In Sleeping Beauty's Bed: Erotic Fairy Tales

by Mitzi Szereto

A traditional source of sexual titillation for adult readers, fairy tales historically featured licentious themes before being cleaned up for the consumption of children in modern times. Seasoned erotica author Mitzi Szereto restores the explicit sex in the 15 tales in this provocative book -- and adds a few surprises of her own. Here the bawdy humor of French fable meets the sublime eroticism of ancient Chinese myth as a far from virginal damsel weds a Prince Charming with a shoe fetish; Little Red Riding Hood discovers Grandma's bed is open to any stray wolf; and a Japanese monk stumbles onto an S/M scene behind a forbidden door. Each tale is prefaced by a brief introduction telling its history and the sexual culture in which it was originally composed.

Genres: Erotica, Fantasy, Romance, Short Stories, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Anthologies

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 12, 2001

About the author

OFFICIAL ACCOUNT
Mitzi Szereto (mitziszereto.com) is an American-British author, anthology editor, and short story writer whose books encompass multiple genres, most recently in true crime, including her latest release Women Who Murder: An International Collection of Deadly True Crime Tales as well as her popular series The Best New True Crime Stories. Her work has been translated into several languages. A contribution in her anthology Getting Even: Revenge Stories received the Crime Writers’ Association Short Story Dagger “Highly Commended.” She has the added distinction of being the editor of the first anthology of erotic fiction to include a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Mitzi has appeared internationally on radio and television and at major literature festivals, and has taught creative writing around the world, including universities in the UK. In addition to having produced and presented the London-based web TV channel Mitzi TV, she portrays herself in the pseudo-documentary British film, Lint: The Movie. Follow her on social media @mitziszereto.

Reviews

[Rain · Rating 1 out of 5]

As far as erotica novels go, this novel is one of the worst that I have ever read. Not only was it vague in any erotic descriptions the author decided to give use, but the actually erotica content was almost absent. It was like reading a fairy tale written for adults with all the gore and vulgarity instead the sunshine and smiles, although the happy endings were present.

When I want erotica, I want erotica. If I wanted some fairy tales told for adults instead children, I would read the Grimm's Fairy Tales.

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Prior to every story, there is a 2-3 page history of the original fairytale and the political surrounding at the time of creation. This part was fantastic; however, the stories themselves read like bad teenage fanfiction. It wasn't just the concepts that were poor (E.g.: Prince Charming using a glass slipper as a sexual aid, leaving Cinderella to use garden vegetables for the rest of her "happily ever after."), but the execution as well. I'd strongly recommend avoiding this particular book.

[Bridgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised by how well written this book was. I was unfamiliar with some of the "original" tales but I enjoyed reading all the stories. I don't really have a favorite. I don't usually read erotic stories, but I didn't find it uncomfortable reading this. I also loved the historical explanation of the original story's origins before each tale.

[Michelle Hoogterp · Rating 1 out of 5]

From the few stories in here that I did read, this was poorly done. Though the introduction was somewhat literary (there was some Western presumptions placed on interpretation) and the introductions of each story were intelligent enough, the stories themselves were hasty sketches, more like outlines of a fuller story. Furthermore, instead of being erotic, the language was lost in this strange way of not coming out and just saying cunt or vulva or something, instead we get words like "fuzzy pods" and then the imagery was just odd: the prince in Sleeping Beauty thinks he sees a fluttering butterfly trapped--gonna assume that's the Princess's nether regions--and goes to free them from their enclosure of some sort of "fuzzy pods" but the wings are trapped by dew (guess what that is), so he tries to lick the creature free (because he doesn't want to tear his doublet or sleeves)....

I'm very disappointed.

[Hectaizani · Rating 1 out of 5]

I managed to stomach only about half the stories in this collection before just giving up. I didn't find the author's insistence on making every single character completely naive at all erotic. Even in a fantasy setting I couldn't figure out how an adult male would be surprised by an erection, as though he'd simply never had one before. Maybe it's the company I keep, but all of the guys I know figured that out somewhere around puberty.

[Stacy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Beyond disappointing. While I am all for picking up a book that requires me to push my imagination, to read between the lines, to see and feel beyond the pages that are in my hand, if and when I pick up smut I expect smut. Reading this made me feel like there was a gaggle of uptight women who were almost afraid to admit that they might like sex, but would never use words that would clinically nor poetically describe it. I can see them blushing in their turtlenecks and overall dresses.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the fact that this book had a bunch of different fairy tales in it. Thought it was pretty cool that it had the history of each fairy tale at the beginning of each story. Funny that all the stories have something to do with a sexual fantasy, never thought of it that way. Kind of makes you wonder why and how we started using them as stories to tell our children.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this collection of fairy tales aimed at adults. Don't get me wrong, there were sexual themes and language but I found this to be more humorous than erotic. The stories are well written though and I very much enjoyed the history of each tale that the author inserted before beginning each story.

[Selvaggina, · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was at a bit of loss as I haven't read most of the tales in their original form. The preface to each take on the story was helpful, but I would have appreciated reference notes to back up her information. The erotic take on the stories aren't terrible, but not as engaging as I expected them to be. This works as a companion piece for someone as interested in fairy tales as I- that's about it.

[Lilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars actually.

I didn't enjoy this quite as much as Mitzi's other books I've read this year. Oddly, I found myself more enamored by the author's note on the research and changes she made that preludes each tale rather than the tales themselves.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. I liked the history of the fairy tales element, but every story that retold by the author was terribly done and felt like a mockery as opposed to a true attempt at erotically retelling these stories. Hard pass.

[Robbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its a collection of stories. Strange (even by my standards) not yet what I was expecting.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not near as good as the Sleeping Beauty Chronicles if you're looking for erotic spins on stories.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rapunzel's tower has a whole new meaning....

[Joseph]

Very intriguing...Can't Wait!

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as impressed with this book as the first one of her's I read. Apparently that is why it took so long to read!

[g · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just putting it out there for anyone who picked up this book thinking that it would be filled with steamy fairy tales: you're gonna be disappointed.

The fairy tales are twisted into ridiculous stories involving making frothy semen milkshakes in glass slippers, letting down a rope of pubic hair to the prince who's busily humping his wood against a tree in a fit of bewildering lust, etc. etc.

If you want to laugh at your favourite childhood character's penis/bush jungle/whatever, then this book is for you. I was just hoping for something different.

[Krissy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I actually regret purchasing this book. As far as the erotica goes, it was either absent or really strange. I couldn't even finish this book. Definitely avoid if you are looking for fairy tell retellings for adults!!

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a different take on all the fairy tales Disney had turned into HEA. This is a better interpretation.