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New World Fairy Tales
In contemporary America, an un-named college student sets out on an obsessive journey of discovery to collect and record the life-stories of total strangers. The interviews that follow have echoes of another, far more famous literary journey, undertaken long ago and in another world.
Drawing on the original, unexpurgated tales collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, six of their most famous works are re-imagined in the rich and endlessly varied landscapes of contemporary America.
From the glass towers of Manhattan to the remoteness of the Blue Ridge mountains; from the swamps of Louisiana to the jaded glamour of Hollywood, New World Fairy Tales reclaims the fairy tale for the modern adult audience. A haunting blend of romance and realism, these stripped-back narratives of human experience are the perfect read for anyone who has read their child a bedtime fairy story, and wondered who ever said these were stories meant for children.
Drawing on the original, unexpurgated tales collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, six of their most famous works are re-imagined in the rich and endlessly varied landscapes of contemporary America.
From the glass towers of Manhattan to the remoteness of the Blue Ridge mountains; from the swamps of Louisiana to the jaded glamour of Hollywood, New World Fairy Tales reclaims the fairy tale for the modern adult audience. A haunting blend of romance and realism, these stripped-back narratives of human experience are the perfect read for anyone who has read their child a bedtime fairy story, and wondered who ever said these were stories meant for children.
155 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2011
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1951 people want to read
About the author
Cassandra Parkin
14 books131 followersCassandra Parkin grew up in Hull, and now lives in East Yorkshire. Her short story collection, New World Fairy Tales (Salt Publishing, 2011), won the 2011 Scott Prize for Short Stories and her work has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies.
The Summer We All Ran Away (Legend Press, 2013) was Cassandra's debut novel.
Her work has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. The Beach Hut (Legend Press, 2015) is her second novel.
Visit Cassandra at cassandraparkin.wordpress.com or on Twitter @cassandrajaneuk
The Summer We All Ran Away (Legend Press, 2013) was Cassandra's debut novel.
Her work has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. The Beach Hut (Legend Press, 2015) is her second novel.
Visit Cassandra at cassandraparkin.wordpress.com or on Twitter @cassandrajaneuk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
February 8, 2017
I’d initially thought that this collection of short stories was going to be very strong on the fantasy element but, while it’s clear that these are all fairytale retellings, all the stories are realistic with only hints of magic scattered throughout—which was in itself expertly done.
The stories are as follows:
♥ Interview #4 - 4 stars. Unsurprisingly, this was the one I loved immediately—since Cinderella was amongst my favorite tales growing up—even though it was the simplest one. It’s also the one that completely sucked me in from the start and I read the first 40% of the collection because of this one starter story. Amazing!
♥ Interview #9 - 5 stars. This got a bit political. So of course I was going to love it. Here is where the the “fairytale,” the “magic,” and the contemporary setting blended perfectly.
♥ Interview #15 - 4 stars. I absorbed this one like a breath of fresh air. There was so much beauty and so much ugliness. It was a pleasure.
♥ Interview #17 - 4 stars. The ending of this one really surprised me and while I don't think it’s too original at this point (I mean come on, it’s 2016 and there are many plots that’ve utilized this twist) but I still have to hand it to the author to keep me on the edge of my seat throughout.
♥ Interview #26 - 3 stars. This one was new and more difficult to relate to a fairytale but I still enjoyed it. I’d guessed something even darker for Thomas then what was given so unfortunately, this was the story I liked the least—though not by much obviously.
♥ Interview #42 - 5 stars. Snow White is a boy. And he is gay. And I loved it.
Would highly recommend this collection to newer readers of magical realism, fairytale retellings, or short story collections! It’s made for you to slip into a dark but delicious little secrets.
The stories are as follows:
♥ Interview #4 - 4 stars. Unsurprisingly, this was the one I loved immediately—since Cinderella was amongst my favorite tales growing up—even though it was the simplest one. It’s also the one that completely sucked me in from the start and I read the first 40% of the collection because of this one starter story. Amazing!
♥ Interview #9 - 5 stars. This got a bit political. So of course I was going to love it. Here is where the the “fairytale,” the “magic,” and the contemporary setting blended perfectly.
♥ Interview #15 - 4 stars. I absorbed this one like a breath of fresh air. There was so much beauty and so much ugliness. It was a pleasure.
♥ Interview #17 - 4 stars. The ending of this one really surprised me and while I don't think it’s too original at this point (I mean come on, it’s 2016 and there are many plots that’ve utilized this twist) but I still have to hand it to the author to keep me on the edge of my seat throughout.
♥ Interview #26 - 3 stars. This one was new and more difficult to relate to a fairytale but I still enjoyed it. I’d guessed something even darker for Thomas then what was given so unfortunately, this was the story I liked the least—though not by much obviously.
♥ Interview #42 - 5 stars. Snow White is a boy. And he is gay. And I loved it.
Would highly recommend this collection to newer readers of magical realism, fairytale retellings, or short story collections! It’s made for you to slip into a dark but delicious little secrets.
December 13, 2015
I’ve read quite a few collections of fairytale retellings in recent months, and this one is among the best. It’s rare for me to read a short story collection and enjoy every story, and this is one of the few times that it has happened. Parkin does an incredible job of subverting traditional fairytale tropes and also linking them to contemporary life. The collection is set up as a series of interviews done by a college student, documenting the stories of strangers. The most memorable story was a retelling of The Three Little Pigs as a commentary on race relations in America.
March 11, 2017
Surprisingly good real life stories with just a gentle touch evoking fairy tales we all know. Mostly Grimm's brothers ones.
What's makes it even more interesting, although on the other hand a bit too straightforward, are political and social themes running through out those stores. White cops crimes on Afro-Americans, corporations sucking every bit of life you have in you and throwing you out like a pice of garbage, celebrities culture, etc...
Having said all of that it was a good and smooth introduction to fable inspired literature.
What's makes it even more interesting, although on the other hand a bit too straightforward, are political and social themes running through out those stores. White cops crimes on Afro-Americans, corporations sucking every bit of life you have in you and throwing you out like a pice of garbage, celebrities culture, etc...
Having said all of that it was a good and smooth introduction to fable inspired literature.
May 31, 2016
I was on the fence about this one. I really liked the first story. The second one was okay. I loved the third one! And then the rest were again just okay. So overall, I liked it, hence three stars.
August 16, 2024
These modern adaptations of classic tales were clever, original, and very well-written. From unique beginnings to (sometimes) happily ever afters, these stories flowed smoothly with a contemporary voice and a cautionary tone. Highly recommended!
August 17, 2018
3/5 stars
A really interesting collection of short stories inspired by fairy tales set in the modern day. The way I hear people talk about this collection, I expected there to be more of a connection between stories and more supernatural/fantastical elements, but I was let down in that department.
I did enjoy some stories more than others- the second one was probably my favourite just because of how uncomfortable it made me feel, as well as the 3rd one set in a cabin that was really cute- but I feel the formatting of short stories made all of them really approachable and easy to read. I'm going to do a quick rundown of which fairy tales I read the stories as being influenced by, because some were difficult-
A really interesting collection of short stories inspired by fairy tales set in the modern day. The way I hear people talk about this collection, I expected there to be more of a connection between stories and more supernatural/fantastical elements, but I was let down in that department.
I did enjoy some stories more than others- the second one was probably my favourite just because of how uncomfortable it made me feel, as well as the 3rd one set in a cabin that was really cute- but I feel the formatting of short stories made all of them really approachable and easy to read. I'm going to do a quick rundown of which fairy tales I read the stories as being influenced by, because some were difficult-
April 13, 2015
Gorgeous! The retellings of the Three Little Pigs and Rapunzel were my favourites. I really recommend this. One of the best books I read in February.
April 14, 2017
review to come soon!
July 30, 2012
'New World Fairy Tales' is a collection of short stories, influenced by the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales, set in the ‘new world’—chronologically as well as geographically. It is also the winner of Salt’s 2011 Scott Prize for a debut collection of short stories. I must confess that I didn’t have high expectations—it seemed a rather hackneyed concept; what could possibly be extracted from these stories that hasn’t already been exploited by Disney or parodied by Dahl? (Although, who doesn’t appreciate Red Riding Hood whipping a pistol from her knickers?) Cassandra Parkin’s interpretations, however, are fresh and inventive without losing the enchantment of the original tales.
The stories take the form of interviews and are not named, but numbered: Interview #4, #9, #15, #17, #27 and #42 respectively. I’m not sure if there is meant to be a message in that particular sequence—they are similar to the magic sequence of numbers in Lost: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, and they end on the portentous 42 which is the answer to the ultimate question in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but I digress. The interviewer is an un-named college student, touring the US, collecting stories. The interviewees are sometimes reluctant to cooperate but there is always a story to be wheedled out of them. They are all told in the first-person and, as an English person writing American voices, Parkin is very convincing.
The first interview immediately demonstrates how these stories differentiate themselves. The setting is evocative—New Orleans during Mardi Gras. The characters seem familiar—two stepdaughters, a step-mother, but where is Cinderella? There is an interesting twist: the step-mother is the Cinderella of this version—exploited by her step-daughters. It was not my favourite story but it encouraged me to continue exploring Parkin’s world. It is another universe that she has imagined—the settings are earthy and grounded but the stories convey an air of wonder that is other-worldly—the stuff of fairy tales—and yet somehow they do not lose their sense of authenticity. They are incredibly engaging. This is quite an achievement, particularly for short stories. A lot of contemporary short stories, in their endings specifically, seem to tend towards rather dire, kitchen-sink realism. Happy endings have fallen out of favour. Parkin’s stories unabashedly defy this trend—this is not even deus ex machina—this is magic. And we believe in her endings—we become the audience, clapping our hands to prove that we do believe in fairies.
Part of the fun of these stories is figuring out which original fairy tale is being referenced, some of them are easier to spot than others. (One of them I’m still not sure about.) I will try not to spoil all the surprises but one of the most straight-forward conversions is found in Interview #9—the Three Little Pigs become three corrupt cops pursued by a vengeful, lupine goddess—and boy does she blow their houses down. Some of the links are a lot more tenuous than this though—this is no paint-by-numbers homage. My favourite one has a Rapunzel connection but the story charts its own course, meandering through the forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a love story that spans twenty years. Its protagonist, Cornelia, is a sculptor, who moulds her life, as her art, with great patience and serenity. I found Cornelia to be one of the most interesting characters, perhaps because the vast scope of this story allows us to follow the development of her sense of identity and her creativity. The final story in this collection is a contemporary Snow White that is more moving and captivating than either of the recent Hollywood versions.
New World Fairy Tales is immensely enjoyable and utterly compelling; I was drawn into each world and into the concerns of each of the characters. I would highly recommend it.
This review was first published on the Writers' Hub. (www.writershub.co.uk)
The stories take the form of interviews and are not named, but numbered: Interview #4, #9, #15, #17, #27 and #42 respectively. I’m not sure if there is meant to be a message in that particular sequence—they are similar to the magic sequence of numbers in Lost: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, and they end on the portentous 42 which is the answer to the ultimate question in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but I digress. The interviewer is an un-named college student, touring the US, collecting stories. The interviewees are sometimes reluctant to cooperate but there is always a story to be wheedled out of them. They are all told in the first-person and, as an English person writing American voices, Parkin is very convincing.
The first interview immediately demonstrates how these stories differentiate themselves. The setting is evocative—New Orleans during Mardi Gras. The characters seem familiar—two stepdaughters, a step-mother, but where is Cinderella? There is an interesting twist: the step-mother is the Cinderella of this version—exploited by her step-daughters. It was not my favourite story but it encouraged me to continue exploring Parkin’s world. It is another universe that she has imagined—the settings are earthy and grounded but the stories convey an air of wonder that is other-worldly—the stuff of fairy tales—and yet somehow they do not lose their sense of authenticity. They are incredibly engaging. This is quite an achievement, particularly for short stories. A lot of contemporary short stories, in their endings specifically, seem to tend towards rather dire, kitchen-sink realism. Happy endings have fallen out of favour. Parkin’s stories unabashedly defy this trend—this is not even deus ex machina—this is magic. And we believe in her endings—we become the audience, clapping our hands to prove that we do believe in fairies.
Part of the fun of these stories is figuring out which original fairy tale is being referenced, some of them are easier to spot than others. (One of them I’m still not sure about.) I will try not to spoil all the surprises but one of the most straight-forward conversions is found in Interview #9—the Three Little Pigs become three corrupt cops pursued by a vengeful, lupine goddess—and boy does she blow their houses down. Some of the links are a lot more tenuous than this though—this is no paint-by-numbers homage. My favourite one has a Rapunzel connection but the story charts its own course, meandering through the forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a love story that spans twenty years. Its protagonist, Cornelia, is a sculptor, who moulds her life, as her art, with great patience and serenity. I found Cornelia to be one of the most interesting characters, perhaps because the vast scope of this story allows us to follow the development of her sense of identity and her creativity. The final story in this collection is a contemporary Snow White that is more moving and captivating than either of the recent Hollywood versions.
New World Fairy Tales is immensely enjoyable and utterly compelling; I was drawn into each world and into the concerns of each of the characters. I would highly recommend it.
This review was first published on the Writers' Hub. (www.writershub.co.uk)
September 30, 2014
This book contains six short stories, ostensibly based on individual Grimm's fairy tales but with a twist. A big, hard, twisted twist. Not all of the tales are actually from Grimm's, by the way, despite whatever maketing hype or other reviewers might say. This isn't a bad thing by any means, just a little more complex than the simpler statement.
The tales are also ostensibly based on a series of interviews with assorted fairy tale characters living in the U.S. We get interviews #4, 9, 15, 17, 27 and 42. Of the six, I must admit that there are two that just baffle me as to which tale they are based on.
One might wonder about a Brit basing her stories in the U.S. but I feel she did an outstanding job. There is one story that has some wonky-seeming bits (just a few) but I don't know if that is simply bad editing, 'translation' issues, or using a specific setting one is not familiar with as an author. But. This is a very minor issue.
I quite enjoyed all of the stories and at an average of ~26 pages/story they are a fast read.
If you like fairy tales, especially of the twisted kind, that just might comment on issues of the day, then this book is for you.
The tales are also ostensibly based on a series of interviews with assorted fairy tale characters living in the U.S. We get interviews #4, 9, 15, 17, 27 and 42. Of the six, I must admit that there are two that just baffle me as to which tale they are based on.
One might wonder about a Brit basing her stories in the U.S. but I feel she did an outstanding job. There is one story that has some wonky-seeming bits (just a few) but I don't know if that is simply bad editing, 'translation' issues, or using a specific setting one is not familiar with as an author. But. This is a very minor issue.
I quite enjoyed all of the stories and at an average of ~26 pages/story they are a fast read.
If you like fairy tales, especially of the twisted kind, that just might comment on issues of the day, then this book is for you.
March 21, 2016
I really liked this collection of fairy tale retellings! I liked the way the book was organized, and how each was told as if it was actually being told orally. I think this aspect would make it a fun read to read out loud! The two things I appreciated most about this collection are, first, how varied the stories are, and, second, how each narrator has a distinct voice. While they were all, obviously, fairy tale retellings, each was very distinct. Although I do enjoy when short story collections have an overriding theme or tone, it was refreshing to have so much variety! This collection was also very good at 'translating' fairy tales to a more modern setting, although I must admit there were a couple of stories where it wasn't very obvious what fairy tale had inspired it! Overall a solid collection of stories I would recommend to anyone interested in fairy tale retellings!
June 19, 2015
I adored this collection of short stories. Especially now that it’s had a few days to sink in, I really loved these characters. I love character development focused stories and these are money. The stories are told as “interviews” for the narrator’s book, so the characters indirectly speak to the reader for a section of every story. I thought that suedo-breaking the fourth wall added so much to the book as a whole. Parkin is a phenomenal writer and creates vivid, distinct, memorable characters in a very short amount of space. If you want to read more short story collections, read this one.
October 1, 2017
Any Fairy Tale retellings are fine by me, and when you set them in modern day America it just adds something a little extra to the mix and I found this book to be a fabulous little read - around 150 pages - that offers something very different.
it was fascinating trying to work out the original fairy tale - some are easier to work out than others! - and the messages from each story were also very relevant to the times we're living in. The mix of characters and settings also worked so well and were often very edgy and very inventive!
it was fascinating trying to work out the original fairy tale - some are easier to work out than others! - and the messages from each story were also very relevant to the times we're living in. The mix of characters and settings also worked so well and were often very edgy and very inventive!
April 2, 2017
Loved it - easily some of the best and most original fairytale retellings I've ever read.
July 23, 2015
Quite simply my favourite collection of short stories of all time.
October 7, 2017
I very much enjoyed this collection of short modern fairy tales. Well written and very interesting characters.
January 20, 2023
2.5.
A perfectly fine short story collection, if admittedly a tad directionless for me. I couldn't quite get my head around what the stories were trying to say and how they were trying to play upon the associations with the fairy tales on which they were based.
The only other thing is that the writing is distinctive relative to the typical writing style I encounter, but not specific to each individual narrator. It kind of feels like they all have the same exact way of speaking such that I would not really be able to assign a specific paragraph to a specific story/narrator if pressed. Since the characters all have such disparate stories and backgrounds, that is kind of disappointing to me.
I kind of felt the same way about the locations. The stories are set in incredibly disparate places in the US, but nothing about them feels super specific even with the references to the Bayou as opposed to Wall Street etc. It again didn't feel super specific or interesting.
A perfectly fine short story collection, if admittedly a tad directionless for me. I couldn't quite get my head around what the stories were trying to say and how they were trying to play upon the associations with the fairy tales on which they were based.
The only other thing is that the writing is distinctive relative to the typical writing style I encounter, but not specific to each individual narrator. It kind of feels like they all have the same exact way of speaking such that I would not really be able to assign a specific paragraph to a specific story/narrator if pressed. Since the characters all have such disparate stories and backgrounds, that is kind of disappointing to me.
I kind of felt the same way about the locations. The stories are set in incredibly disparate places in the US, but nothing about them feels super specific even with the references to the Bayou as opposed to Wall Street etc. It again didn't feel super specific or interesting.
July 15, 2017
I picked this up because of a video I saw by Jean of Jean BookishThoughts on YouTube. She said that it was a good read, and I needed something new and wanted something a bit different.
I was not disappointed.
Cassandra Parkin, in just over 130 pages, wove together six stories reminiscent of the fairy tales collected by the Grimm brothers. From a grownup take on Cinderella (where Cinderella is the step-mother) to a racially charged story about the three little pigs (putting policemen in the place of the pigs, a clever pun), this book pulls these fairy stories into the modern era and the New World. Each story is recounted by a different person during an interview by a "college student." It was a wonderful format to read and served the stories well.
I was not disappointed.
Cassandra Parkin, in just over 130 pages, wove together six stories reminiscent of the fairy tales collected by the Grimm brothers. From a grownup take on Cinderella (where Cinderella is the step-mother) to a racially charged story about the three little pigs (putting policemen in the place of the pigs, a clever pun), this book pulls these fairy stories into the modern era and the New World. Each story is recounted by a different person during an interview by a "college student." It was a wonderful format to read and served the stories well.
October 24, 2017
I enjoyed this but found that not all the stories spoke to me as much as others. I found the first one amazing and the last one was very touching but a few were less impactful. I did find them all readable and interesting. In addition, there is also some language throughout that doesn’t quite fit. However, I thought it was a great concept and found myself wanting to pick it back up after I put it down.
May 6, 2020
Loved every story. There were two I didn't recognize but I particularly enjoyed the author's twist on The Three Little Pigs, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. It's amazing she's able to write such powerful stories with so few words! If I hadn't already been sold on short story collections this book would have won me over. You don't really need an entire novel for a story to pack a punch. I look forward to reading more of her work.
September 2, 2023
I just really hated this. The stories in the interview format (and it really is mostly the same tone just tried on with six not-very-different voices) is full of stereotypical shit that the author seems mighty smug about. "Temerity" indeed. Like thank you for googling America and slapping in some pretentious fairy tale elements. All of the dwarf jokes were absolutely unnecessary and not funny, and y'know all the other problematic things too.
July 25, 2017
Challenge no.3 complete for the #Booktubeathon2017. (Read a book in its entirety outside). Due to the shitty weather at the moment this was the shortest book I owned so thought it was best to read this outside. Not overly impressed. Some 'interviews' / stories were better than others. Not too sure what it was trying to achieve. Bit 'meh' for me.
June 19, 2018
I LOVED Cassandra Parkin's reimagings of Grimm's classics...in fact, I want to go back and read the true originals of the fairy tales of my youth. Note that in many cases, the tales have been so creatively modernized that it may take a moment to identify the original on which they were based, but it is always clear by the end. A wonderful little book that I wish had more "interviews"!
May 15, 2017
A really interesting read, the writing style wasn't my favorite and some of the stories could have used a little bit of TLC but over-all a really quick and nice read.
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November 21, 2017Ccccxxxxddfd
March 15, 2018
All amazing stories, Interview #9 (three little pigs) particularly awesome.
April 8, 2018
Not totally sure this deserves 4*s but it made me feel very #seen at points so I will go with it.
April 19, 2018
My only wish is that it had been longer!
I loved the magical hints. I just loved it.
It was on the short side though... There could have been more. Both more to the stories and more stories.
I loved the magical hints. I just loved it.
It was on the short side though... There could have been more. Both more to the stories and more stories.
August 5, 2018
Delightful and clever writing...but the form got old. These are modern retelling of fairy tales told in an interview style. I found that the form got old.
August 6, 2018
A quick read with a clever concept bringing fairy tales into the modern day
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews