You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Well this was a nice little trip. Though most of the stories therein were rather depressing and dark, I still really enjoyed most of them for the larger part. I saw the cruelty and grit of them and it was just what they were. I don't judge, I just read and think and learn from it. And this was definitely one of those that I enjoyed the reading of, even if the stories were not exceptional. They were still unique in that they did not shy away from a present-day and fantasy-then mixture, which created this creature of wanting and sadness. A good experience overall, if you enjoy the darker side of things. Definitely check it out if you do.
3.5 stars, so that makes 4/5.
A collection of twists on classic fairytales. Fairytale rewrites in which most of our heroes and heroines turn out to be lazy, crazy, stupid, naïve and or awful good-for-nothings.
Tales in this novel: “Dis. Enchant.” (sets the tone, “don’t expect a lot of happily ever afters in this book”), “A Wild Swan”, “Crazy Old Lady”, “Jacked”, “Poisoned”, “A Monkey’s Paw”, “Little Man”, “Steadfast; Tin”, “Beasts”, “Her Hair” and “Ever/After” (the arguably only tale with a happy ending in this collection, in which an ordinary-looking princess falls in love with a secretably insecure prince and they rule justly and live happily ever after (and so does their kin).
My favourite definitely was “Beasts”, which offered a fun twist on the classic “Beauty and the Beast”.
A close second: “Little Man”.
The settings (to me) come across as a hybrid between our current Western world (with mentions of piercings, tattoos, cars, titanium prosthetics, etc.) and the traditional timeless fairytale world (with cottages in the woods, castles, royalty, magic, etc.). I liked the mix. It kept me on my toes, because I never knew quite what plot twist to expect.
I found the black-and-white illustrations beautiful, intricate and very elegant. However, that latter quality at times also made the illustrations and the text – which was quite coarse and crass – feel like they were at odds with each other.
In addition, I would like to add that the tales at some points felt a little bit too coarse for me. I can see what the author's intentions were, but at times I felt like he was just adding "ugliness" and crudity for the sake of provocation.
Will probably re-read at some point in time, especially considering that it took me virtually no time to read!
A collection of twists on classic fairytales. Fairytale rewrites in which most of our heroes and heroines turn out to be lazy, crazy, stupid, naïve and or awful good-for-nothings.
Tales in this novel: “Dis. Enchant.” (sets the tone, “don’t expect a lot of happily ever afters in this book”), “A Wild Swan”, “Crazy Old Lady”, “Jacked”, “Poisoned”, “A Monkey’s Paw”, “Little Man”, “Steadfast; Tin”, “Beasts”, “Her Hair” and “Ever/After” (the arguably only tale with a happy ending in this collection, in which an ordinary-looking princess falls in love with a secretably insecure prince and they rule justly and live happily ever after (and so does their kin).
My favourite definitely was “Beasts”, which offered a fun twist on the classic “Beauty and the Beast”.
Spoiler
A tale in which the beast turns out to be monstrous after reclaiming his human form. I loved the implication that maybe the Beast was transformed for a reason – i.e. so as to repel any person from falling in love with them.A close second: “Little Man”
Spoiler
in which Rumpelstiltskin’s incentive to want the miller’s first child wasn’t spite or malevolence, but the fact that he desperately wanted to be a (good) father, but wasn’t considered a good (adoptive) parent due to his goblin nature. Touching and cute, in a wayThe settings (to me) come across as a hybrid between our current Western world (with mentions of piercings, tattoos, cars, titanium prosthetics, etc.) and the traditional timeless fairytale world (with cottages in the woods, castles, royalty, magic, etc.). I liked the mix. It kept me on my toes, because I never knew quite what plot twist to expect.
I found the black-and-white illustrations beautiful, intricate and very elegant. However, that latter quality at times also made the illustrations and the text – which was quite coarse and crass – feel like they were at odds with each other.
In addition, I would like to add that the tales at some points felt a little bit too coarse for me. I can see what the author's intentions were, but at times I felt like he was just adding "ugliness" and crudity for the sake of provocation.
Will probably re-read at some point in time, especially considering that it took me virtually no time to read!
This was a quick, weird little fairy tale book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Niektóre baśnie były ciekawymi miniaturami (ostatnia klamra na przykład), trochę takimi wprawkami z ciekawym czy zabawnym czy zgrabnym pomysłem, ale inne były zaskakująco dla mnie niesympatyczne w tonie. Zupełnie nie tak Cunninghama pamiętam z poprzednich lektur.
3.5 stars. As much as I love a retold fairy tale, these weren’t so much retold as they were “re-examined.” The characters motives and desires and hidden thoughts were explored in fun and interesting ways, but some stories are lackluster. Still, I love the following passage:
“Most of us are safe. If you’re not a delirious dream the gods are having, if your beauty doesn’t trouble the constellations, nobody’s going to cast a spell on you. No one wants to transform you into a beast, or put you to sleep for a hundred years. The wraith disguised as a pixie isn’t thinking of offering you three wishes, with doom hidden in them like a razor in a cake.
The middling maidens—the ones best seen by candlelight, corseted and rouged—have nothing to worry about. The pudgy, pockmarked heirs apparent, who torment their underlings and need to win at every game, are immune to curse and hex. B-list virgins do not excite the forces of ruination; callow swains don’t infuriate demons and sprites.
Most of us can be counted on to manage our own undoings. Vengeful entities seek only to devastate the rarest, the ones who have somehow been granted not only bower and trumpet but comeliness that startles the birds in the trees, coupled with grace, generosity, and charm so effortless as to seem like ordinary human qualities.
Who wouldn’t want to fuck these people up? Which of us does not understand, in our own less presentable depths, the demons and wizards compelled to persecute human mutations clearly meant, by deities thinking only of their own entertainment, to make almost everyone feel even lonelier and homelier, more awkward, more doubtful and blamed, than we actually are?”
“Most of us are safe. If you’re not a delirious dream the gods are having, if your beauty doesn’t trouble the constellations, nobody’s going to cast a spell on you. No one wants to transform you into a beast, or put you to sleep for a hundred years. The wraith disguised as a pixie isn’t thinking of offering you three wishes, with doom hidden in them like a razor in a cake.
The middling maidens—the ones best seen by candlelight, corseted and rouged—have nothing to worry about. The pudgy, pockmarked heirs apparent, who torment their underlings and need to win at every game, are immune to curse and hex. B-list virgins do not excite the forces of ruination; callow swains don’t infuriate demons and sprites.
Most of us can be counted on to manage our own undoings. Vengeful entities seek only to devastate the rarest, the ones who have somehow been granted not only bower and trumpet but comeliness that startles the birds in the trees, coupled with grace, generosity, and charm so effortless as to seem like ordinary human qualities.
Who wouldn’t want to fuck these people up? Which of us does not understand, in our own less presentable depths, the demons and wizards compelled to persecute human mutations clearly meant, by deities thinking only of their own entertainment, to make almost everyone feel even lonelier and homelier, more awkward, more doubtful and blamed, than we actually are?”
The most human retelling of fairytales I've ever read.
Hats off to the author.
Hats off to the author.
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes