, em um sono pesado demais, que só poderia vir da magia. Mas que tipo de bruxaria assolaria uma cidade inteira e seus habitantes? E, principalmente, quem faria mal a uma jovem rainha tão boa e tão bela? A não ser, claro, que os olhos não percebam o que um coração cruel pode esconder...
Poder é o terceiro volume da trilogia Encantadas, e traz como história principal o conto da Bela Adormecida. Porém, esqueça os clichês tradicionais e se entregue a uma nova visão dos contos de fadas, em que heróis e anti-heróis precisam se unir para não perecerem à beleza superficial de princesas e rainhas egocêntricas e aos príncipes em busca de aventuras.
Para fãs de Once Upon a Time e Grimm, a série Encantadas prova que contos de fadas são para adultos!
Quando um príncipe mimado é enviado pelo seu pai para tentar desvendar os mistérios de um reino perdido, ninguém imagina os perigos que ele encontrará pela frente! Acompanhado da figura sóbria e sagaz do Caçador e de Petra, uma jovem valente que possui uma ligação muito forte com a floresta, o príncipe acaba encontrando um reino adormecido por uma estranha magia. Todos os seres vivos foram cercados pela densa mata e estão dormindo, em um sono pesado demais, que só poderia vir da magia. Mas que tipo de bruxaria assolaria uma cidade inteira e seus habitantes? E, principalmente, quem faria mal a uma jovem rainha tão boa e tão bela? A não ser, claro, que os olhos não percebam o que um coração cruel pode esconder...
Poder é o terceiro volume da trilogia Encantadas, e traz como história principal o conto da Bela Adormecida. Porém, esqueça os clichês tradicionais e se entregue a uma nova visão dos contos de fadas, em que heróis e anti-heróis precisam se unir para não perecerem à beleza superficial de princesas e rainhas egocêntricas e aos príncipes em busca de aventuras.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
87 people are currently reading
4065 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Pinborough
89 books7,916 followersSarah Pinborough is a New York Times bestselling and Sunday Times Number one and Internationally bestselling author who is published in over 30 territories worldwide. Having published more than 25 novels across various genres, her recent books include Behind Her Eyes, now a smash hit Netflix limited series, Dead To Her, now in development with Amazon Studios, and 13 Minutes and The Death House in development with Compelling Pictures. Sarah lives in the historic town of Stony Stratford, the home of the Cock and Bull story, with her dog Ted. Her next novel, Insomnia, is out in 2022. You can follow Sarah on Twitter at @sarahpinborough.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 426 reviews
July 13, 2025
Reread June 2025.
“She would bleed to death and it would be painless. But she would bleed to death one drop at a time.”
The King and Queen decide their only son, The Prince, needs a mission. (Major callback here—the King is the grandson of the prince with Rapunzel in Magic.)
The plague in the tenth kingdom—a kingdom now hidden from the other nine.
The Huntsman. Trip to the edge of the Far Mountain. His dreams: the mysterious redhead.
Petra: Red Riding Hood.
The tale of Beauty’s birth—the king and the water witch. The prophecy; the spindles.
The diamond slippers.
The Sleeping City.
Two Queens: twins.
“But she was more than that: She was Beauty and the Beast.”
Toby, the massive blue-grey wolf.
Bloodlust.
Rumplestiltskin, and his daughter Rapunzel: The witch’s bargain.
Beauty’s parties.
“Sometimes, everyone needs to let the beast inside them out for a while.”
The prince’s bargain with Rumplestiltskin…
He was for her, and she was for him.
Petra and Toby. Petra and the wolf.
The plan. 🥰 🩸 😍
The real Beauty in this book? How Sarah Pinborough weaves everything together and wraps it up with a bow. 🎁 🙌🏻
“Don’t do this. This kind of deal is worse than a witch’s curse.”
2022 review.
Even though this is the third installment in this series, it’s actually a prequel to both of the previous stories.
This is essentially a mashup of Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, and some others interspersed.
It's insightful to see the Huntsman’s point of view. He’s an excellent character, and having him around makes the Prince slightly less insufferable.
Rumplestiltskin is a surprise. The Beast is a masterful turn of heel, as is the reveal of Petra’s great-grandmother’s true identity.
The prose is beautiful, the characterizations are creative, and the plot twists remain unforeseeable. This one ranges from violent and bloody to brutal and sexy.
The writing is just brilliant. Only Sarah P could have me reading the retellings of fairy tales—and loving them.
“She would bleed to death and it would be painless. But she would bleed to death one drop at a time.”
The King and Queen decide their only son, The Prince, needs a mission. (Major callback here—the King is the grandson of the prince with Rapunzel in Magic.)
The plague in the tenth kingdom—a kingdom now hidden from the other nine.
The Huntsman. Trip to the edge of the Far Mountain. His dreams: the mysterious redhead.
Petra: Red Riding Hood.
The tale of Beauty’s birth—the king and the water witch. The prophecy; the spindles.
The diamond slippers.
The Sleeping City.
Two Queens: twins.
“But she was more than that: She was Beauty and the Beast.”
Toby, the massive blue-grey wolf.
Bloodlust.
Rumplestiltskin, and his daughter Rapunzel: The witch’s bargain.
Beauty’s parties.
“Sometimes, everyone needs to let the beast inside them out for a while.”
The prince’s bargain with Rumplestiltskin…
He was for her, and she was for him.
Petra and Toby. Petra and the wolf.
The plan. 🥰 🩸 😍
The real Beauty in this book? How Sarah Pinborough weaves everything together and wraps it up with a bow. 🎁 🙌🏻
“Don’t do this. This kind of deal is worse than a witch’s curse.”
2022 review.
Even though this is the third installment in this series, it’s actually a prequel to both of the previous stories.
This is essentially a mashup of Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, and some others interspersed.
It's insightful to see the Huntsman’s point of view. He’s an excellent character, and having him around makes the Prince slightly less insufferable.
Rumplestiltskin is a surprise. The Beast is a masterful turn of heel, as is the reveal of Petra’s great-grandmother’s true identity.
The prose is beautiful, the characterizations are creative, and the plot twists remain unforeseeable. This one ranges from violent and bloody to brutal and sexy.
The writing is just brilliant. Only Sarah P could have me reading the retellings of fairy tales—and loving them.
September 30, 2016
THE REVIEW
Why this book?
I read the other 2 book in the Tales from the Kingdoms series
What I thought
This is the best book in the Tales from the Kingdoms series by far. I couldn't put it down, I read it in one sitting. I loved the fairytale mashup. I also enjoyed the characters even though the prince and huntsman didn't have names which irritated me. Even with their lack of names the huntsman is really interesting and the Prince well the Prince is a little bit of an idiot. I think Petra balances them out quite well. The whole Beauty and the Beast aspect was very creative I got to say. Also finding out who Petras Granny is was a bit of a surprise. This was fun and entertaining and I recommend to anyone who is a fan of the Tale of The Sleeping Beauty.
Why this book?
I read the other 2 book in the Tales from the Kingdoms series
What I thought
This is the best book in the Tales from the Kingdoms series by far. I couldn't put it down, I read it in one sitting. I loved the fairytale mashup. I also enjoyed the characters even though the prince and huntsman didn't have names which irritated me. Even with their lack of names the huntsman is really interesting and the Prince well the Prince is a little bit of an idiot. I think Petra balances them out quite well. The whole Beauty and the Beast aspect was very creative I got to say. Also finding out who Petras Granny is was a bit of a surprise. This was fun and entertaining and I recommend to anyone who is a fan of the Tale of The Sleeping Beauty.
June 26, 2014
Actual rating 1.5
This book had the potential to be amazing. I loved the incorporation of rapunzel, red riding hood and beauty and the beast all combined with the sleeping beauty tale. I also loved how Pinborough really made the story her own; bringing out the dark and creepy curse the way she did was fantastic. But absolutely every other part of this book fell flat.
Her characters lacked any emotional attachments and were completely two dimensional. I felt nothing for any of them. The romance sucked. Either there was awkwardly detailed sex or the characters fell madly in love minutes after meeting. Yes, the latter occurred on three separate occasions.
Show, don't tell. I know that this can be harped on a bit, but it is a really important aspect of writing. I want to feel and be slowly lead along the way to understanding. Not waiting for a gentle tug and having a downpour of info dumping dispersed between crappy dialogue.
The dialogue AND plot was terrible. Again there was no gentle leading, no guesswork and no intimacy with the characters. The characters just said whatever the plot needed them to say to keep clunking along. Half the time there were contradictions and plot holes everywhere I looked, while the other half just made me cringe.
Pretty much, this book sucked. I can't put it any other way. Honestly I think this book deserves to a 1 star rating (or less). The extra half is just because I love fairytales. So to sum up, steer clear of this one. It is not worth your time.
This book had the potential to be amazing. I loved the incorporation of rapunzel, red riding hood and beauty and the beast all combined with the sleeping beauty tale. I also loved how Pinborough really made the story her own; bringing out the dark and creepy curse the way she did was fantastic. But absolutely every other part of this book fell flat.
Her characters lacked any emotional attachments and were completely two dimensional. I felt nothing for any of them. The romance sucked. Either there was awkwardly detailed sex or the characters fell madly in love minutes after meeting. Yes, the latter occurred on three separate occasions.
Show, don't tell. I know that this can be harped on a bit, but it is a really important aspect of writing. I want to feel and be slowly lead along the way to understanding. Not waiting for a gentle tug and having a downpour of info dumping dispersed between crappy dialogue.
The dialogue AND plot was terrible. Again there was no gentle leading, no guesswork and no intimacy with the characters. The characters just said whatever the plot needed them to say to keep clunking along. Half the time there were contradictions and plot holes everywhere I looked, while the other half just made me cringe.
Pretty much, this book sucked. I can't put it any other way. Honestly I think this book deserves to a 1 star rating (or less). The extra half is just because I love fairytales. So to sum up, steer clear of this one. It is not worth your time.
January 26, 2016
Beauty wraps up the trilogy, tying the books together even more and linking even more fairytales. It’s written in the same style as the previous two, and illuminates some points from the other books — including the characters of the Prince and the Huntsman. It’s all a little too neat for my tastes, and I think this might’ve been my least favourite of the books; the gruesomeness and sex was exaggerated even further, and we spend far too much time with the Prince, who we know is not exactly the nicest of characters. (Though perhaps this book explains it, somewhat!)
The ending, the epilogue part, was just infuriating — is this the end of a trilogy? Are there more books coming? I’m confused; it seems to promise that there will be resolution of this plot, at some point, maybe, but not now? The character is just left hanging in the most infuriating sort of way: there’s a way out of her situation, right, so what is it? I want to know! (Though the choice to combine Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast is quite fun taken as a concept, I just wish there was an actual resolution.)
I do like the way that Pinborough has twisted and combined the fairytales into one landscape of story. It might be a bit too clever by half, but I’ve been getting used to it, and it’s kind of fun to play spot-the-fairytale — and also spot the references to other people’s versions. The language works well, although it makes the sexual imagery all the more surprising — reading it, you’d think it’d be suitable for a child, or almost. And then… oh. Perhaps not!
Originally posted here.
The ending, the epilogue part, was just infuriating — is this the end of a trilogy? Are there more books coming? I’m confused; it seems to promise that there will be resolution of this plot, at some point, maybe, but not now? The character is just left hanging in the most infuriating sort of way: there’s a way out of her situation, right, so what is it? I want to know! (Though the choice to combine Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast is quite fun taken as a concept, I just wish there was an actual resolution.)
I do like the way that Pinborough has twisted and combined the fairytales into one landscape of story. It might be a bit too clever by half, but I’ve been getting used to it, and it’s kind of fun to play spot-the-fairytale — and also spot the references to other people’s versions. The language works well, although it makes the sexual imagery all the more surprising — reading it, you’d think it’d be suitable for a child, or almost. And then… oh. Perhaps not!
Originally posted here.
October 1, 2019
What a fun retelling. The writing just flies by and the various fairy tales are combined in a clever way.
December 18, 2014
In a word - disappointing. This was such a hotch potch jumble of various fairy tales that the result was like picking through a plate of congealed spaghetti looking for a single, common thread. It covers beauty and the beast, sleeping beauty, red riding hood, peter and the wolf (or in this case Petra and the wolf), rapunzel and rumplestiltskin as well as throwing in hints of lesser known tales. And it still might have been salvageable if we were given a strong, clear MC (or three) that we could get close to and care about. Instead in typical 'once upon a time' fashion we were held at arms length and as a result I didn't really care what happened. I wouldn't have bothered finishing this if it hadn't been so short. Sarah Pinborough can definitely write - think of 'the language of dying' - so what happened here I can't imagine. As far as retellings go, this was weak. There were no original twists, the things that were changed had been done before several times, and overall it felt directionless, as if the author didn't care. I have got 'charm' and 'poison' but I'm going to have to wait for the irritation at this incomprehensible jumble to fade first before reading them. If you like fairy tale retellings I can think of dozens of better examples than this I'm afraid to say.
March 31, 2017
Não gostei muito da história, talvez porque não se enquadre nos meus gostos pessoais. Dei or mim ansiosa para que o livro terminasse, acho que é daquelas histórias que vou esquecer daqui a muito pouco tempo.
June 24, 2016
Tales From the Kingdom is a set of three 200-300 page retellings of Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Let’s just call it the overall idea of Disney, with a terrifying touch of Grimms Fairy Tales and the drama and spice of Once Upon a Time. i felt like all the stories had a really great mix of the idea of ‘happily ever after’ with the stark realities of real life and the idea of monsters hiding in the closet. There was some romance, lust, sex as well as friendship, danger and lunacy.
I think my overall favourite of the three was Charm which was Cinderella’s retelling. Cinderella was a complex character with ideas above her station and she wasn’t a simpering, charming girl the way I always thought to be. She had unkind thoughts as well as kind and was a bit selfish in ways her step-sisters were not. That brings me to Cinderella’s family and the backstory of her family which was great. There was a real history there that I loved and I really liked that the step-mother and step-sister weren’t these ugly and wicked people like they’re always portrayed. Cinderella’s character development was the best out of all the characters in the tales (frankly I feel like the Prince learnt absolutely nothing but thank goodness he married someone who could give him the kick up the bum he would need now and again) and I really saw her grow from a selfish girl with selfish ideals into a young woman with a better idea of the world and that sometimes dreams should stay as dreams.
I really loved the inclusion of other fairytales within the three tales such as the mention of the gingerbread house, Hansel and Gretel, Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Robin Hood and even Rapunzel. They were all wrapped up as part of the story really well and I enjoyed the subtle way they were connected.
I would definitely recommend reading the three tales one after another as they read as one big book with three different parts and they are all connected to each other in a way that may be confusing if you read them out of order.
I think my overall favourite of the three was Charm which was Cinderella’s retelling. Cinderella was a complex character with ideas above her station and she wasn’t a simpering, charming girl the way I always thought to be. She had unkind thoughts as well as kind and was a bit selfish in ways her step-sisters were not. That brings me to Cinderella’s family and the backstory of her family which was great. There was a real history there that I loved and I really liked that the step-mother and step-sister weren’t these ugly and wicked people like they’re always portrayed. Cinderella’s character development was the best out of all the characters in the tales (frankly I feel like the Prince learnt absolutely nothing but thank goodness he married someone who could give him the kick up the bum he would need now and again) and I really saw her grow from a selfish girl with selfish ideals into a young woman with a better idea of the world and that sometimes dreams should stay as dreams.
I really loved the inclusion of other fairytales within the three tales such as the mention of the gingerbread house, Hansel and Gretel, Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Robin Hood and even Rapunzel. They were all wrapped up as part of the story really well and I enjoyed the subtle way they were connected.
I would definitely recommend reading the three tales one after another as they read as one big book with three different parts and they are all connected to each other in a way that may be confusing if you read them out of order.
February 4, 2017
Beauty is a clever and skillful retelling of a fairy story or two. Or two? Well, it does not really stick to a single fairy story but rather borrows liberally from many.
When I acquired it I imagined it would be a fairly straightforward retelling of Beauty and the Beast, after a while it became clear it was a retelling of the sleeping beauty. Next I realised that the author was trickily fooling the reader by twirling all the fairy tales that fit onto a single metaphorical spindle and then weaving the results into an entirely new and unexpected story.
In a way, it is less of a fairy tale than I expected or hoped for, I love re-telling of old tales and by amalgamating so many different elements most of the underlying imagery and morals of classic fairy tales is lost. However I did very much enjoy the resultant story and would like to read more of the series.
The book is enhanced by the lovely illustrations which give it more of the fairy tale element.
Word of caution; the target audience of this book may be confusing, because in a way, with the mythic element and the illustrations it may come across as young adult. It seems to me more suited to real adults since the themes of sex and violence, while not explicit, are too strongly woven into the story and too nuanced to be suited to really young teenagers whose parents may restrict their reading access.
When I acquired it I imagined it would be a fairly straightforward retelling of Beauty and the Beast, after a while it became clear it was a retelling of the sleeping beauty. Next I realised that the author was trickily fooling the reader by twirling all the fairy tales that fit onto a single metaphorical spindle and then weaving the results into an entirely new and unexpected story.
In a way, it is less of a fairy tale than I expected or hoped for, I love re-telling of old tales and by amalgamating so many different elements most of the underlying imagery and morals of classic fairy tales is lost. However I did very much enjoy the resultant story and would like to read more of the series.
The book is enhanced by the lovely illustrations which give it more of the fairy tale element.
Word of caution; the target audience of this book may be confusing, because in a way, with the mythic element and the illustrations it may come across as young adult. It seems to me more suited to real adults since the themes of sex and violence, while not explicit, are too strongly woven into the story and too nuanced to be suited to really young teenagers whose parents may restrict their reading access.
August 20, 2024
Thank go I didn’t spend money on this at Half Priced Books. Not my cup of tea at all, this retelling just wasn’t it.
February 10, 2017
Nope, just no
June 11, 2015
Originally published at Risingshadow.
Beauty is the third and final short novel in a trilogy of retellings of classic fairy tales by Sarah Pinborough. Just like its companion stories, Beauty is a fantastic and brilliantly written short novel for readers who love beautifully written dark fairy tales and who are fascinated by the darker side of speculative fiction. It's a stunning and decadent retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale with many surprises and twists.
Sarah Pinborough is an excellent storyteller. I have to admit that I'm honestly amazed at her extraordinary vision about classic fairy tales, because she uses bits and pieces of them to create something new, but stays true to them and their atmosphere. She doesn't repeat what other authors have already written about them, but boldly modernises the stories to make them look exciting, fresh and sexy so that they will appeal to modern readers. I can say that she has found a permanent place on my reading list because of this marvellous fairy tale trilogy.
I consider Poison, Charm and Beauty to be among the best and most original modern retellings of classic fairy tales ever written (you can probably notice by this review how much I love Beauty and its companion stories). I enjoyed reading them, because they differed from other retellings in terms of beautiful prose, good characterisation and imaginative plot twists. I'm sure that many readers will find them fascinating, because they're brilliantly told fairy tales. It's possible to say that these short novels are dream-come-true novels for those who read fairy tales and enjoy the darker side of speculative fiction.
This story is coated with enchanting darkness and terrifying beauty that is reminiscent of the original and unsanitised versions of the classic fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. It's a dark fairy tale with brutal and sexy scenes, but there are also heartbreaking scenes in it that create a nice and touching balance for the darker scenes.
Before I write more about Beauty and its contents, I think it's good to mention that Beauty is not a children's fairy tale. It's a dark, sexy and brutal fairy tale for adults. I'll also mention that Beauty is set before the events described in Poison and Charm. It sheds some light on a few things that were mentioned in these companion stories and lets readers understand them better.
Here's information about the story:
- The king and the queen talk about the prince. They think that the prince has been spoiled and needs to grow up, start a family of his own and gain more experience about many things, because he spends too much time being out all night at inns and sleeping late. They decide that he needs an adventure and the prince is told about a kingdom that has mysteriously disappeared. The king wants the prince to find it...
- The king's men want the huntsman to be a companion to the prince on his trip to the edge of the Far Mountain. Together, they travel towards the mountain and get to know one another...
- Petra is on her way to her grandmother's cottage, which is in the middle of the forest far away from the village. Her grandmother has problems with the wolves. Suddenly Petra and her grandmother meet the huntsman and the prince who help them. Petra joins the huntsman and the prince on their quest...
This is the beginning of an enchanting and gripping fairy tale for adults.
The author successfully blends elements from many fairy tales (Rumpelstitskin, Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty etc) and creates a story that will impress everyone who has ever read classic fairy tales and been enchanted by them and their darkness. I was personally very impressed by the infusion of Beauty and the Beast story into the Sleeping Beauty story, because it worked well and resulted in a stunning piece of dark fiction for adults.
When you begin to read this story, forget everything you thought you knew about the Sleeping Beauty, because this story reveals a whole new and macabre side of her. In Poison and Charm, Sarah Pinborough revealed what kind of persons Snow White and Cinderella truly are and now she does the same to Sleeping Beauty. Her vision of the Sleeping Beauty is simply amazing.
The author explores Beauty's life in a fascinating way. She writes about her childhood and what happened to her, because she has something in her blood that makes her different from other people. I won't reveal what kind of a person she is, but I'll mention that many readers will be fascinated and also terrified by what she is and what she does.
In this story, Sleeping Beauty is stripped of her gentleness and innocence, because she has a dark and brutal side to her, and she has different needs than normal people. Although Beauty is normally a kind person, her dark side is truly formidable and frightening. The author showcases her dark side with shocking explicitness. It was interesting for me to read about her brutal nature and what was needed to satisfy its lustful and murderous cravings.
It's great that the well-known elements - the spindle, enchanted sleep and the handsome prince - from the original fairy tale are present in this retelling. They add a nice touch of elegance to the story.
In my opinion, character interaction works perfectly in this short novel. I enjoyed reading about what happened between the prince and Beauty. It was also enjoyable to read about how Petra and her grandmother reacted to the prince and the huntsman when they arrived at the grandmother's cottage. Sarah Pinborough writes fluently about how the characters feel about one another and what happens between them.
The author wrote well about Petra and her grandmother's problems with the wolves. The wolves caused problems by eating goats and messing up places. This is an interesting take on Little Red Riding Hood, because it's something different.
There's a nice sense of mystery in this story, because the huntsman wonders about the castle and what happens there, because everything doesn't seem to make sense to him and he has an odd feeling about things. I won't write any spoilers about the happenings and plot twists, but I'll mention that readers are in for an intriguing and shocking surprise when they read about the castle and its secrets.
Sarah Pinborough's prose is beautiful. She writes fairy-tale-like prose that wonderfully brings out the different nuances of the story and highlights the happenings. When you begin to read this short novel, the author's well written prose and good story instantly transports you to a fairytale land where magic is real and all kinds of things are possible. The story is so absorbing that you can't help but like it.
It's great that the author writes fluently and boldly about sex and violence, because it adds realism and roughness to the story. I have to mention that it was interesting to read about how men and women easily tumbled into bed with each other to search comfort, because life in the forest was hard. It was also intriguing to read about the brutal scenes, because they were amazing.
Reading about the orgy of sex and violence that was displayed in full force was truly memorable for me. This sensual and vicious scene impressed me, because it was something that is seldom seen in fairy tales. I was surprised by its raw sexuality and brutality.
One of the best things about Beauty is that it is not a black and white vision of an old fairy tale, but has many shades of grey. It's a modern and vivid take on a beloved story that many readers know, and it contains many elements (it tells of love, loss, sacrifice and life in a fairytale land). Although it's a short novel, it has plenty of different flavours and nuances that add lots of depth and style to it (this is one of the reasons why I love this story so much, because I've always enjoyed reading stories that have depth and style in them).
Just like the previous Titan Books editions of Poison and Charm, this edition of Beauty is truly a work of art, because the covers of the hardcover edition look stunningly beautiful and gorgeous. It's great that Titan Books has published Poison, Charm and Beauty as beautifully crafted editions, because there are many readers who appreciate this kind of beautiful editions.
If you find yourself fascinated by Beauty and want to read more similar kind of fairy tale stories, please take a look at its companion short novels, Poison and Charm, because they're excellent stories that deserve to be read and praised. I highly recommend reading all of them, because they form a fascinating trilogy that's full of surprises and intriguing twists.
If you enjoy reading dark and beautifully written stories, Sarah Pinborough's Beauty is an excellent short novel for you. It offers good prose, originality and style in a beautiful package that will please many readers. It's one of the best fairy tale retellings ever, because it's a charmingly sexy and brilliantly brutal fairy tale for adult readers.
Highly recommended!
Beauty is the third and final short novel in a trilogy of retellings of classic fairy tales by Sarah Pinborough. Just like its companion stories, Beauty is a fantastic and brilliantly written short novel for readers who love beautifully written dark fairy tales and who are fascinated by the darker side of speculative fiction. It's a stunning and decadent retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale with many surprises and twists.
Sarah Pinborough is an excellent storyteller. I have to admit that I'm honestly amazed at her extraordinary vision about classic fairy tales, because she uses bits and pieces of them to create something new, but stays true to them and their atmosphere. She doesn't repeat what other authors have already written about them, but boldly modernises the stories to make them look exciting, fresh and sexy so that they will appeal to modern readers. I can say that she has found a permanent place on my reading list because of this marvellous fairy tale trilogy.
I consider Poison, Charm and Beauty to be among the best and most original modern retellings of classic fairy tales ever written (you can probably notice by this review how much I love Beauty and its companion stories). I enjoyed reading them, because they differed from other retellings in terms of beautiful prose, good characterisation and imaginative plot twists. I'm sure that many readers will find them fascinating, because they're brilliantly told fairy tales. It's possible to say that these short novels are dream-come-true novels for those who read fairy tales and enjoy the darker side of speculative fiction.
This story is coated with enchanting darkness and terrifying beauty that is reminiscent of the original and unsanitised versions of the classic fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. It's a dark fairy tale with brutal and sexy scenes, but there are also heartbreaking scenes in it that create a nice and touching balance for the darker scenes.
Before I write more about Beauty and its contents, I think it's good to mention that Beauty is not a children's fairy tale. It's a dark, sexy and brutal fairy tale for adults. I'll also mention that Beauty is set before the events described in Poison and Charm. It sheds some light on a few things that were mentioned in these companion stories and lets readers understand them better.
Here's information about the story:
- The king and the queen talk about the prince. They think that the prince has been spoiled and needs to grow up, start a family of his own and gain more experience about many things, because he spends too much time being out all night at inns and sleeping late. They decide that he needs an adventure and the prince is told about a kingdom that has mysteriously disappeared. The king wants the prince to find it...
- The king's men want the huntsman to be a companion to the prince on his trip to the edge of the Far Mountain. Together, they travel towards the mountain and get to know one another...
- Petra is on her way to her grandmother's cottage, which is in the middle of the forest far away from the village. Her grandmother has problems with the wolves. Suddenly Petra and her grandmother meet the huntsman and the prince who help them. Petra joins the huntsman and the prince on their quest...
This is the beginning of an enchanting and gripping fairy tale for adults.
The author successfully blends elements from many fairy tales (Rumpelstitskin, Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty etc) and creates a story that will impress everyone who has ever read classic fairy tales and been enchanted by them and their darkness. I was personally very impressed by the infusion of Beauty and the Beast story into the Sleeping Beauty story, because it worked well and resulted in a stunning piece of dark fiction for adults.
When you begin to read this story, forget everything you thought you knew about the Sleeping Beauty, because this story reveals a whole new and macabre side of her. In Poison and Charm, Sarah Pinborough revealed what kind of persons Snow White and Cinderella truly are and now she does the same to Sleeping Beauty. Her vision of the Sleeping Beauty is simply amazing.
The author explores Beauty's life in a fascinating way. She writes about her childhood and what happened to her, because she has something in her blood that makes her different from other people. I won't reveal what kind of a person she is, but I'll mention that many readers will be fascinated and also terrified by what she is and what she does.
In this story, Sleeping Beauty is stripped of her gentleness and innocence, because she has a dark and brutal side to her, and she has different needs than normal people. Although Beauty is normally a kind person, her dark side is truly formidable and frightening. The author showcases her dark side with shocking explicitness. It was interesting for me to read about her brutal nature and what was needed to satisfy its lustful and murderous cravings.
It's great that the well-known elements - the spindle, enchanted sleep and the handsome prince - from the original fairy tale are present in this retelling. They add a nice touch of elegance to the story.
In my opinion, character interaction works perfectly in this short novel. I enjoyed reading about what happened between the prince and Beauty. It was also enjoyable to read about how Petra and her grandmother reacted to the prince and the huntsman when they arrived at the grandmother's cottage. Sarah Pinborough writes fluently about how the characters feel about one another and what happens between them.
The author wrote well about Petra and her grandmother's problems with the wolves. The wolves caused problems by eating goats and messing up places. This is an interesting take on Little Red Riding Hood, because it's something different.
There's a nice sense of mystery in this story, because the huntsman wonders about the castle and what happens there, because everything doesn't seem to make sense to him and he has an odd feeling about things. I won't write any spoilers about the happenings and plot twists, but I'll mention that readers are in for an intriguing and shocking surprise when they read about the castle and its secrets.
Sarah Pinborough's prose is beautiful. She writes fairy-tale-like prose that wonderfully brings out the different nuances of the story and highlights the happenings. When you begin to read this short novel, the author's well written prose and good story instantly transports you to a fairytale land where magic is real and all kinds of things are possible. The story is so absorbing that you can't help but like it.
It's great that the author writes fluently and boldly about sex and violence, because it adds realism and roughness to the story. I have to mention that it was interesting to read about how men and women easily tumbled into bed with each other to search comfort, because life in the forest was hard. It was also intriguing to read about the brutal scenes, because they were amazing.
Reading about the orgy of sex and violence that was displayed in full force was truly memorable for me. This sensual and vicious scene impressed me, because it was something that is seldom seen in fairy tales. I was surprised by its raw sexuality and brutality.
One of the best things about Beauty is that it is not a black and white vision of an old fairy tale, but has many shades of grey. It's a modern and vivid take on a beloved story that many readers know, and it contains many elements (it tells of love, loss, sacrifice and life in a fairytale land). Although it's a short novel, it has plenty of different flavours and nuances that add lots of depth and style to it (this is one of the reasons why I love this story so much, because I've always enjoyed reading stories that have depth and style in them).
Just like the previous Titan Books editions of Poison and Charm, this edition of Beauty is truly a work of art, because the covers of the hardcover edition look stunningly beautiful and gorgeous. It's great that Titan Books has published Poison, Charm and Beauty as beautifully crafted editions, because there are many readers who appreciate this kind of beautiful editions.
If you find yourself fascinated by Beauty and want to read more similar kind of fairy tale stories, please take a look at its companion short novels, Poison and Charm, because they're excellent stories that deserve to be read and praised. I highly recommend reading all of them, because they form a fascinating trilogy that's full of surprises and intriguing twists.
If you enjoy reading dark and beautifully written stories, Sarah Pinborough's Beauty is an excellent short novel for you. It offers good prose, originality and style in a beautiful package that will please many readers. It's one of the best fairy tale retellings ever, because it's a charmingly sexy and brilliantly brutal fairy tale for adult readers.
Highly recommended!
May 15, 2019
I've had this book on my shelf for so long and finally picked it up on a whim over the weekend. At just about 200 pages, I expected it to be a one-sitting type of read, but it actually took me several days to get through! I thought the way that Pinborough wove together various fairytale elements from classics such as Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, etc. was pretty creative. The story was in the vein of a Grimm fairytale, quite violent and bloody with more sexuality than I was expecting, so fair warning that this isn't necessarily a tale for sensitive readers. While I liked the book overall, I didn't feel entirely compelled to pick it up while I was mid-read, and I don't think I'll pursue reading the rest in the series.
January 1, 2015
Une merveille !
January 17, 2018
It took me a while to move on to this final book of the Tales from the Kingdoms, but knowing me this would be down to my Cinderella moment when as a 3 year old child I was crying my eyes out at the end as 'I didn't want it to finish'. I just have to say it one more time: these books published by Gollancz must be the most beautiful hardback books I have ever seen.
Although ultimately a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Beauty has a proper mixed bag of fairytales in it. So whichever was your favourite as a child, and you didn't read about them in Poison and Charm, chances are your favourite fairytale character will appear in Beauty.
I do love the TV show Once Upon A Time, so I was thrilled to find Rumpelstiltskin (dearie) appearing unexpectedly in Beauty. I loved how Sarah Pinborough brought a little bit extra to his character but I'll not say any more as it will spoil the story. This is my definitely my favourite of the three Tales from the Kingdoms, it's an absolutely genius characterisation of 'the beast' - so simple yet so clever.
I love reading adult fairytales - although loosely based on our childhood favourites, they remind us of happier innocent times when anything was possible and our imagination could run wild. With the addition of 'adult' to 'fairytales', you do get a more risqué version of your favourite childhood classic so any demure readers should be prepared to be shocked and slightly uncomfortable.
Beauty is fabulous escapism fiction that will awaken your inner child and allow your imagination to have free reign while you escape from the real world and visit a faraway kingdom from once upon a time.
Although ultimately a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Beauty has a proper mixed bag of fairytales in it. So whichever was your favourite as a child, and you didn't read about them in Poison and Charm, chances are your favourite fairytale character will appear in Beauty.
I do love the TV show Once Upon A Time, so I was thrilled to find Rumpelstiltskin (dearie) appearing unexpectedly in Beauty. I loved how Sarah Pinborough brought a little bit extra to his character but I'll not say any more as it will spoil the story. This is my definitely my favourite of the three Tales from the Kingdoms, it's an absolutely genius characterisation of 'the beast' - so simple yet so clever.
I love reading adult fairytales - although loosely based on our childhood favourites, they remind us of happier innocent times when anything was possible and our imagination could run wild. With the addition of 'adult' to 'fairytales', you do get a more risqué version of your favourite childhood classic so any demure readers should be prepared to be shocked and slightly uncomfortable.
Beauty is fabulous escapism fiction that will awaken your inner child and allow your imagination to have free reign while you escape from the real world and visit a faraway kingdom from once upon a time.
January 30, 2020
I enjoyed this novella a lot. Very short but filled with action and adventure. A decadent retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a little Rumplestiltskin and Peter and the Wolf thrown in. Also kinda sexy- definitely not YA! There are two other books that came before this apparently but they can clearly be read as stand-alone. I enjoyed Sarah Pinborough’s novel Behind Her Eyes and knew she was a good writer. Behind Her Eyes is apparently being made into a show on Netflix this year. I will definitely read more of her stuff.
August 4, 2024
This book was a short and easy read (with a handful of grammatical errors), but it was dark and the mystery of the Queen held my interest. It’s more than a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. There’s characters from Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin, and more. The darker feel to it reminded me of a Grimm’s fairytale. It doesn’t have a happily ever after- at least not yet. Knowing that this was a prequel to the other two books I decided to read it first. Plus, Sleeping Beauty is my favorite fairytale.
May 6, 2021
CW: Murder, blood-drinking
If you like fairy-tale retellings you’ll enjoy this novella, but you need to know going in that it's not fluffy and is quite dark in some parts. It’s a mash-up of the most popular fairy tales, done in a way that seamlessly weaves them together. Entertaining and well written, it was much better than I thought it would be going by the Goodreads blurb.
If you like fairy-tale retellings you’ll enjoy this novella, but you need to know going in that it's not fluffy and is quite dark in some parts. It’s a mash-up of the most popular fairy tales, done in a way that seamlessly weaves them together. Entertaining and well written, it was much better than I thought it would be going by the Goodreads blurb.
February 5, 2017
Okay so there were a few things to like about this apart from: it was short, and it was an interesting twist on multiple fairy tales.
BUT even though I came in at the 3rd book....there were so many threads left unfinished? It felt much more like the 1st book. Only one of the three sort-of MCs gets a resolution to their story. The other two and everyone else? Not really anything happened/changed for them.
It also begins as almost MG level and continues that way for a long while (apart from a few mentions of the prince drinking/wenching and the huntsman having been with women) before moving to YA with a sex scene that's mostly fade to black apart from some kisses, etc.
But then we move into more adult territory just for graphic nature when there's a short snippet where we see the Beast in full control and it's a fancy orgy with a murder chaser. Oh and blood refreshments, as you do.
It's like not only could the book not decide what it wanted to be reading-level/content-wise, but it couldn't decide who the MC was or how many fairy tales to retell or remember to WRAP THEM UP. Considering that all three stories were released in 2013, it doesn't appear that we'll know anything about all those loose ends. Why put them in there or flesh them out as characters if you aren't going to use them? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
But it *was* a very quick read and my library only had this one and the book that is apparently #2 in the "series", so I'm okay with my choice as I enjoy the tales that were entwined here, I just wish that the tales INcluded were CONcluded.
Red-riding hood/Peter (Petra) and the Wolf/Beauty and the Beast/Sleeping Beauty
Small side of Rapunzel & Rumpelstiltskin.
and idek what was the deal with the Huntsman, but we should have gotten a lot more of him and Petra and their stories than the Prince. Especially since Petra's was the only one that came to a conclusion. And the Prince was basically a total waste of space.
BUT even though I came in at the 3rd book....there were so many threads left unfinished? It felt much more like the 1st book. Only one of the three sort-of MCs gets a resolution to their story. The other two and everyone else? Not really anything happened/changed for them.
It also begins as almost MG level and continues that way for a long while (apart from a few mentions of the prince drinking/wenching and the huntsman having been with women) before moving to YA with a sex scene that's mostly fade to black apart from some kisses, etc.
But then we move into more adult territory just for graphic nature when there's a short snippet where we see the Beast in full control and it's a fancy orgy with a murder chaser. Oh and blood refreshments, as you do.
It's like not only could the book not decide what it wanted to be reading-level/content-wise, but it couldn't decide who the MC was or how many fairy tales to retell or remember to WRAP THEM UP. Considering that all three stories were released in 2013, it doesn't appear that we'll know anything about all those loose ends. Why put them in there or flesh them out as characters if you aren't going to use them? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
But it *was* a very quick read and my library only had this one and the book that is apparently #2 in the "series", so I'm okay with my choice as I enjoy the tales that were entwined here, I just wish that the tales INcluded were CONcluded.
Red-riding hood/Peter (Petra) and the Wolf/Beauty and the Beast/Sleeping Beauty
Small side of Rapunzel & Rumpelstiltskin.
and idek what was the deal with the Huntsman, but we should have gotten a lot more of him and Petra and their stories than the Prince. Especially since Petra's was the only one that came to a conclusion. And the Prince was basically a total waste of space.
February 1, 2014
I'm not usually big on reading a lot of fairy tales but the absolutely gorgeous cover of this book grabbed my attention straight away. This is the third book in Pinborough's Tales From the Kingdoms series, but I had to pick up Beauty first. Sleeping Beauty is one of my ultimate favourites and I couldn't resist seeing the twist that had been put into it. This is a retelling like no other that I have read. It's dark, mysterious, thrilling and absolutely addictive. It's a far step away from the original yet keeps the bare bones of the story. I loved this retelling more than the original and couldn't resist ordering the other two books, Poison and Charms.
There isn't much I can say in the review without giving away the twists and turns of this new adaptation. I think the main thing that captured me the most was the inclusion of so many different fairy tales with Sleeping Beauty being the main focus. This is something completely new to me and the book definitely benefited from it. We have elements of Little Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast making an appearance in a variety of forms. It made for such a fast and addictive read. I closed the book yearning for more of this story. I felt like it wasn't long enough and wanted to read even more about these characters. What happened following the ending? Ahhh questions!
Beauty is a stunningly written retelling and it has definitely got me addicted to Sarah Pinborough's writing. I'm so excited to pick up more of her work following this. The illustrations within the book itself are gorgeous and it compliments the story itself nicely. I loved the entire thing. The cover is one of those touchable ones, with the wire-like feeling of the spider-webs in the corner. This book is flawless and I'm definitely excited to read Poison and Charm.
There isn't much I can say in the review without giving away the twists and turns of this new adaptation. I think the main thing that captured me the most was the inclusion of so many different fairy tales with Sleeping Beauty being the main focus. This is something completely new to me and the book definitely benefited from it. We have elements of Little Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast making an appearance in a variety of forms. It made for such a fast and addictive read. I closed the book yearning for more of this story. I felt like it wasn't long enough and wanted to read even more about these characters. What happened following the ending? Ahhh questions!
Beauty is a stunningly written retelling and it has definitely got me addicted to Sarah Pinborough's writing. I'm so excited to pick up more of her work following this. The illustrations within the book itself are gorgeous and it compliments the story itself nicely. I loved the entire thing. The cover is one of those touchable ones, with the wire-like feeling of the spider-webs in the corner. This book is flawless and I'm definitely excited to read Poison and Charm.
November 22, 2017
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
The third and final novella in the wicked fairy tale series by Sarah Pinborough is Beauty. A wonderfully dark retelling of the Sleeping Beauty tale, we find all the regular characters – Beauty, the Prince, the evil fairy and even the cursed spindle. Pinborough takes these well known characters and gives them a new twist for a new audience.
The Prince has come of age and his father the King decides his son needs to have his own adventure. Stories of a mysterious kingdom are perfect for the boy and paired up with a Huntsman, the two set off. Along the way they meet Petra and her Grandmother and soon find the kingdom itself. Surrounded by a forest of thorns the entire kingdom is asleep and in the castle at its’ heart is the beautiful sleeping Beauty. Waking the princess seems the best course of action, but not everyone believes this to be true. And when she is awakened, the three adventurers find that not everything is as peaceful as it seems.
Unlike Charm which was a retelling of one fairy tale, Beauty is a combination of several stories in to one. At it’s heart is Sleeping Beauty, but woven in are the well known Beauty and the Beast, Red Riding Hood, and even Rumplestiltskin. All are woven together so seamlessly and effortlessly. I found it entertaining to pick the threads of the stories apart and see what came from where.
Like other works by Pinborough, Beauty is well written and very engrossing. Again, this is NOT for children. Dark and seductive it is reminiscent of the original tales and should appeal to nearly all readers. I highly recommend this one.
The third and final novella in the wicked fairy tale series by Sarah Pinborough is Beauty. A wonderfully dark retelling of the Sleeping Beauty tale, we find all the regular characters – Beauty, the Prince, the evil fairy and even the cursed spindle. Pinborough takes these well known characters and gives them a new twist for a new audience.
The Prince has come of age and his father the King decides his son needs to have his own adventure. Stories of a mysterious kingdom are perfect for the boy and paired up with a Huntsman, the two set off. Along the way they meet Petra and her Grandmother and soon find the kingdom itself. Surrounded by a forest of thorns the entire kingdom is asleep and in the castle at its’ heart is the beautiful sleeping Beauty. Waking the princess seems the best course of action, but not everyone believes this to be true. And when she is awakened, the three adventurers find that not everything is as peaceful as it seems.
Unlike Charm which was a retelling of one fairy tale, Beauty is a combination of several stories in to one. At it’s heart is Sleeping Beauty, but woven in are the well known Beauty and the Beast, Red Riding Hood, and even Rumplestiltskin. All are woven together so seamlessly and effortlessly. I found it entertaining to pick the threads of the stories apart and see what came from where.
Like other works by Pinborough, Beauty is well written and very engrossing. Again, this is NOT for children. Dark and seductive it is reminiscent of the original tales and should appeal to nearly all readers. I highly recommend this one.
November 10, 2013
Beauty is the last of Sarah Pinborough's twisted fairytale retellings (sob, weep etc.). It's a fantastic book to end the series on, just as good as Poison and Charm and, if possible, darker and more messed up than Snow White and Cinderella's respective stories. Old characters return, beloved fairytale heroes connect in magical ways and the tales come full circle... or do they? This book is set before the others, which means Poison and Charm become a lot clearer following the events of Beauty.
Beauty is the story of Sleeping Beauty with some Beauty and the Beast thrown in for good measure. There's actually several fairytales and their characters featured, but I'll leave those as a nice reader surprise. I love how Pinborough weaves stories within stories, beautifully decadent and written with an ease and precision that is a joy for everyone. Her characters are real, their histories often heartbreaking and their intentions usually very far from good. You can probably tell that I ADORE this series!
I of course have to mention Les Edwards again, the man responsible for illustrating these books and making them a visual treat. Pinborough's words would be like spun gold by themselves, but the ink illustrations make them all the more appealing. Beauty is a fantastic conclusion to this series which has fast become one of my favourites. I'm going to have to re-read all three books now to fully experience the giant story, and I can't wait to pick up on things I missed the first time around. I can't recommend these book enough: go forth and read!
Beauty is the story of Sleeping Beauty with some Beauty and the Beast thrown in for good measure. There's actually several fairytales and their characters featured, but I'll leave those as a nice reader surprise. I love how Pinborough weaves stories within stories, beautifully decadent and written with an ease and precision that is a joy for everyone. Her characters are real, their histories often heartbreaking and their intentions usually very far from good. You can probably tell that I ADORE this series!
I of course have to mention Les Edwards again, the man responsible for illustrating these books and making them a visual treat. Pinborough's words would be like spun gold by themselves, but the ink illustrations make them all the more appealing. Beauty is a fantastic conclusion to this series which has fast become one of my favourites. I'm going to have to re-read all three books now to fully experience the giant story, and I can't wait to pick up on things I missed the first time around. I can't recommend these book enough: go forth and read!
May 3, 2017
Actual Rating: 1.5
This book was overwhelmingly... meh.
It had so much potential! My sister and mom both really liked it, and there are some raving reviews about it on here, so I was expecting a lot more. So disappointed.
I was drawn in by the hodgepodge of different fairytales and wanted to see how they intertwined throughout the story, but that's really the only thing that stuck with me after finishing this up. The characters were entirely forgettable with little to no personality or development, there was WAY too much insta-everything, and the story felt like it tripped over itself at multiple points just to finish in a certain number of pages. With a severe lack of world-building and cripplingly obvious plot devices, it missed the mark completely for me.
Meh.
This book was overwhelmingly... meh.
It had so much potential! My sister and mom both really liked it, and there are some raving reviews about it on here, so I was expecting a lot more. So disappointed.
I was drawn in by the hodgepodge of different fairytales and wanted to see how they intertwined throughout the story, but that's really the only thing that stuck with me after finishing this up. The characters were entirely forgettable with little to no personality or development, there was WAY too much insta-everything, and the story felt like it tripped over itself at multiple points just to finish in a certain number of pages. With a severe lack of world-building and cripplingly obvious plot devices, it missed the mark completely for me.
Meh.
May 29, 2019
This book was part of my reading challenge this year - choosing a book a month to read from the library that I've never heard of before. It was tricky to pick a book, but I managed! I went into this book not knowing anything beyond the back of the book - I didn't even read anything about it on goodreads!
I'm super pleased that my first book choice was a success! :D This was a really great book with a whole lot of different fairy tales thrown in. Not a long book and a fairly quick read. it felt like it was written in a very young style, until near then end when things got adult verrrrry quickly. Thankfully nothing very graphic though. I really want to read the rest in the series!
I'm super pleased that my first book choice was a success! :D This was a really great book with a whole lot of different fairy tales thrown in. Not a long book and a fairly quick read. it felt like it was written in a very young style, until near then end when things got adult verrrrry quickly. Thankfully nothing very graphic though. I really want to read the rest in the series!
May 27, 2014
Beauté est totalement perturbant, et c’est en le refermant qu’on réalise qu’il est le plus complexe, le plus surprenant et le plus réussi des trois tomes. Situé avant Poison, il nous offre une réécriture qui s’éloigne plus que jamais de l’histoire d’origine, et Sarah Pinborough nous prouve une nouvelle fois son talent pour les réécritures. On en redemande!
Ma chronique : http://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/20...
Ma chronique : http://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/20...
December 6, 2015
Starts out strong but falters once it tries to combine too many stories into one. Loses cohesion and the plot is not resolved at aaaallllll. Very frustrating.
August 8, 2020
Short but sweet. Not a fan of the cliffhanger ending, however...
October 16, 2022
✨💅✨💅💅✨💅💅✨✨
May 15, 2022
I was already wondering how Pinborough was gonna continue her storyline since the previous book felt pretty finished, but it didn't take long before I discovered that this book was actually a prequel and it was finally telling us everything we needed to know about the adventures of the prince and the Huntsman before they stumbled into the kingdom of Snow White and interfered with her story. And the further I read, the more excited I got.
When I saw the title of this book I was already quite surprised that the author picked Sleeping Beauty to retell and not Beauty and the Beast. Don't get me wrong, I love Sleeping Beauty personally more than Beauty and the Beast, but it's a really hard story when it comes to having an interesting princess as the starring heroine. However, why the author chose Sleeping Beauty became quite clear along the way and although it was sickening at times, it was also interesting and intriguing.
Where the first book kept very close to the original tale, the second one already drifted away from its origin story slightly and this one takes a complete leap and turns the entire tale on its head. Rumplestiltskin is involved. We meet Little Red Riding Hood and her wolf. There is also some link to Rapunzel in there and we're not even talking about the fact that not every princess who's in a century long slumber should be saved to begin with.
This book is a glorious fairytale mess. And even though it's once more a relatively short read, I kinda got attached to the characters and their adventures, even though I already know that the prince is not as charming as he believes himself to be. And by turning this story into a giant fairytale mess, Pinborough also ripped apart all the stiffening stereotypes. The prince is not just charming. Not every princess is a damsel in distress. And not every wolf is a villain.
Damn it! I wish there were more books in this series!
When I saw the title of this book I was already quite surprised that the author picked Sleeping Beauty to retell and not Beauty and the Beast. Don't get me wrong, I love Sleeping Beauty personally more than Beauty and the Beast, but it's a really hard story when it comes to having an interesting princess as the starring heroine. However, why the author chose Sleeping Beauty became quite clear along the way and although it was sickening at times, it was also interesting and intriguing.
Where the first book kept very close to the original tale, the second one already drifted away from its origin story slightly and this one takes a complete leap and turns the entire tale on its head. Rumplestiltskin is involved. We meet Little Red Riding Hood and her wolf. There is also some link to Rapunzel in there and we're not even talking about the fact that not every princess who's in a century long slumber should be saved to begin with.
This book is a glorious fairytale mess. And even though it's once more a relatively short read, I kinda got attached to the characters and their adventures, even though I already know that the prince is not as charming as he believes himself to be. And by turning this story into a giant fairytale mess, Pinborough also ripped apart all the stiffening stereotypes. The prince is not just charming. Not every princess is a damsel in distress. And not every wolf is a villain.
Damn it! I wish there were more books in this series!
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