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pagesandpaws's review
3.0
I liked this collection of short stories, but as you know short stories aren't really my thing. Like always they were hit and miss in this book but I did really enjoy the authors poetic wroting style which was extremely beautiful. The cover and the artwork inside were breathtaking and totally made it worthwhile just for that alone. I liked that these fairytales were more female focused and empowering but some did fall flat for me unfortunately.
auntie_terror's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars - somewhat disappointing as I was expecting a less miserable and pity-laden collection of stories, and stronger heroines who dwell less upon their short-comings in the eyes of others. Some were that, but only a minority. [prtf]
bookish_bunny98's review
5.0
This book is a lot of short stories all within one book, they are all fairytale retelling but on the dark side.
The story lengths are really nice they are just like long chapters to be honest. They flow together quite nicely and you don’t feel that they merge into one. The characters within each of the stories each have their part to the story and it’s nice to have a darker twist on not so famous fairytales.
The writing style of the book is just perfect it just flows so easily. The first few stories I thought were extremely fast past because they seemed to read like a poem. This was quite unusual and I wasn’t expecting it but I loved it at the same time.
On the other stories they were wrote like proper stories, but they were still fast paced. There wasn’t one story within this book that I disliked. There is also a meaning to each of the fairy tales to real life too which is what I like about fairy tales.
I’d definitely recommend reading this book if you like twisted fairytales, fast paced and just enticing characters.
The story lengths are really nice they are just like long chapters to be honest. They flow together quite nicely and you don’t feel that they merge into one. The characters within each of the stories each have their part to the story and it’s nice to have a darker twist on not so famous fairytales.
The writing style of the book is just perfect it just flows so easily. The first few stories I thought were extremely fast past because they seemed to read like a poem. This was quite unusual and I wasn’t expecting it but I loved it at the same time.
On the other stories they were wrote like proper stories, but they were still fast paced. There wasn’t one story within this book that I disliked. There is also a meaning to each of the fairy tales to real life too which is what I like about fairy tales.
I’d definitely recommend reading this book if you like twisted fairytales, fast paced and just enticing characters.
harleylecter's review
5.0
Feminist feminine retelling of folkloric tales, in the style of Angela Carter but so much better. The prose is haunting and twisted, as you read you feel the tangleweed wrapping around your limbs and the brine soaking your skin. The illustrations are incredibly beautiful, a match made perfectly to the writing.
holly_reads's review
1.0
I had never really planned on writing a review before but this book was very frustrating and upsetting that I felt it was important to speak out on the issues it contains so that I may hopefully prevent future readers from disappointment and discomfort with the harmful content in this book.
I went into this book excited for some feminist retellings of my favourite fairtytales. I had also heard there was a queer character which is always something I want in a book. But unfortunately, this book was quite a let down.
The stories tend to have some repetitive themes and often seemed very similar to one another. From harmful tropes to heteronormativity, there is a whole heap of issues in this book:
- I heard there was a lead queer character in one of the stories and was pretty excited about it, but unfortunately, I could not have been more disappointed after reading. Because of course, it just had to include the Bury Your Gays trope. Seriously, not a single main character dies in any of the stories except for the queer character.
- It was very heteronormative, heavily centered on cis straight woman and frequently related womanhood to pregnancy.
- A girl having pale skin and golden hair is described as being the perfect thing
- One of the few plus-sized characters was described as a freak and as having an inhuman appearance.
While the book does focus on the societal pressures of forcing women into marriage which is, of course, important, as many women are affected by it. It would have been nice to see women in some non-conforming storylines also.
I was extremely disappointed with this book and would definitely not recommend it to anyone.
I went into this book excited for some feminist retellings of my favourite fairtytales. I had also heard there was a queer character which is always something I want in a book. But unfortunately, this book was quite a let down.
The stories tend to have some repetitive themes and often seemed very similar to one another. From harmful tropes to heteronormativity, there is a whole heap of issues in this book:
- I heard there was a lead queer character in one of the stories and was pretty excited about it, but unfortunately, I could not have been more disappointed after reading. Because of course, it just had to include the Bury Your Gays trope. Seriously, not a single main character dies in any of the stories except for the queer character.
- It was very heteronormative, heavily centered on cis straight woman and frequently related womanhood to pregnancy.
- A girl having pale skin and golden hair is described as being the perfect thing
- One of the few plus-sized characters was described as a freak and as having an inhuman appearance.
While the book does focus on the societal pressures of forcing women into marriage which is, of course, important, as many women are affected by it. It would have been nice to see women in some non-conforming storylines also.
I was extremely disappointed with this book and would definitely not recommend it to anyone.
epcotballsgf's review
1.0
I made it 56% of the way through this book and I have to stop. I really do not like it. The way it's written is so irritating. It's so choppy and repetitive, it made no sense. Also, this book is hailed as feminist fairytales and I don't agree at all. In most of the stories that I read, there is a woman that the main character of the story, the one we're supposed to root for, hates and usually tries to ruin. I found there was a very repetitive tone through the stories I read and it was very bitter. I just did not like this book and could not make myself finish it.
kiralovesreading's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
bybookandbone's review
3.0
What can I say about this collection of reimagined fairy tales? About half of the short stories were very good, the other half were not good at all.
I disliked how the names for each story were beside the original names for the fairy tales. It meant I either knew what to expect or judged the writing based on the original. Several of the stories did not stand alone, you had to have read the originals to really get the significance. The imagery was well written but was often used to make things such as pregnancy seem grotesque. Several of the stories had elements of misandry, instead of making a genuinely comment on misogyny. The Little Mermaid reimagining seemed to be saying that the prince was a bad guy for not taking advantage of a girl who was mute.. then seemed to miss the point of the original entirely.
Having said all that, I did enjoy the Rumpelstilkstein story (commented on misogyny and a woman being force down into a position well), the Red Riding Hood story and the Frog Prince (an example of where the creepy imagery really works).
The Beauty and The Board has nothing’s to do with Beauty And the Beast. I don’t know why they were associated.
I disliked how the names for each story were beside the original names for the fairy tales. It meant I either knew what to expect or judged the writing based on the original. Several of the stories did not stand alone, you had to have read the originals to really get the significance. The imagery was well written but was often used to make things such as pregnancy seem grotesque. Several of the stories had elements of misandry, instead of making a genuinely comment on misogyny. The Little Mermaid reimagining seemed to be saying that the prince was a bad guy for not taking advantage of a girl who was mute.. then seemed to miss the point of the original entirely.
Having said all that, I did enjoy the Rumpelstilkstein story (commented on misogyny and a woman being force down into a position well), the Red Riding Hood story and the Frog Prince (an example of where the creepy imagery really works).
The Beauty and The Board has nothing’s to do with Beauty And the Beast. I don’t know why they were associated.
words_for_nerds's review
2.0
I love re-imagined (dark) fairy tales, get excited about stories with strong female leads and am a sucker for bad-ass witches. This book had all the right ingredients but... it just didn't deliver.
The book was filled with a sense of bitterness. The women only evaluated themselves and their value by their looks (and associated power) and their ability to reproduce. The men were almost all rapey, exploitative and incompetent. The only ways out (if any): murder, escape or witchcraft. I wouldn't have minded if one or two stories were like that, because they do address real issues- BUT these characters ALL had similar cookie cutter patriarchal nightmare fuel worldviews, relations and issues. Combined with the book's culmination into an explicit rape scene, it left me disappointed and wondering what message the author ultimately wanted us to take away from these tales.
Yes we women ARE more than our looks and reproductive powers- so why fixate on these aspects of womanhood in such a bitter way? Celebrate our strength and diversity! For a supposedly feminist short story collection, this book is wanting.
The book was filled with a sense of bitterness. The women only evaluated themselves and their value by their looks (and associated power) and their ability to reproduce. The men were almost all rapey, exploitative and incompetent. The only ways out (if any): murder, escape or witchcraft. I wouldn't have minded if one or two stories were like that, because they do address real issues- BUT these characters ALL had similar cookie cutter patriarchal nightmare fuel worldviews, relations and issues. Combined with the book's culmination into an explicit rape scene, it left me disappointed and wondering what message the author ultimately wanted us to take away from these tales.
Yes we women ARE more than our looks and reproductive powers- so why fixate on these aspects of womanhood in such a bitter way? Celebrate our strength and diversity! For a supposedly feminist short story collection, this book is wanting.