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Disenchanted
Once upon a time, in lands far, far away, everyone lived happily ever after. Until now. If you thought you knew the fairytales well, think again. In a modern world without morals, where beauty does not always equal goodness and evil sometimes wins, the heroes of the legends learn the hard way that survival will take more than just a pretty face, and a handsome prince does not mean salvation. Ten broken fairytales that are definitely not for children's bedtime.
Long Live the Queen - the Queen talks exclusively to C L Raven about her side of the Snow White story and why attempted murder is perfectly justified.
Midnight Kiss - Casey and Alex explore the Sleeping Castle, awakening a nightmare.
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge - Georgie and Jazz have to prove themselves worthy of being in the Jolly Rogers. Jazz has to steal three items from the notorious Judge while Georgie must spend the night in the serial killers' cottage.
Master of Puppets - Aidan is adopted by Mephistopheles and seeks revenge on his brothers.
Disenchanted - when Ythan is captured by the Snow Queen, Syra embarks on a treacherous quest to rescue him.
Midnight - Ella is an undercover MI5 agent, recruited to bring down the infamous terrorist, Prince Charming.
Sleeping Beauties - as a child, the Prince was read Sleeping Beauty and fell in love with the princess. When he discovers Snow White in her coffin, his fantasy becomes a disturbing reality.
Girl All the Bad Guys Want - when the Queen orders her execution, Bandit joins forces with seven vampires living in the woods.
Tempting Fate - Gypsy and Harper are abandoned in the woods. But the gingerbread house they find is more dangerous than the creatures in the dark.
Once Upon a Nightmare - the woods surrounding Red's cottage aren't plagued by a villager-eating wolf, but by things more twisted than any imagination.
Long Live the Queen - the Queen talks exclusively to C L Raven about her side of the Snow White story and why attempted murder is perfectly justified.
Midnight Kiss - Casey and Alex explore the Sleeping Castle, awakening a nightmare.
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge - Georgie and Jazz have to prove themselves worthy of being in the Jolly Rogers. Jazz has to steal three items from the notorious Judge while Georgie must spend the night in the serial killers' cottage.
Master of Puppets - Aidan is adopted by Mephistopheles and seeks revenge on his brothers.
Disenchanted - when Ythan is captured by the Snow Queen, Syra embarks on a treacherous quest to rescue him.
Midnight - Ella is an undercover MI5 agent, recruited to bring down the infamous terrorist, Prince Charming.
Sleeping Beauties - as a child, the Prince was read Sleeping Beauty and fell in love with the princess. When he discovers Snow White in her coffin, his fantasy becomes a disturbing reality.
Girl All the Bad Guys Want - when the Queen orders her execution, Bandit joins forces with seven vampires living in the woods.
Tempting Fate - Gypsy and Harper are abandoned in the woods. But the gingerbread house they find is more dangerous than the creatures in the dark.
Once Upon a Nightmare - the woods surrounding Red's cottage aren't plagued by a villager-eating wolf, but by things more twisted than any imagination.
ebook
First published July 11, 2012
3 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
C.L. Raven
48 books51 followersC L Raven are identical twins from Cardiff who love all things horror. They spend their time looking after their animal army and drinking more Red Bull than the recommended government guidelines. Along with their friend Neen, they prowl the country hunting for ghosts for their YouTube show, Calamityville Horror.
Their work has featured in 8 Hours Anthology, published by Legend Press; August 2010 issue of Writing Magazine (winning ghost story); The Pages Anthologies; Dark Fire Fiction, Dark Moon Digest, Siren’s Call and the Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper. They also contribute articles to Haunted Digital Magazine and Oapschat. They have self-published six short story collections, one novella and one novel, which was shortlisted in the National Self-Publishing Awards. Their unpublished novels, Bleeding Empire and Silent Dawn were longlisted in the 2013 & 2014 Exeter Novel Prize.
Their work has featured in 8 Hours Anthology, published by Legend Press; August 2010 issue of Writing Magazine (winning ghost story); The Pages Anthologies; Dark Fire Fiction, Dark Moon Digest, Siren’s Call and the Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper. They also contribute articles to Haunted Digital Magazine and Oapschat. They have self-published six short story collections, one novella and one novel, which was shortlisted in the National Self-Publishing Awards. Their unpublished novels, Bleeding Empire and Silent Dawn were longlisted in the 2013 & 2014 Exeter Novel Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 20, 2012
I stumbled upon these authors on Twitter a few months ago and was sucked in. Despite their penchant for writing horror, being sucked in isn’t a bad thing!
Their second collection of humorous, macabre short stories is their best yet. Every story in Disenchanted had laugh out loud lines. And there’s plenty of blood and mayhem for those into horror.
Two stories stood out as favorites in this collection.
“Long Live the Queen” is the tale of Snow White from the queen’s point of view. We learn of the ungrateful, crazy cow of a stepdaughter who simply must be whacked for the greater good *chants* The Greater Good. I cheered the queen on from beginning to end.
“Sleeping Beauties” is a mesh of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty told from the prince’s point of view. This one began with the premise of fairytales ruining children’s perceptions of happily-ever-after. Most think of that in terms of women waiting for their princes. But in the authors’ clever twist, we have a prince who awaits his ideal women—one who is lifeless but alive. His quasi-necrophilia isn’t pleasant, yet C L Raven had me rushing to the end of the story to see if he finally gets his happily-ever-after.
These two stories alone are worth the cost of the book and yet you get seven more!
From apathetic, homicidal pirate cats to kick ass MI5 agents this collection has something for everyone!
Their second collection of humorous, macabre short stories is their best yet. Every story in Disenchanted had laugh out loud lines. And there’s plenty of blood and mayhem for those into horror.
Two stories stood out as favorites in this collection.
“Long Live the Queen” is the tale of Snow White from the queen’s point of view. We learn of the ungrateful, crazy cow of a stepdaughter who simply must be whacked for the greater good *chants* The Greater Good. I cheered the queen on from beginning to end.
“Sleeping Beauties” is a mesh of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty told from the prince’s point of view. This one began with the premise of fairytales ruining children’s perceptions of happily-ever-after. Most think of that in terms of women waiting for their princes. But in the authors’ clever twist, we have a prince who awaits his ideal women—one who is lifeless but alive. His quasi-necrophilia isn’t pleasant, yet C L Raven had me rushing to the end of the story to see if he finally gets his happily-ever-after.
These two stories alone are worth the cost of the book and yet you get seven more!
From apathetic, homicidal pirate cats to kick ass MI5 agents this collection has something for everyone!
October 4, 2012
When I met these lovely twins on Twitter, I learnt that they wrote horror stories. I am not a reader of horror books. I am scared very easily. It took me some time to decide to read their collection of stories "Gunning Down Romance", but once I did that, I couldn't help but love their style. Their horror stories are filled with wit, funny bits, and sexy scenes and characters. They had won a fan, and it was not easy, since I am not a reader of horror stories.
So I knew that Disenchanted wasn't going to disappoint me. And that is why I am giving it 5 stars. In this collection of twisted fairytales you can find a bit of everything that is so characteristic of the twins' writing style: horror, sexy encounters, absurd situations that can make you smile, and lots of talent. Forget about the fairytales that you were told when you were a kid. This version of the fairy tales that we all know are even better. The princes are not what you expect, the princesses are determined, rebellious women, and the witches are really bad. Expect the unexpected as you read the different stories, since things are not what they seem at first sight.
The characters are well defined and surprising. The plots are very clever and you can both recognise the original fairy tale and acknowledge the creativity behind the dark re-imagining of those fairy tales. Highly recommendable, but only for adults.
So I knew that Disenchanted wasn't going to disappoint me. And that is why I am giving it 5 stars. In this collection of twisted fairytales you can find a bit of everything that is so characteristic of the twins' writing style: horror, sexy encounters, absurd situations that can make you smile, and lots of talent. Forget about the fairytales that you were told when you were a kid. This version of the fairy tales that we all know are even better. The princes are not what you expect, the princesses are determined, rebellious women, and the witches are really bad. Expect the unexpected as you read the different stories, since things are not what they seem at first sight.
The characters are well defined and surprising. The plots are very clever and you can both recognise the original fairy tale and acknowledge the creativity behind the dark re-imagining of those fairy tales. Highly recommendable, but only for adults.
September 14, 2012
1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
2) Genre: Fantasy
3) Synopsis: A collection of fairytales. But not the fairytales you read as a child. Does Hansel and Red Riding Hood have loose morals? Is Snow White a goth or the true villain in the story? Is Prince Charming charming or a stalker?
4) Feelings: First of all I will point out I gave this 4 stars because it is a short story collection. Something about short stories throws me off. My brain has a tough time making the transition from story to story. Other than that all these stories are supremely entertaining. Like I said these aren't your childhood fairytales. These are sexy/scary/bloody/alternate versions. You can start a story and it goes off in a total different direction than you expect. Roller coaster ride of entertainment.
5) Final recommendation: If you like short stories this is certainly something you should pick up and read. But don't read it to your kid.
Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
http://ryanjamesburt.wordpress.com/
2) Genre: Fantasy
3) Synopsis: A collection of fairytales. But not the fairytales you read as a child. Does Hansel and Red Riding Hood have loose morals? Is Snow White a goth or the true villain in the story? Is Prince Charming charming or a stalker?
4) Feelings: First of all I will point out I gave this 4 stars because it is a short story collection. Something about short stories throws me off. My brain has a tough time making the transition from story to story. Other than that all these stories are supremely entertaining. Like I said these aren't your childhood fairytales. These are sexy/scary/bloody/alternate versions. You can start a story and it goes off in a total different direction than you expect. Roller coaster ride of entertainment.
5) Final recommendation: If you like short stories this is certainly something you should pick up and read. But don't read it to your kid.
Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
http://ryanjamesburt.wordpress.com/
February 21, 2014
These are not your average fairy tales fit to read to the little ones before bedtime, however these renditions will blow your mind. Get ready to embark on a journey through the eyes of some notable characters you may recognize and their unique point of view that finally reveals all!
In 'Long Live the Queen' the story is told by the stepmother of Snow White and she does not hold her tongue to express her disdain for her snotty, spoiled stepdaughter. Another tale reveals the morbid habits of a not so charming prince. In a land where a wolf is the least to be feared and a kiss is not to be desired, don't mistake a puss in boots to help make matters any better.
These tales smoothly transition and are crafted in such a way that some characters may make an appearance in another story.. or another point of view will have you questioning whose accounts are accurate. The continuous plot twists throughout will keep your attention to the final page.
When I first learned that these age old tales were to be told mostly in a modern day setting, I thought this to be a very daunting task. Of course, the twins Cat and Lynx pulled it off once again..brilliantly.
This is a shocking, unforgettable masterpiece and quite frankly my favorite publication from C.L Raven thus far. Recommended for those sick of the same story on a different day and also an appreciation for dark humor! Open your mind and come experience these tales that will change the way you look at the common traditional versions. Enjoy!!
In 'Long Live the Queen' the story is told by the stepmother of Snow White and she does not hold her tongue to express her disdain for her snotty, spoiled stepdaughter. Another tale reveals the morbid habits of a not so charming prince. In a land where a wolf is the least to be feared and a kiss is not to be desired, don't mistake a puss in boots to help make matters any better.
These tales smoothly transition and are crafted in such a way that some characters may make an appearance in another story.. or another point of view will have you questioning whose accounts are accurate. The continuous plot twists throughout will keep your attention to the final page.
When I first learned that these age old tales were to be told mostly in a modern day setting, I thought this to be a very daunting task. Of course, the twins Cat and Lynx pulled it off once again..brilliantly.
This is a shocking, unforgettable masterpiece and quite frankly my favorite publication from C.L Raven thus far. Recommended for those sick of the same story on a different day and also an appreciation for dark humor! Open your mind and come experience these tales that will change the way you look at the common traditional versions. Enjoy!!
August 22, 2012
I've been looking forward to reading this gothic collection of twisted fairy tales ever since I read 'Gunning Down Romance' earlier in 'the year. C L Raven have a fantastic way of taking a well known genre, such as romance or fairy tales, and making it much much darker and sinister in a way that is totally original.
This is an anthology of short stories that take the traditional fairy tale and turn it on its head; such as 'Long Live the Queen' whereas Snow White is told from the perspective of the Queen and 'Master of Puppets' take on Puss in Boots. I loved this version of Puss, he was one of my favourite characters.
What I really liked was when the tales were blended, as in 'Sleeping Beauties' when Prince Charming has a penchant for his beauties being inanimate.
This collection is a quality read. It is well presented with a beautiful cover, well written and produced. The standard of writing is very high, especially the original description that weaves itself in and out of the stories. A must-add to any horror fan's collection.
This is an anthology of short stories that take the traditional fairy tale and turn it on its head; such as 'Long Live the Queen' whereas Snow White is told from the perspective of the Queen and 'Master of Puppets' take on Puss in Boots. I loved this version of Puss, he was one of my favourite characters.
What I really liked was when the tales were blended, as in 'Sleeping Beauties' when Prince Charming has a penchant for his beauties being inanimate.
This collection is a quality read. It is well presented with a beautiful cover, well written and produced. The standard of writing is very high, especially the original description that weaves itself in and out of the stories. A must-add to any horror fan's collection.
December 10, 2012
Authors C.L. Raven deliver laughs and suspenseful twists on old fairy tales. I found the violence and gore a throwback to the original Grimm tales satirized throughout the book. It's a nice change from Disney cleaning them up. Definitely not for children or those with heart conditions.
A few themes and plot devices are repetitive and I would have liked to see some deeper moments. Overall, however, an engaging, fun read, with a lot of imagination behind it.
A few themes and plot devices are repetitive and I would have liked to see some deeper moments. Overall, however, an engaging, fun read, with a lot of imagination behind it.
October 17, 2018
A collection of stories based of fairytales but no guarantee of a happy ending. There are some great twists here from Prince Charming being a necrophiliac to Hansel & Gretel being sent into the woods as a sacrifice. These stories are more of a weird, modern take on the tales with both the original tale and the new parts complimenting each other. The stories are told from either villain or hero side which is refreshing although a few more viewpoints like the mirror in Snow White would have been nice. Basing the stories in the modern world is enjoyable as no ye olde English and the pop culture references are amusing mostly. However stories are quite linear though with heroines all bad ass, villains all concerned with looks and similar quests although the fairytales themselves are like this. That being said I enjoyed every story with my favourite being Sleeping Beauties with Prince Charming and his necrophilia. It was so different to the original Sleeping Beauty I had no idea what to expect. Weirdly erotic and full of dark humour, I even liked the reference to him being a necro in last story in collection. Overall, this is a great collection of short stories for someone who likes their fairy tales dark and modern.
July 20, 2021
‘Disenchanted was a humorous, adult twist on the typical fairytale stories that leave you feeling both disturbed but intrigued. When I first picked it up, I expected it to be your usual overdone books on the Disney classics, but to much of my surprise, it was not. C.L Raven put a new twist on these stories and pulled off discomforting horror really well. The characters were well developed and funny. Although humour did feel forced in parts
My only two issues with the book was that the book moved pretty fast, so the flow went off in a number of places. And the short stories got a bit repetitive in terms of plot sometimes.
Overall, this was a good book, but not my favourite. I definitely don’t recommend it as a children’s bedtime story. Nevertheless, it would make a good bedtime story for adults!
My only two issues with the book was that the book moved pretty fast, so the flow went off in a number of places. And the short stories got a bit repetitive in terms of plot sometimes.
Overall, this was a good book, but not my favourite. I definitely don’t recommend it as a children’s bedtime story. Nevertheless, it would make a good bedtime story for adults!
May 5, 2020
Loved it!
February 12, 2018
I'd become a bit tired of retellings of fairy tales, in all honesty. But then I read this, and it's brilliant. I don't want to give anything about the stories away, but I will say that the perspectives that they're told from are unique and hilarious. The reimagining of the stories used are fresh and breathe new life into some very tired tales. Excellent writing too. Would recommend :)
January 17, 2019
Disenchanted, a collection of alternative fairytales, is a book I'd recommend to almost anyone. It's a modern and entirely original take on the old stories we're all familiar with - Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood - only in this version, good does not always win and evil is likely to be masked by physical beauty. Indeed, in this version, Snow White is a goth and Prince Charming is a terrorist.
There are so many things to commend this book for. First of all, the stories themselves are unputdownable, with plot twists aplenty and fast-paced action sequences. Secondly, there's the sly humour; every story has its share of laugh-out-loud moments. For example, in Girl all the Bad Guys Want, a retelling of Snow White, the magic mirror responds to the wicked queen thus: "Although you haven't aged a bit, Snow White is looking pretty fit".
Thirdly - and this is always particularly important from my point of view - CL Raven's way with language is outstanding. The descriptive power and beauty of certain passages is dazzling. For example, in Midnight Kiss, a decidedly ghoulish retelling of Sleeping Beauty, we have this opening paragraph:
"The moon glowered from its pearly throne. A black cloud pierced its heart, its silvery blood spilling over the ground and awakening the shadows that lingered in the dying day. Night creatures awoke to play beneath the black veil, daylight's shackles cast away now the sun's judging eyes were closed. A castle emerged from the night, majestic in its decrepit beauty."
Remarkably, this descriptive power is balanced finely with action and humour throughout, so that whatever your personal preferences in a story, you'll almost certainly find something to please you here.
Highly recommended - but not for children.
There are so many things to commend this book for. First of all, the stories themselves are unputdownable, with plot twists aplenty and fast-paced action sequences. Secondly, there's the sly humour; every story has its share of laugh-out-loud moments. For example, in Girl all the Bad Guys Want, a retelling of Snow White, the magic mirror responds to the wicked queen thus: "Although you haven't aged a bit, Snow White is looking pretty fit".
Thirdly - and this is always particularly important from my point of view - CL Raven's way with language is outstanding. The descriptive power and beauty of certain passages is dazzling. For example, in Midnight Kiss, a decidedly ghoulish retelling of Sleeping Beauty, we have this opening paragraph:
"The moon glowered from its pearly throne. A black cloud pierced its heart, its silvery blood spilling over the ground and awakening the shadows that lingered in the dying day. Night creatures awoke to play beneath the black veil, daylight's shackles cast away now the sun's judging eyes were closed. A castle emerged from the night, majestic in its decrepit beauty."
Remarkably, this descriptive power is balanced finely with action and humour throughout, so that whatever your personal preferences in a story, you'll almost certainly find something to please you here.
Highly recommended - but not for children.
November 4, 2012
I’m not the greatest lover of short stories: I struggle to write them, I struggle to read them. The whole concept of the ‘slice of life’ that shorts usually represent is lost on me. I normally want development; to know more about the characters.
The reason I love C L Raven’s short stories is that they are less ‘slice of life’, and more ‘slice that ends a life’. The twins that make up this writing partnership have a taste for the macabre and a bizarre sense of humour. In ‘Disenchanted’ they have allowed their characters to run riot through a series of stories based on fairytales. The originals were blood thirsty enough, but they lacked character and humour – CL Raven make up for that in spades. There’s blood, lust, longing and countless laughs.
The downside of the project is that by their nature, the original tales are a tad samey: damsel in distress, bold prince to the rescue, etc, so I found myself reading one story at a time and coming back to the book after several days or even weeks, usually in between full length novels. But that’s not a problem: it was good to know that I had some entertaining material I could dip into e as a quick read after I recently finished reading a deeply disturbing read about a serial killer.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves very dark and blood splattered humour, whether or not you are a short story lover. I’m awarding ‘Disenchanted’ 5 Stars for its sheer entertainment value. I’d also recommend CL Raven’s previous short story collection, Gunning Down Romance (Romance is Dead), which I enjoyed even more than this one.
The reason I love C L Raven’s short stories is that they are less ‘slice of life’, and more ‘slice that ends a life’. The twins that make up this writing partnership have a taste for the macabre and a bizarre sense of humour. In ‘Disenchanted’ they have allowed their characters to run riot through a series of stories based on fairytales. The originals were blood thirsty enough, but they lacked character and humour – CL Raven make up for that in spades. There’s blood, lust, longing and countless laughs.
The downside of the project is that by their nature, the original tales are a tad samey: damsel in distress, bold prince to the rescue, etc, so I found myself reading one story at a time and coming back to the book after several days or even weeks, usually in between full length novels. But that’s not a problem: it was good to know that I had some entertaining material I could dip into e as a quick read after I recently finished reading a deeply disturbing read about a serial killer.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves very dark and blood splattered humour, whether or not you are a short story lover. I’m awarding ‘Disenchanted’ 5 Stars for its sheer entertainment value. I’d also recommend CL Raven’s previous short story collection, Gunning Down Romance (Romance is Dead), which I enjoyed even more than this one.
December 7, 2013
If you like short stories this is the book for you.
If you like horror stories this is the book for you.
If you like horror short stories full of dark humor, suspence, sarcasm and unexpected turns this is exactly what you were waiting for (so why are you still reding? Run and buy your copy!).
If you like fairy tales just the way they are... well, you might be a bit disturbed but nothing insurmountable.
I am not an horror fan and I like happy endings, so I was surprised by the way this book grabbed me since the first page. Now that it's over and I can see how well written it is, I am not surprised anymore.
I particularrly liked "Long live the Queen", "Operation: Midnight","Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" and "Master of Puppets", but every story has something worth reading and something unexpected that will shock you.
Surely, Disenchanted is not for children, but if your kids are of the kind who question fairy tales, keep this book and gave them when they're grown up.
If you like horror stories this is the book for you.
If you like horror short stories full of dark humor, suspence, sarcasm and unexpected turns this is exactly what you were waiting for (so why are you still reding? Run and buy your copy!).
If you like fairy tales just the way they are... well, you might be a bit disturbed but nothing insurmountable.
I am not an horror fan and I like happy endings, so I was surprised by the way this book grabbed me since the first page. Now that it's over and I can see how well written it is, I am not surprised anymore.
I particularrly liked "Long live the Queen", "Operation: Midnight","Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" and "Master of Puppets", but every story has something worth reading and something unexpected that will shock you.
Surely, Disenchanted is not for children, but if your kids are of the kind who question fairy tales, keep this book and gave them when they're grown up.
November 27, 2013
While I really no longer subscribe to the vinyl & mesh wearing, black hair dyed "Goth" way of life, I have to say this has been my favorite collection of reinvented fairy tales in a loooonnnng time. Each tale is a twisted little beauty on it's own, but when you collect them all into one beautiful (if dark) book? WIN! I knew from the very first retelling of Snow White ("Long Live the Queen"), that this was a world far from "happily ever after." And thankfully, I was not disappointed, all the way through the final story, the new imaginings of a Goth Red Riding Hood ("Once Upon a Nightmare"). Three cheers for PVC and poisoned apples!!
August 3, 2013
After hearing about this book on Twitter I was desperate to download it and see what all the hype was about. I wasn't disappointed. This is a collection of "broken fairytales". Some are hilarious, some are disturbing, all are highly entertaining. Well worth downloading if you ever thought traditional fairytales didn't add up and you don't scare easily
January 8, 2014
disenchanted with disenchanted.
even though i should know better by now, i let the high rating and the rave reviews build my expectations. in the end, i found this book wanting. not that it wasn't well-written; it's most likely just not my cup of tea. oh, and maybe tagging it as horror is a bit misleading as well?
even though i should know better by now, i let the high rating and the rave reviews build my expectations. in the end, i found this book wanting. not that it wasn't well-written; it's most likely just not my cup of tea. oh, and maybe tagging it as horror is a bit misleading as well?
November 12, 2013
Really good book with a surprise ending.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews