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ladykatka's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Listened to it as an audiobook and it was a good way to consume the media. It was quite enjoyable.
marikalla's review against another edition
3.0
3/5 stars.
I have to admit that I was expecting a bit more from this book.
Don't get me wrong, it was still a good book. It was just missing something.
There were some stories that I really enjoyed, such as: A Delicate Architecture, Molly, ’Skin, Troll, and Wizard's Apprentice.
I would recommend the book just for some of these stories. (I enjoyed some of the others, but these were the ones that really stuck out to me.)
I didn't really enjoy any of the poems which was a disappointment since I was expecting more from Neil Gaiman.
Overall, this book is like almost all books that contain short stories by various authors. You have your solid, great stories, and then you have the uninteresting and sometimes disappointing stories. I would recommend the book, but I would also say that I wouldn't blame you if you skipped over certain stories and only read some.
I have to admit that I was expecting a bit more from this book.
Don't get me wrong, it was still a good book. It was just missing something.
There were some stories that I really enjoyed, such as: A Delicate Architecture, Molly, ’Skin, Troll, and Wizard's Apprentice.
I would recommend the book just for some of these stories. (I enjoyed some of the others, but these were the ones that really stuck out to me.)
I didn't really enjoy any of the poems which was a disappointment since I was expecting more from Neil Gaiman.
Overall, this book is like almost all books that contain short stories by various authors. You have your solid, great stories, and then you have the uninteresting and sometimes disappointing stories. I would recommend the book, but I would also say that I wouldn't blame you if you skipped over certain stories and only read some.
just_fighting_censorship's review against another edition
3.0
I love short story anthologies like this one, where after each story the author talks about their inspiration for the tale; also the theme is fantastic. I have been obsessed with fairy tale re-tellings from the villain's point of view since I read [b:The True Story of the Three Little Pigs|125507|The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs|Jon Scieszka|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327884731s/125507.jpg|120878] in fourth grade.
This anthology was a bit mixed, with a few outstanding stories but also a few that left me bored to tears or scratching my head in confusion. I originally was excited to read [a:Kelly Link|24902|Kelly Link|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1422586197p2/24902.jpg]'s story since I really enjoyed [b:Pretty Monsters|7089949|Pretty Monsters|Kelly Link|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355843335s/7089949.jpg|2968997] and [b:Stranger Things Happen|10322747|Stranger Things Happen (Large Print 16pt)|Kelly Link|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1296074312s/10322747.jpg|64640] and her story did not disappoint, but the real standout for me was written by [a:Catherynne M. Valente|338705|Catherynne M. Valente|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1220999852p2/338705.jpg] it was fantastically dark and violent and brilliant!
Other winners included "Molly" by [a:Midori Snyder|53256|Midori Snyder|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1278864531p2/53256.jpg] and "Uninvited Guest" by [a:Garth Nix|8347|Garth Nix|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1207583754p2/8347.jpg]
Unfortunately the rest were nothing to write home about.
Overall, a fun fast anthology skip the duds and stick to the MUST READS!
This book includes:
Wizard's Apprentice by Delia Sherman
An Unwelcome Guest by Garth Nix
Faery Tales by Wendy Froud
Rags and Riches by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Up the Down Beanstalk: A W Remembers by Peter S. Beagle
The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces by Ellen Kushner
Puss in Boots, the Sequel by Joseph Stanton
The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Holly Black
Troll by Jane Yolen
Castle Othello by Nancy Farmer
`Skin by Michael Cadnum
A Delicate Architecture by Catherynne M. Valente
Molly by Midori Snyder
Observing the Formalities by Neil Gaiman
The Cinderella Game by Kelly Link
This anthology was a bit mixed, with a few outstanding stories but also a few that left me bored to tears or scratching my head in confusion. I originally was excited to read [a:Kelly Link|24902|Kelly Link|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1422586197p2/24902.jpg]'s story since I really enjoyed [b:Pretty Monsters|7089949|Pretty Monsters|Kelly Link|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355843335s/7089949.jpg|2968997] and [b:Stranger Things Happen|10322747|Stranger Things Happen (Large Print 16pt)|Kelly Link|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1296074312s/10322747.jpg|64640] and her story did not disappoint, but the real standout for me was written by [a:Catherynne M. Valente|338705|Catherynne M. Valente|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1220999852p2/338705.jpg] it was fantastically dark and violent and brilliant!
Other winners included "Molly" by [a:Midori Snyder|53256|Midori Snyder|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1278864531p2/53256.jpg] and "Uninvited Guest" by [a:Garth Nix|8347|Garth Nix|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1207583754p2/8347.jpg]
Unfortunately the rest were nothing to write home about.
Overall, a fun fast anthology skip the duds and stick to the MUST READS!
This book includes:
Wizard's Apprentice by Delia Sherman
An Unwelcome Guest by Garth Nix
Faery Tales by Wendy Froud
Rags and Riches by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Up the Down Beanstalk: A W Remembers by Peter S. Beagle
The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces by Ellen Kushner
Puss in Boots, the Sequel by Joseph Stanton
The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Holly Black
Troll by Jane Yolen
Castle Othello by Nancy Farmer
`Skin by Michael Cadnum
A Delicate Architecture by Catherynne M. Valente
Molly by Midori Snyder
Observing the Formalities by Neil Gaiman
The Cinderella Game by Kelly Link
helter_skelter's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
juliemawesome's review against another edition
4.0
No duds in this anthology! Short stories and a few poems based on fairy tales, in which we get to see the villains (and the heroes) of those tales in a different light.
Some awesome writers in here! Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman both make an appearance. As well as Holly Black and Kelly Link. Neil Gaiman and Jane Yolen. And well, other names I recognize and you'd recognize too!
So if you're a fan of fairy tale retellings, a fan of any of the authors included, know a tween who's an avid reader, or.. or.. just like Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling anthologies, it's well worth a read!
Some awesome writers in here! Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman both make an appearance. As well as Holly Black and Kelly Link. Neil Gaiman and Jane Yolen. And well, other names I recognize and you'd recognize too!
So if you're a fan of fairy tale retellings, a fan of any of the authors included, know a tween who's an avid reader, or.. or.. just like Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling anthologies, it's well worth a read!
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I've been slightly p.oed even since Datlow and Windling stopped editiing thier adult collections and focused on YA collections. Now, I understand YA is hot (though most of it seems slightly silly), but still. Anyway, with this collection I think I understand why they did it or perhaps I figured out a plus side to this.
This collection has stories told from the villian's point of view. Most of the stories are very good; in particular Peter S. Beagle's story stands out as does the ending of Ellen Kushner's.
The stories, here, however, in particular, those stories at the end, are far darker then the stories in the earlier YA collections. They are closer to adult. They are closer, in many ways, to some of the original tales before Cinderella got singing rodents.
I like this. I really do. Like Pratchett, Datlow and Windling seem to want to get children to think and this collection crosses the bounds between adult and YA quite well. Because of the theme, the stories also get readers to question the whys of things, like - why does the black guy always die first in Hollywood? Why is blonde better? Why princes? Why so much female nudity?
Okay, not that last one, but you get the point. Enjoyable read.
This collection has stories told from the villian's point of view. Most of the stories are very good; in particular Peter S. Beagle's story stands out as does the ending of Ellen Kushner's.
The stories, here, however, in particular, those stories at the end, are far darker then the stories in the earlier YA collections. They are closer to adult. They are closer, in many ways, to some of the original tales before Cinderella got singing rodents.
I like this. I really do. Like Pratchett, Datlow and Windling seem to want to get children to think and this collection crosses the bounds between adult and YA quite well. Because of the theme, the stories also get readers to question the whys of things, like - why does the black guy always die first in Hollywood? Why is blonde better? Why princes? Why so much female nudity?
Okay, not that last one, but you get the point. Enjoyable read.
colej67's review against another edition
3.0
Overall these stories had interesting ideas but so-so execution. For every few stories that I truly loved, there were many more that were just kind of "meh" but I'd still recommend it for the stories that shine in this collection
bekkaboo's review against another edition
3.0
agree with Holly that this is more than a 3 but not quite a 4.