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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
sarah984's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Thought this story was ridiculous. Nearly the whole thing is just painting the princesses as villains and the mothers as poor, put-upon saints. Boring take.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexism
Minor: Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Incest, Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Misogyny
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
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
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