I am going to confess right now that I love fairy tales. I love the fantasy, the "good" that almost always prevails and the fact that we have been collectively retelling these tales for time beyond imagination. For example consider this story. A girl goes to a gathering where the ruler of the land sees her and falls in love with her. He neglects to get her name (
dude, seriously?), but by luck finds one of her shoes. This shoe leads him straight to the girl - and they live happily ever after. Do you know the name of this story? We know it as Cinderella - and the first version of the story was recorded by a Roman historian
in the first century B.C.! How cool is it that we've been retelling it ever since? Here are some of my favorite re-told fairy tales.
Beauty and the Beast
The basic story is this. A young woman named Beauty lives with her merchant father and family (any combination of sisters, brothers, a mother or no mother). Beauty's merchant father loses his fortune and his business and must move his entire family to a much smaller house far away from 'civilized' lands. After a period of time, Beauty's father hears that there may be a possible reversal of fortune for their family. Believing his family will soon be rich again, he asks what he can buy everyone. Most of the family members ask for material things, but Beauty asks for a rose. When Beauty's father returns to town he finds that all is indeed lost and there will be no reversal of fortune. Heartsick, he heads back to his family, only to become lost. He stumbles upon a house/mansion/castle with magical qualities and passes a night in safety. Upon waking, he sees a rose which he wishes to take home to Beauty. However, when he tries to take it a Beast leaps out and demands either his life or the life of one of his daughters. When the merchant returns to his family, Beauty willingly gives herself up in exchange for her father. Beauty lives with the Beast in his magical palace and comes to care for him (sometimes a nightly proposal of marriage is included, sometimes not). After a period of time, Beauty becomes so homesick (or discovers her father is ill, her family in trouble), she begs to go home. The Beast lets her go but warns her that he will die without her. Beauty does return home and her family convinces (maliciously or out of love) her to stay longer than she told the Beast she would. Beauty returns to the Beast only to find him dying. When Beauty declares her love, the Beast miraculously changes into a handsome prince and they live happily ever after. After all this, we learn that the handsome Prince was changed into a Beast due to a family curse, excessive pride or a nasty personality.
Sometimes the Soul: Two Novellas of Sicily by Gioia Timpanelli. I discovered this little known book when I was looking for 'Beauty and the Beast' stories. Timpanelli re-tells two well known stories, both set in her native Sicily. The first is a riff on the story of Scheherazade and the second is a 'Beauty and the Beast' adaptation. The lyrical nature of Timpanelli's writing is beautiful - and the story is too. I don't want to spoil too much, but suffice it to say, there is no magic or physical transformations at the end of the story. Instead it is Beauty's perspective that undergoes a great change.
Heart's Blood by Juliet Marilliner Juliet Marilliner has also written a wonderful series based on another favorite fairy tale 'The Seven Swans'. The author focuses on Irish/Celtic mythology. In this story, Caitrin is on the run from abusive family members - carrying only her scribing materials and hope that she can get far away enough. She stumbles into the cursed lands of crippled Lord Anluan where, against all odds, she finds a place in his home and in his heart.
Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey This book is one of the very first in Lackey's "Elemental Masters" series. This is a series that retells well known fairy tales, except in a historical place and time where there are magicians that can control the four elements (earth, air, fire and water). In the "Fire Rose" a powerful magician of fire and railroad magnate (Jason Cameron) hires female scholar Rosalind "Rose" Hawkins to help him find a cure for a spell gone horribly wrong. It's interesting to read this first entry in the series and then see how the author changes the mythology of this world as the series progresses.
Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley Robin McKinley is much better known for her first retelling of 'Beauty and the Beast', which was her young adult book "Beauty". "Rose Daughter" was her second retelling of the tale. I love both, simply because they are two such different and unique stories that have the same general fairy tale base. Unlike many other 'Beauty and the Beast' tales, Beauty's two sisters are not unkind. Rather, all three girls pitch in when their fortunes change and find tasks suited to their skills and personalities.
Beastly by Alex Flinn This is one of those books that I firmly recommend to be read in spite of (or as a cure for) the movie. Although I can't claim the book has literary clout, it is still an interesting take on the fairy tale. This book is told entirely from the Beast's perspective, as well as featuring several transcripts of online chats between him and a bunch of other recognizable fairy tale characters. The 'beast' in this story is Kyle Kingsbury, the spoiled and cruel son of a news anchor father. He reigns supreme at an expensive private school, bullying the less popular and loafing his way through classes. When he insults a goth-dressing, 'witchy' classmate, she turns him into a beast (complete with hair and fangs). Kyle then has the requisite year to get a girl to love him, or remain a beast forever.
The Snow Queen
Before our story begins, we are told that an evil sprite (or sometimes the devil himself) made a mirror that reflected all that was good and beautiful as being inferior and bad. This sprite shatters the mirror and the millions of pieces flew around the world, causing mischief wherever they landed. Two young people, Gerda and Kay live in a small village and are the best of friends. As they are playing one day, Kay gets a piece of the magic mirror stuck in his eye and his heart. He becomes cruel and no longer plays with Gerda. As Kay is sledding one day, a beautiful woman dressed all in white takes him away. It is the Snow Queen and she is impressed with his cold heart. Gerda discovers Kay's disappearance and decides to go and look for him. On her way, she meets a woman with a cottage and flower garden, a prince and princess from a faraway land and a robber girl. All of these characters try and keep her with them and then eventually aid her on her quest. Gerda finally comes to the palace of the Snow Queen where she finds Kay, playing with a frozen puzzle. She hugs him and weeps over him - and her tears wash the pieces of mirror from his eye and his heart. The two children return home to find they are all grown-up.
This was one of those discoveries I did not make until I was well into library school. Vinge is best known for her science fiction - this particular work is a fascinating mix of science fiction and fantasy. The current Snow Queen has been ruling the planet of Tiamat for 150 years. Soon the time will come when she must hand over her power in a traditional change to the Summer Queen. However, the Snow Queen does not wish to relinquish her throne is attempting to perpetuate her rule forever. Into this comes the protagonist Moon, one of the summer-tribe, who must wrest control of her unique world and her beloved (Sparks Dawntreader) from the corrupt grasp of the Snow Queen.
The Snow Queen by Mercedes Lackey Lackey is a prolific writer and many of the books she has written are riffs off of or involve well known fairy tales and folklore. Other than her "Elemental Masters" series, she has also written the "Tales of the 500 Kingdoms" series. The '500 Kingdoms' universe is run by something called The Tradition, which ensures that many of the people who inhabit this world will be pushed into acting out well known fairy tales (to understand this better, reading the first book in this series "The Fairy Godmother" is recommended but not essential). These people are guided by magicians, witches and fairy godmothers who help them to their 'happy endings' and completed quests. Aleksia is a godmother who plays the part of the cruel Snow Queen to help spoiled young men reform and ensure her kingdom runs smoothly. However, when a true Snow Queen begins to destroy villages and kill young men, Aleksia must embark on a quest of her own to clear her name and find her own destiny
Winter's Child by Cameron Dokey Dokey writes several stories for the "Once Upon a Time" series which includes (you guessed it) books that retell fairy tales. In this retelling of the Snow Queen, Grace and Kai have more of a friendship than a romantic relationship. After Kai disappears with the exotic (and much more sympathetic) Snow Queen, Grace embarks on a journey to find him and discover her own strengths.
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu This gorgeous tale features neighbors Hazel and Jack, who have been the best of friends ever since they were six. Hazel wishes that her special friendship with Jack won't ever change, but life interferes. Hazel's father leaves and Jack's mother gets sick - so sick that her eyes are almost completely blank. Then comes the snowy day when Jack gets something stuck in his eye and he seems to forget about Hazel completely. Hazel refuses to give up on Jack and when she hears that he has disappeared into the woods with a powerful snow witch, she goes in search of him. As Hazel braves the dangers of the woods, she learns a great deal about herself and about the changing nature of friendships. Although this children's book has fantasy elements, the author writes great truths about friends and growing up.
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