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A review by aphelia88
Snow White, Blood Red by Ellen Datlow, Terri Windling
5.0
I love modern fairy tales, full of sweetness and light. They are my favourite, and I love their magic and the sense of wonder. Do not expect wonder, romance or loveliness here. I cannot warn you enough - if you have delicate sensibilities, this is NOT the book for you.
However, if you're interested in the history of fairy tales then this is a must read. This was also one of, if not THE, book that launched the adult Fairy Tale Retelling genre, which continues today, although it has largely moved to the YA field. Quite a few reviewers were very disturbed by the sex, violence and gore - and rightly so - but the point both Ellen and Datlow make is that these were the essence of the ORIGINAL "fairy tales", not the sanitized, nursery-appropriate tales we know today.
This book starts off a wonderful series of fairy tale retellings intended for an adult audience, and they have all been on my Wishlist for many years. Thankfully, a good friend tracked down this copy for me, as I believe the series is now out of print (OOP).
The Fairy Tale Anthologies Series:
1. [bc:Snow White, Blood Red|141024|Snow White, Blood Red|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387746798s/141024.jpg|135922] 2. [bc:Black Thorn, White Rose|1355173|Black Thorn, White Rose|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1230751230s/1355173.jpg|848964] 3. [bc:Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears|371638|Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459670029s/371638.jpg|451479] 4. [bc:Black Swan, White Raven|739891|Black Swan, White Raven|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387736711s/739891.jpg|726061] 5. [bc:Silver Birch, Blood Moon|81039|Silver Birch, Blood Moon|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1390739649s/81039.jpg|78242] 6. [bc:Black Heart, Ivory Bones|81038|Black Heart, Ivory Bones|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388675482s/81038.jpg|78241]
1. Snow White, Blood Red (1993)
2. Black Thorn, White Rose (1994)
3. Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears (1995)
4. Black Swan, White Raven (1997)
5. Silver Birch, Blood Moon (1999)
6. Black Heart, Ivory Bones (2000)
Quick Review: If you love fairy tale retellings, and are interested in the darker original versions, this is a must read book!
Not all of the stories are successful, and a few are grotesque, but by and large this is an excellent collection. And the short introduction to every story contains the name of the tale that inspired it, which is incredibly helpful. Both authors write their own Introductions too.
Terri Windling's intro, "White As Snow: Fairy Tales and Fantasy" is a concise, illuminating history of fairy tales and the fairy tale tradition in modern fantasy writing. Ellen Datlow's "Red As Blood: Fairy Tales and Horror" is a little less detailed, but focuses on the dark, horrorific nature of the original fairy tales, as collected by the Grimm brothers, Perrault, et al.
Story Breakdown:
There are 20 stories total, including 1 poem.
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8
3/5 ⭐⭐⭐ 2
2/5 ⭐⭐ 1
1/5 ⭐ 3
Highlights:
5-Star Stories: 6
1. Story #1 "Like a Red, Red Rose" by Susan Wade
A witch's daughter inherits from her mother.
Based on: several fairy tales
2. Story #6 "Little Red" by Wendy Wheeler
Truly chilling. A dangerous predator in disguise.
Based on: "Red Riding Hood"
3. Story #7 "I Shall Do Thee Mischief In the Wood" by Kathe Koja
One of my favourite stories. Dark and twisted and seems to get ickier and ickier until a sudden twist ending turns everything around. One that you need to stay with.
Based on: "Red Riding Hood"
4. Story #14 "Troll Bridge" by Neil Gaiman (personal favourite) (read elsewhere)
I am a HUGE Neil Gaiman fan and this remains one of my fav short stories. A subtle, sad tale about lost chances and regret, and leaving childhood behind.
Based on: "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"
5. Story #16 "Puss" by Esther M. Friesner
"A hero does not have brains enough to know when to be afraid. The truly brave man knows, and goes on despite his fear." (309)
Violent, clever and utterly convincing. Shapeshifting Fae spirits and an unbreakable geas.
Based on: "Puss in Boots"
6. Story #19 "The Snow Queen" by Patricia A. McKillip (read elsewhere)
McKillip is one of my all-time favourite authors and this excellent, elegant story shows why. Two lovers and the Winter that would tear them apart.
Based on: "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Anderson
4-Star Stories: 8
1. Story #2 "The Moon Is Drowning While I Sleep" by Charles de Lint
A young girl dreams of a strange world where the moon is a girl, drowning in a marsh, and she is the only one who can save her.
Based on: "The Dead Moon"
2. Story #3 "The Frog Prince" by Gahan Wilson
A deeply unsatisfied man recounts strange dreams to his psychiatrist.
Based on: "The Frog Prince"
3. Story #4 "Stalking Beans" by Nancy Kress
What if Jack, a thief, didn't get away scot free?
Based on: "Jack and the Beanstalk"
4. Story #8 "The Root of the Matter" by Gregory Frost
A foolish boy learns the power of love too late.
Based on: "Rapunzel"
5. Story #13 "The Springfield Swans" by Caroline Stevermer and Ryan Edmonds
The lightest, funniest fare. A cute baseball-themed retelling that works.
Based on: "The Wild Swans"
6. Story #17 "The Glass Casket" by Jack Dann
A magician finds love in a dream world but must choose between it and his destiny.
Based on: "The Glass Coffin", Grimm
7. Story #18 (A Poem) "Knives" by Jane Yolen
The only poem in the book is short but striking.
Based on: "Cinderella"
8. Story #20 "Breadcrumbs and Stones" by Lisa Goldstein
This sad story brings us back to the present. A Holocaust survivor finally tells part of her past to her two daughters, raising more questions than she answers.
Based on: "Hansel and Gretel"
Overview
My favourite stories were two I had read before, the ones by Neil Gaiman and Patricia A. McKillip. I might look for more stories by Charles de Lint, Esther M. Friesner, and Kathe Koja. My least favourite was the horrible "Little Poucet", Story #11, written by Steve Rasnic Tem. Although I read it, I really wished I hadn't, and unless you have an iron stomach I would suggest you skip that one entirely and pretend it isn't in the book 😳 Overall, though, a great anthology!
However, if you're interested in the history of fairy tales then this is a must read. This was also one of, if not THE, book that launched the adult Fairy Tale Retelling genre, which continues today, although it has largely moved to the YA field. Quite a few reviewers were very disturbed by the sex, violence and gore - and rightly so - but the point both Ellen and Datlow make is that these were the essence of the ORIGINAL "fairy tales", not the sanitized, nursery-appropriate tales we know today.
This book starts off a wonderful series of fairy tale retellings intended for an adult audience, and they have all been on my Wishlist for many years. Thankfully, a good friend tracked down this copy for me, as I believe the series is now out of print (OOP).
The Fairy Tale Anthologies Series:
1. [bc:Snow White, Blood Red|141024|Snow White, Blood Red|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387746798s/141024.jpg|135922] 2. [bc:Black Thorn, White Rose|1355173|Black Thorn, White Rose|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1230751230s/1355173.jpg|848964] 3. [bc:Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears|371638|Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459670029s/371638.jpg|451479] 4. [bc:Black Swan, White Raven|739891|Black Swan, White Raven|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387736711s/739891.jpg|726061] 5. [bc:Silver Birch, Blood Moon|81039|Silver Birch, Blood Moon|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1390739649s/81039.jpg|78242] 6. [bc:Black Heart, Ivory Bones|81038|Black Heart, Ivory Bones|Ellen Datlow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388675482s/81038.jpg|78241]
1. Snow White, Blood Red (1993)
2. Black Thorn, White Rose (1994)
3. Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears (1995)
4. Black Swan, White Raven (1997)
5. Silver Birch, Blood Moon (1999)
6. Black Heart, Ivory Bones (2000)
Quick Review: If you love fairy tale retellings, and are interested in the darker original versions, this is a must read book!
Not all of the stories are successful, and a few are grotesque, but by and large this is an excellent collection. And the short introduction to every story contains the name of the tale that inspired it, which is incredibly helpful. Both authors write their own Introductions too.
Terri Windling's intro, "White As Snow: Fairy Tales and Fantasy" is a concise, illuminating history of fairy tales and the fairy tale tradition in modern fantasy writing. Ellen Datlow's "Red As Blood: Fairy Tales and Horror" is a little less detailed, but focuses on the dark, horrorific nature of the original fairy tales, as collected by the Grimm brothers, Perrault, et al.
Story Breakdown:
There are 20 stories total, including 1 poem.
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8
3/5 ⭐⭐⭐ 2
2/5 ⭐⭐ 1
1/5 ⭐ 3
Highlights:
5-Star Stories: 6
1. Story #1 "Like a Red, Red Rose" by Susan Wade
A witch's daughter inherits from her mother.
Based on: several fairy tales
2. Story #6 "Little Red" by Wendy Wheeler
Truly chilling. A dangerous predator in disguise.
Based on: "Red Riding Hood"
3. Story #7 "I Shall Do Thee Mischief In the Wood" by Kathe Koja
One of my favourite stories. Dark and twisted and seems to get ickier and ickier until a sudden twist ending turns everything around. One that you need to stay with.
Based on: "Red Riding Hood"
4. Story #14 "Troll Bridge" by Neil Gaiman (personal favourite) (read elsewhere)
I am a HUGE Neil Gaiman fan and this remains one of my fav short stories. A subtle, sad tale about lost chances and regret, and leaving childhood behind.
Based on: "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"
5. Story #16 "Puss" by Esther M. Friesner
"A hero does not have brains enough to know when to be afraid. The truly brave man knows, and goes on despite his fear." (309)
Violent, clever and utterly convincing. Shapeshifting Fae spirits and an unbreakable geas.
Based on: "Puss in Boots"
6. Story #19 "The Snow Queen" by Patricia A. McKillip (read elsewhere)
McKillip is one of my all-time favourite authors and this excellent, elegant story shows why. Two lovers and the Winter that would tear them apart.
Based on: "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Anderson
4-Star Stories: 8
1. Story #2 "The Moon Is Drowning While I Sleep" by Charles de Lint
A young girl dreams of a strange world where the moon is a girl, drowning in a marsh, and she is the only one who can save her.
Based on: "The Dead Moon"
2. Story #3 "The Frog Prince" by Gahan Wilson
A deeply unsatisfied man recounts strange dreams to his psychiatrist.
Based on: "The Frog Prince"
3. Story #4 "Stalking Beans" by Nancy Kress
What if Jack, a thief, didn't get away scot free?
Based on: "Jack and the Beanstalk"
4. Story #8 "The Root of the Matter" by Gregory Frost
A foolish boy learns the power of love too late.
Based on: "Rapunzel"
5. Story #13 "The Springfield Swans" by Caroline Stevermer and Ryan Edmonds
The lightest, funniest fare. A cute baseball-themed retelling that works.
Based on: "The Wild Swans"
6. Story #17 "The Glass Casket" by Jack Dann
A magician finds love in a dream world but must choose between it and his destiny.
Based on: "The Glass Coffin", Grimm
7. Story #18 (A Poem) "Knives" by Jane Yolen
The only poem in the book is short but striking.
Based on: "Cinderella"
8. Story #20 "Breadcrumbs and Stones" by Lisa Goldstein
This sad story brings us back to the present. A Holocaust survivor finally tells part of her past to her two daughters, raising more questions than she answers.
Based on: "Hansel and Gretel"
Overview
My favourite stories were two I had read before, the ones by Neil Gaiman and Patricia A. McKillip. I might look for more stories by Charles de Lint, Esther M. Friesner, and Kathe Koja. My least favourite was the horrible "Little Poucet", Story #11, written by Steve Rasnic Tem. Although I read it, I really wished I hadn't, and unless you have an iron stomach I would suggest you skip that one entirely and pretend it isn't in the book 😳 Overall, though, a great anthology!