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a_ab's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
4.5
This is the only true fairytale in the whole wretched collection. Which shouldn't have been a collection to begin with, but I digress.
This is both a great fairytale and a great exploration of internalized misogyny and generational propagation of systemic abuse.
This is both a great fairytale and a great exploration of internalized misogyny and generational propagation of systemic abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Gaslighting, and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual assault, Body horror, Pedophilia, Incest, and Emotional abuse
chronicallyplotting's review
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really enjoyed this retelling of famous fairy tale characters. This retelling showed a deeper emotional side of the Wicked characters and how they formed their lives after “losing”. How they helped each other move on with their lives from their pain.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Dysphoria, Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
bladelikesbooks's review
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This is a fairytale retelling novella that centres around 3 “villains” from 3 popular princess stories - Rapunzel, Snow White and Cinderella. The story swaps the roles of who the real ‘villain’ was in these stories. It takes place about 15 years after the princesses went through their traumas and follow the ‘mothers’ of the princesses known in their kingdom as the Wickeds.
The Wickeds are outcasts of society and as the story goes on, they reveal the truth of what truly happened to the princesses. Huge trigger warning for rape was needed for this part of the story. The Wickeds decide to seek revenge on the princesses after trying to prove the public wrong about their wickedness for 15 years. The ending was super confusing and quite abrupt. The Wickeds don’t get revenge and I think the author tries to say that the whole thing is just generational trauma or something like that but it really did not make sense.
There was also a really icky incestuous, pedophillic part where Cinderella’s stepmother says that Cinderella’s father said she was ‘hot’ and if they weren’t related he would date her…. Which is just…. So foul. The whole story also reads very anti-men which I definitely do approve of. There’s probably a bigger underlying message in here somewhere but I just really didn’t get that. Overall, the story is actually quite sad and the rape scene was incredibly triggering.
TWs/CWs - Alcoholism; Body Horror; Cussing; Death (past); Fatphobia; Gambling; Gaslighting; Gore; Incest; Misogyny; Pedophilia; Rape; Sexual Assault
The Wickeds are outcasts of society and as the story goes on, they reveal the truth of what truly happened to the princesses. Huge trigger warning for rape was needed for this part of the story. The Wickeds decide to seek revenge on the princesses after trying to prove the public wrong about their wickedness for 15 years. The ending was super confusing and quite abrupt. The Wickeds don’t get revenge and I think the author tries to say that the whole thing is just generational trauma or something like that but it really did not make sense.
There was also a really icky incestuous, pedophillic part where Cinderella’s stepmother says that Cinderella’s father said she was ‘hot’ and if they weren’t related he would date her…. Which is just…. So foul. The whole story also reads very anti-men which I definitely do approve of. There’s probably a bigger underlying message in here somewhere but I just really didn’t get that. Overall, the story is actually quite sad and the rape scene was incredibly triggering.
TWs/CWs - Alcoholism; Body Horror; Cussing; Death (past); Fatphobia; Gambling; Gaslighting; Gore; Incest; Misogyny; Pedophilia; Rape; Sexual Assault
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Gaslighting, and Gore
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Incest, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Death, and Pedophilia
ariadnelake's review
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tw: r*pe - not explicit
I love Gayle’s writing so expected to enjoy this. It’s a nice commentary and how you don’t decide how you are perceived, how lack of information can paint you a villain and how important it is to know your own worth.
I love Gayle’s writing so expected to enjoy this. It’s a nice commentary and how you don’t decide how you are perceived, how lack of information can paint you a villain and how important it is to know your own worth.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Rape
madarauchiha's review
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
0.25
❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️
What the christ do you mean this is YA genre oriented? This is not. This is like. A bunch of white cishet wine mom stereotypes getting drunk at brunch on vodka with a splash of orange juice, bitching about their bratty children and useless spouses. And then, while still drunk, driving under the influence to their adult offsprings' house to drunken scream at them.
The 'Girl Power!' twist of 'actually the #yesallmen are evil and bad' is incredibly boring and shitty, and generically white feminist. It absolutely throws transmen under the bus too. I'm surprised there's no mention of a p*ssy hat in here.
Nothing about this was good. Nothing about this was remotely original or interesting.
content warnings:
minor incest,
major rape, rape attempt, sexual violence,
What the christ do you mean this is YA genre oriented? This is not. This is like. A bunch of white cishet wine mom stereotypes getting drunk at brunch on vodka with a splash of orange juice, bitching about their bratty children and useless spouses. And then, while still drunk, driving under the influence to their adult offsprings' house to drunken scream at them.
The 'Girl Power!' twist of 'actually the #yesallmen are evil and bad' is incredibly boring and shitty, and generically white feminist. It absolutely throws transmen under the bus too. I'm surprised there's no mention of a p*ssy hat in here.
Nothing about this was good. Nothing about this was remotely original or interesting.
content warnings:
minor incest,
major rape, rape attempt, sexual violence,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, and Incest
morgcxn's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Incest, and Gaslighting
elenamarmiroli's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
3,25
Questo racconto è fiabesco, e non solo: riesce a riprendere tre delle favole più celebri, aggiungendo ad esse una chiave di lettura diversa. Ed è per questo che questa storia mi è piaciuta. Perché è riuscita a rielaborare qualcosa di esistente, continuando la narrazione, e non solo.
Nel fare ciò, la scrittrice è anche riuscita a parlare della genitorialità in maniera interessante e utile per i lettori più giovani. Questo volumetto parla anche di altri temi, ma a mio parere, non altrettanto bene.
A seguito di queste considerazioni, devo però aggiungere una cosa: il finale non mi ha convinto a pieno, siccome è risultato più aperto di quanto avrei voluto e non mi è piaciuto il cambio di pov che è avvenuto nell'ultimo capitolo.
Questo racconto è fiabesco, e non solo: riesce a riprendere tre delle favole più celebri, aggiungendo ad esse una chiave di lettura diversa. Ed è per questo che questa storia mi è piaciuta. Perché è riuscita a rielaborare qualcosa di esistente, continuando la narrazione, e non solo.
Nel fare ciò, la scrittrice è anche riuscita a parlare della genitorialità in maniera interessante e utile per i lettori più giovani. Questo volumetto parla anche di altri temi, ma a mio parere, non altrettanto bene.
A seguito di queste considerazioni, devo però aggiungere una cosa: il finale non mi ha convinto a pieno, siccome è risultato più aperto di quanto avrei voluto e non mi è piaciuto il cambio di pov che è avvenuto nell'ultimo capitolo.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Body shaming
Minor: Emotional abuse
mandigolightly's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
2.0
It wasn’t *bad* but it just was kind of. Blah. Everyone was whiny and put-upon, all three generations, and it was just...really oversimplified. Also, I found the sexual violence against two of the characters to be completely unnecessary.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
porshea's review
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Rape
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