25.8 - Sandy's Task - Once Upon A Time…

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Tanya wrote: "How about The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales? Been meaning to read that one for awhile..."

It's fascinating to read Grimms or the "color" fairy books and read the older versions, that haven't been "disneyfied" - they're often a lot darker.

[Angie]

I chose The Princess Bride for this task but was at the library today and found Alice I Have Been... can I read this?

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Angie wrote: "I chose The Princess Bride for this task but was at the library today and found Alice I Have Been... can I read this?"

I'm sorry, but looking at the description, I don't think this fits as a fairy tale.

[Liz]

Trying to choose 2 books from this list:
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
Book of a Thousand Days
Stardust
Ice
Briar Rose

Any suggestions?

[Jackie]

Goodreads has a list "Best Twisted Fairy Tales". Is that ok to read?

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Jackie wrote: "Goodreads has a list "Best Twisted Fairy Tales". Is that ok to read?"

depends on the books - I'm finding, looking at the goodreads lists, that the books on them aren't necessarily what the title of the list would normally mean - it just means that one person decided to place the book in that category. So, look at the specific book you're thinking of - does it fit the normal elements of a fairy tale? Take a look at the links in the task description to read about fairy tales, and see how the book you're thinking of reading compares.

[Katie]

Liz wrote: "Trying to choose 2 books from this list:
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
Book of a Thousand Days is amazing!

I've also read Beauty and it's pretty good.

[Katie]

Nicole wrote: "I am having such a hard time deciding!!! I am probably going to go with The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

and one of these:

A Kiss in Time (read her..."

Stinky Cheese man is hillarious! I read Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and wasn't really a big fan, but I haven't been a big fan of anything I've read by Maguire. :/

[Katie]

Would Tam Lin work for this task?

What about Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times?

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Katie wrote: "Would Tam Lin work for this task?

What about Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times?"

both will work

[Alisha Marie]

Liz wrote: "Trying to choose 2 books from this list:
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
[book:Book of a Thousand Days|248..."

Liz, the only book I've read out of your list is Stardust (though I have the rest on my TBR) so I have to recommend that one. I really didn't think I'd love it as much as I did since the only other Neil Gaiman book I had read at the time was The Graveyard Book and I didn't really like it, but I fell in love with Stardust.

[Liz]

Alisha wrote: "Liz wrote: "Trying to choose 2 books from this list:
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast...
Liz, the only book I've read out of your list is Stardust..."


I've had Stardust on my tbr for a long time, so I probably should read it. I loved the movie, but have been hesitant to read it after reading Neil Gaiman's Coraline, which I wasn't super crazy over. You're definitely encouraging me to give it a try though!

[Petra]

Liz, I wasn't crazy about Coraline either but enjoyed The Graveyard Book. I'm reading Stardust for this task, too, and am looking forward to it.

[Alisha Marie]

Yeah, I've read Coraline since then and I also wasn't too crazy over it. But I think it's because Coraline and The Graveyard Book were geared to kids more than adults. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love children/YA books, but I think when it comes to Neil Gaiman, I personally would stick to his "adult" books.

[Jackie]

I think I'm going to try the Grimm Fairytales. Has anyone read them?

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I have the whole collection of Grimm Fairy Tales but haven't read them yet.

[Deedee]

Terribly Twisted Tales description: From Hansel and Gretel and Goldilocks, to Snow White, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and more, here are eighteen stories that take familiar fairy tales and twist them around to give them an entirely new slant.

I'm definately reading this one (let me know if it doesn't fit, but from the description it sounds like it should); and another one, too, to reach 400 pages.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Deedee wrote: "
Terribly Twisted Tales description: From Hansel and Gretel and Goldilocks, to Snow White, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and more, h..."

this sounds just fine to me (and I think it has to go on my TBR list as well!)

[Dee]

oh sweet, i've had The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey on the pile forever, a good reason to read it...

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "oh sweet, i've had The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey on the pile forever, a good reason to read it..."

i really enjoyed that book.

[Jackie]

My brother wants me to read Fablehaven. Will it fit in this task?

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Jackie wrote: "My brother wants me to read Fablehaven. Will it fit in this task?"

from the description, it sounds pretty fairy tale-ish to me! Go for it!

my TBR list is growing and growing and growing........

[Jackie]

Perfect! Thanks!

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Just an FYI -
There haven't been many questions, so I'm guessing people feel pretty clear about what works for this task. But, I do want to give everyone a heads up that I'll be on vacation from the 16th through the 21st, and I'm not sure how much email access I'm going to have (or want!). So, if you post any questions after late afternoon/early evening on Tuesday the 15th, be patient!

[Dlmrose, Moderator Emeritus]

Safe travels!

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Would this work The Fairy-Tale Detectives?

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Diane (deebotte) wrote: "Would this work The Fairy-Tale Detectives?"

Looks good!

[Terri FL]

Would Eastern fairy tales work as well? I was going to read one from my TBR list - Baba Yaga Laid an Egg. Here is part of the description from the 3 percent website.

Baba Yaga Laid an Egg is a perfect example of Ugresic’s fertile imagination. The latest entry in Canongate’s “Myths Series,” this novel is presumably a retelling of the Slavic myth of Baba Yaga — an old witch who lives in a house with chicken legs and kidnaps children. Which is why it’s surprising that the novel begins with the rather mundane situation of the writer returning home to visit her elderly mother and her mother’s hometown.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Terri wrote: "Would Eastern fairy tales work as well? I was going to read one from my TBR list - Baba Yaga Laid an Egg. Here is part of the description from the 3 percent website.

Baba Yaga Laid an Egg is a..."

sure, a fairy tale is a fairy tale - doesn't matter what part of the world it's from.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Dlmrose wrote: "Safe travels!"

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to some time off. Not to mention all that solid reading time on planes, LOL!

[Jessy]

What about Hood which is based off the true story of Robin Hood?

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Jessy wrote: "What about Hood which is based off the true story of Robin Hood?"

Robin Hood isn't a fairy tale. Are you maybe thinking of task 20.2?

[Sara ♥]

Oh, oh, oh. So it turns out if you read the task carefully, sometimes it REALLY clarifies things!

I was going to ask about reading Dragon's Breath by E.D. Baker, which is Book 2 in her Frog Princess series, and was worried since it wasn't based on the Princess and the Frog directly, but now I'm 99% sure it'll be okay.

The series is REALLY cute so far, and the books just fly by, if anyone is still trying to figure out what to read! The first two together are right around 500 pages. Your local library most likely has them!

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Sara ♥ wrote: "Oh, oh, oh. So it turns out if you read the task carefully, sometimes it REALLY clarifies things!

I was going to ask about reading Dragon's Breath by E.D. Baker, which is Book 2 in..."

Yes, indeed! From the description, this certainly appears to be a fairy tale on its own, regardless of whether it's based on a "traditional" fairy tale.

[Hannah]

Sandy, I picked up an interesting graphic novel at the library today: Castle Waiting. Would you allow me to use it for the task?

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Hannah wrote: "Sandy, I picked up an interesting graphic novel at the library today: Castle Waiting. Would you allow me to use it for the task?"

Sure.

Graphic novels aren't really my thing, but that sounds interesting!

[Zimbellina]

Just want to check these two:

Valiant - described as a modern tale of faerie (which I read as 'modern fairy tale' when I was scanning it quickly at the library!) Possibly not exactly the same thing as a modern fairy tale though.
M Is for Magic - this looks like a bunch of fairy tales from the titles but I guess I won't really know until I read them.

Thanks :)

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Kandie wrote: "Just want to check these two:

Valiant - described as a modern tale of faerie (which I read as 'modern fairy tale' when I was scanning it quickly at the library!) Possibly not exactly..."

The Gaiman book sounds reasonable, but Valiant doesn't seem to be a "fairy tale," maybe more in the urban fantasy genre.

[Zimbellina]

Sandy wrote: "Kandie wrote: "Just want to check these two:

Valiant - described as a modern tale of faerie (which I read as 'modern fairy tale' when I was scanning it quickly at the library!) Pos..."

Thanks! I'll find something to pair Gaiman with. :)

[Arow]

Hello; I wanted to ask if it would work to read a collection of short stories based upon fables and fairy tales, myths and legends with an erotic twist? I found Alison's Wonderland by Alison Tyler.
I was interested in reading it and was trying to see if it would work into a task and I thought it might fit into this task.

Thank you!

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Arow wrote: "Hello; I wanted to ask if it would work to read a collection of short stories based upon fables and fairy tales, myths and legends with an erotic twist? I found Alison's Wonderland b..."

this sounds like it works. Keep in mind the page requirement - you'll need to read something else as well, since it's under 400 pages.

[Dee]

I'm thinking the same thing...I read

Sweet Son - by Heidi Cullinan a few weeks back with is an erotic fairy tale based on Sleeping Beauty with some other elements (1001 arabian nights and just started Awakened by a Kiss which is three short erotic fairy tales

Arow wrote: "Hello; I wanted to ask if it would work to read a collection of short stories based upon fables and fairy tales, myths and legends with an erotic twist? I found Alison's Wonderland b..."

[Arow]

Thanks Sandy! I will read another fairy tale as well to make up the difference. Thanks again!

[Terri]

want to check:

Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand

The Fairies' Ring

The Field Guide

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Terri wrote: "want to check:

Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand

The Fairies' Ring

The Field Guide"

These sound from the descriptions as if they work.