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Shattered: Broken Fairy Tales
Once upon a time, stories ended happily ever after. Or did they? What if the magic mirror couldn't decide on the fairest of them all? What if Beauty's kiss didn't break the curse? What if choosing a bride based on her shoe size was a bad idea?
Broken Fairy Tales is a collection of three short stories that take a turn into the dark forest instead of out of it.
Broken Fairy Tales is a collection of three short stories that take a turn into the dark forest instead of out of it.
- GenresFantasyShort Stories
39 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Rabia Gale
21 books74 followersI break fairy tales and fuse fantasy and science fiction. I love to write about flawed heroes who never give up, transformation and redemption, and things from outer space. In my spare time, I read, doodle, eat chocolate, avoid housework, and homeschool my three children.
A native of Pakistan, I grew up in hot, humid Karachi. I then spent almost a decade in Northern New England where I learned to love fall, tolerate snow, and be snobbish about maple syrup and sweet corn. I now live in Northern Virginia.
A native of Pakistan, I grew up in hot, humid Karachi. I then spent almost a decade in Northern New England where I learned to love fall, tolerate snow, and be snobbish about maple syrup and sweet corn. I now live in Northern Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 23, 2012
Shattered: Broken Fairy Tales is a collection of three fairy/folk tale retellings by Rabia Gale.
The difficulty in writing a retelling of a folk tale is that the core story has been pretty much told already.
The author has a few choices, they can alter the tale, invert tropes, riff off in a slightly different direction and they can alter tone and play with style and language.
As long as the reader gets something new; a perspective or a connection with the tale not previously experienced then, despite the old material we will be happy.
I think Gale has preformed brilliantly in this short collection. I think she’s achieved that balance of tweaking the tale or exploring other aspects of it. Gale gives us three very interesting tales, reimagined:
The Most Beautiful Woman in the World is a riff off Snow White. In this tale it is the Mirror that forms the centrepiece. Like a good folk tale there is wisdom to be gained, a philosophical conundrum to examine. The Most Beautiful Woman in the World says something important about perceptions of beauty and how destructive and unrealistic misguided perceptions can be. The cost of chasing beauty that is only skin deep is highlighted beautifully by Gale’s tone and characterisation.
Beauty, Unravelling is a twist on Beauty and the Beast with a suggestion that happily ever afters aren’t always the end result. I detect Gale raising a cautionary note on our ability to deceive ourselves if our will is strong enough. She highlights our tendency to project our wants and hopes on others and the disaster that can bring.
The final Lily in Winter asks a “what if” of the tale Cinderella. What if someone else fit the shoe. A love gained by deception, will destroy itself seems to be the strongest wisdom imparted by this piece.
I return to the difficulty of retelling or re-crafting Fairy tales. Its sounds deceptively easy The Most Beautiful Woman in the World, and Lily in Winter, however, strike me as not only some of the better retellings of their respective tales, but as some of the better short stories I have read in recent memory.
Keep your eyes out for Rabia Gale.
This ebook was provided by the author at no cost to me.
The difficulty in writing a retelling of a folk tale is that the core story has been pretty much told already.
The author has a few choices, they can alter the tale, invert tropes, riff off in a slightly different direction and they can alter tone and play with style and language.
As long as the reader gets something new; a perspective or a connection with the tale not previously experienced then, despite the old material we will be happy.
I think Gale has preformed brilliantly in this short collection. I think she’s achieved that balance of tweaking the tale or exploring other aspects of it. Gale gives us three very interesting tales, reimagined:
The Prince holds both her hands—once work-roughened and brown, now soft, supple and white—in a strong clasp. "Nothing will ever harm you again, my love. I vow it."
He is so serious, so sure. How she longs to believe him, believe in his love. She manages a smile. "While you are with me there is nothing to fear." Except for another woman with gold hair and blue eyes.
The other. Lily in Winter
The Most Beautiful Woman in the World is a riff off Snow White. In this tale it is the Mirror that forms the centrepiece. Like a good folk tale there is wisdom to be gained, a philosophical conundrum to examine. The Most Beautiful Woman in the World says something important about perceptions of beauty and how destructive and unrealistic misguided perceptions can be. The cost of chasing beauty that is only skin deep is highlighted beautifully by Gale’s tone and characterisation.
Beauty, Unravelling is a twist on Beauty and the Beast with a suggestion that happily ever afters aren’t always the end result. I detect Gale raising a cautionary note on our ability to deceive ourselves if our will is strong enough. She highlights our tendency to project our wants and hopes on others and the disaster that can bring.
The final Lily in Winter asks a “what if” of the tale Cinderella. What if someone else fit the shoe. A love gained by deception, will destroy itself seems to be the strongest wisdom imparted by this piece.
I return to the difficulty of retelling or re-crafting Fairy tales. Its sounds deceptively easy The Most Beautiful Woman in the World, and Lily in Winter, however, strike me as not only some of the better retellings of their respective tales, but as some of the better short stories I have read in recent memory.
Keep your eyes out for Rabia Gale.
This ebook was provided by the author at no cost to me.
July 2, 2012
Lately we are seeing more movies geared toward re-telling the traditional fairy tales that we have grown up with. So it's no surprise that authors should want to do this as well. Rabid Gale rewrites the endings of three of the famous princess fairy tales. They are very quick and entertaining to read (the book as a whole is only 39 pages long). So quick in fact I actually read each twice just to make sure I didn't miss anything the first time.
Gales writing style for a self published author is very sophisticated and without many of the typos I'm seeing in a lot of the recent self published YA novels I've read. I'd love to see Rabia Gale rewrite more of my favorite fairy tales to see what would have happened if there was no happily ever after. I look forward to seeing more from her soon no matter what she writes! Definitely pick this one up on your eReader of choice and enjoy!
Gales writing style for a self published author is very sophisticated and without many of the typos I'm seeing in a lot of the recent self published YA novels I've read. I'd love to see Rabia Gale rewrite more of my favorite fairy tales to see what would have happened if there was no happily ever after. I look forward to seeing more from her soon no matter what she writes! Definitely pick this one up on your eReader of choice and enjoy!
May 6, 2012
Wow, this absolutely blew me away. I was asked to review it by a friend (for a friend of hers), but had no idea what to expect, but THIS is what self publishing should be! Polished, entertaining, sophisticated writing - any of these stories could have come from a big-name anthology. If you've ever read Robin McKinley's fairytale reboots, or one of Terri Windling & Ellen Datlow's fairytale anthologies, you might have some idea of what to expect from this compact collection. Very impressive stuff, and not one of the stories takes you where you think it might, despite the original subject material. I wish I had read this a few of months ago, BEFORE To Spin a Darker Stair was finished! I'll be actively seeking more work from Rabia Gale, and I highly recommend this!
May 3, 2012
My only disappointment with this exceptional book by Rabia Gale is that it eventually had to come to an end. These dark and masterfully told remakes of classic fairy tales are as absorbing as they are disturbingly delicious.
Rabia Gale's writing is rich and luxurious, the variety that inspires a reader to slowdown and reread passages for the sheer delight of re-experiencing what is nothing less than masterful writing and thoroughly captivating storytelling.
There are three retold fairy tales in this collection and each carries it's own particular charm. I can only hope this author has many more to follow. I eagerly await ...
Rabia Gale's writing is rich and luxurious, the variety that inspires a reader to slowdown and reread passages for the sheer delight of re-experiencing what is nothing less than masterful writing and thoroughly captivating storytelling.
There are three retold fairy tales in this collection and each carries it's own particular charm. I can only hope this author has many more to follow. I eagerly await ...
October 2, 2012
Gale has a clear and flowing style, through which she conveys some powerful and distressing takes on classic fairy tales. Three "what if" scenarios set the stage: what if a mirror that sought the highest standard of beauty was the basis for a government? What if Belle loved the Beast, but the curse wasn't broken? What if Cinderella was not found by her prince because another woman with the same shoe size was found first? While the ancient tales were often dark and distressing before Disney, Gale's vision is more than tragic, flirting with the nihilism and madness haunting human beings in a broken world. What happens the desire for the very best in life brings out the very worst in people?
July 1, 2012
Compulsive retelling of fairy tales, sometime shocking, always fascinating.
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October 24, 2013I finished the sample not the whole book! Can anyone share the e-book please if you have it?
So far so good!
So far so good!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews