F*cked Up Fairy Tales: Sinful Cinderellas, Prince Alarmings, and Other Timeless Classics

by Liz Gotauco

Bawdy, shocking, and hilarious interpretations of classic and rare fairy tales from a beloved TikTok storyteller.


Based on the wildly popular TikTok series, F*cked Up Fairy Tales presents modern retellings of some of the strangest and darkest stories humans had the audacity to invent. Inspired by sources across the world, “Cosbrarian” Liz Gotauco conjures gossipy animals, homicidal royals, doomed commoners, and shape-shifting beaux—all reckoning with complicated, adult problems that “Disney versions” have sanitized. In entertaining asides, Gotauco offers insight into the stories’ contested origins, spills deliciously weird details about fairy tale authors like Madame de Aulnoy and the Brothers Grimm, and explores timeless themes that have long tickled the human subconscious, from accidental bestiality (“So . . . You Married an Animal”) and catastrophic marriages (“Crappily Ever After”) to the vexed question of what to do with your murderous lindworm child (“F*cked Up Family Trees”). Sexy, disturbing, and outrageous, with stylish, distinctive illustrations, F*cked Up Fairy Tales celebrates the astonishing diversity of the oral tradition, reaffirming our universal love for a story that’s messy as f*ck.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Retellings, Humor, Short Stories, Fairy Tales, Audiobook

368 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[Freefall · Rating 5 out of 5]

CAN YOU BELIEVE I ALSO GOT THIS BOOK FOR FREE?!?!?! THANK YOU NORTON LITERATURE!!! (this isn't sponsored they were just giving books away at the convention)

i was originally gonna host a Freefall Awards Ceremony for this book, to celebrate each individual short story, but unfortunately due to the large gap of time it took me to finish this (in no way the book's fault), i will have to do that upon reread.

the author, liz gotauco, deserves an award though, for the entertainment, diversity, and...informativeness of these fairy and folktales, myths, and legends, not to mention the HILARIOUS side-commentary and footnotes. i enjoyed just about every story (but this is probably because i'm trying to overlook how, well, fucked up they are) and i definitely laughed out loud at some of these.

my favorite short stories are:
till there was mew (madame d'aulnoy's "the white cat")
love is a revolution (a filipino myth of mount makiling)
mule be in my heart (tunisia's "the donkey's head")
when a bird loves a woman (the tzotzil mayan's "the buzzard husband," mexico)
master and serpent (denmark's "king lindworm")

runner-ups:
how to trick friends and execute people (hans christian andersen's "little claus and big claus")
never cross a cinderella (korea's "kongjwi and patjwi")
no small peat (germany's "the maid of wildenloh")
my carp will go on (haiti's "tezen")

in case you want some content warnings (there's a page of them in the book), you should know that:

spiciest: master and serpent (denmark's "king lindworm") - there isn't any actual smut but there is depiction of whipping in the bedroom, it snot what you think (korea's "origin of the common cold") - the two-dicked prince's ghost fucking ORGASMS INTO SOMEONE'S NOSTRILS
worst: love is for the birds (oscar wilde's "the nightingale and the rose") - i hated the original but liz gotauco really served to make it wayy more realistic
old men love young women: love is like a tree (the xhosa's "kamiyo of the river," south africa) - just read it for yourself it's rather unfortunate what happens

--

i don't fucking care that i'm not done reading this this is a masterpiece and every reviewer needs to automatically give this a high rating so more people are compelled to feast their eyes on this masterpiece (my history teacher walked by and noticed my profane review on this profane book (it's not as bad as that time he saw me looking at "murder on sex island" on goodreads tho))

[January · Rating 5 out of 5]

F*cked Up Fairy Tales: Sinful Cinderellas, Prince Alarmings, and Other Timeless Classics by Liz Gotauco, illustrated by
Jade Gotauco (2025)
9h 49m narrated by author - Liz Gotauco, Deepti Gupta, January LaVoy, Kyla Garcia, Lameece Issaq, Nadia Verde, Zura Johnson, Vaneh Assadourian, Sneha Mathan, and Dominique Franceschi, 368 pages

Genre: Humorous Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Folklore, Adult Fiction, Satirical Retellings

Rating as a movie: R for adult content including Profanity, Sex, and Violence

Featuring: Introduction, Definitions, Trigger Warnings - Everything from Child Abuse, Attempted and Accidental Incest, Cannibalism, Suicide, Murder, Animal Death, and even Poop; Parts, Commentary, Evil Mothers and Stepmothers, Fat Shaming, Rule of Three, Magic, Jealousy, Princely Marriage, Jealous Caregiver, Hitman Savior, Animal Spouses, Punny Titles, Sibling Rivalry, Body Horror, [Print Version] References, Recommended Reading

Songs for the soundtrack: "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley, "It's Gonna Be Me" by NSYNC, "Diamond" by Rihanna, "Please Don’t Go Girl" by New Kids On The Block, "Underneath The Stars" by Mariah Carey, "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler, "drivers license" by Olivia Rodrigo, "A Whole New World" by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga, Purple Rain" by Prince, "Prince Ali" by Robin Williams, "Spirit" by Beyoncé, "No Scrubs" by TLC

Books and Authors mentioned: The Little Mermaid by John Musker and Ron Clements [based on] The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen; The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, The Tinderbox by Hans Christian Andersen, The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen, Rebecca Solnit, Hansel and Gretel by yhe Brothers Grimm, Little Briar Rose by the Brothers Grimm, Cinderella by Charles Perrault, Sun, Moon, and Talia by Giambattista Basile; Jack and the Beanstalk by Joseph Jacobs, The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Andersen, Pecos Bill by Edward O'Reilly, Cinderella: Three Hundred And Forty-Five Variants Of Cinderella, Catskin And Cap O'Rushes by Marian Roalfe Cox; Cinderella Cycle by Anna Birgitta Rooth, Snow White" is the Brothers Grimm (Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm), The Frog Prince by Brothers Grimm, Little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault, Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault, Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, Donkey Skin (Peau d'Âne) by Charles Perrault, Bâpkhâdi Indian Cinderella/Tom Thumb, The Juniper Tree by The Brothers Grimm, Eglė the Queen of Serpents by M. Jasewicz (M. Jasevičiaus), Blanca Rosa and the Forty Thieves by Yolando Pino Saavedra, The Legend of Hòn Vọng Phu, Big Claus and Little Claus by Hans Christian Andersen, Kongjwi and Patjw, "The Flayed Old Woman" from Pentamerone by Giambattista Basile, The Maid of Wildenloh by Jürgen Hubert, The Human Centipede 3 by Tom Six, The General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Little Red Hen by Mary Mapes Dodge, "The Nightingale and the Rose" from The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde, Myth of Cupid and Psyche, The Legend of King Arthur, Allerleirauh by The Brothers Grimm, Doralice by Giovanni Francesco Straparola, The She-Bear by Giambattista Basile, The Book of Revelation, "The Twelve Wild Ducks" from Norske Folkeeventyr by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe, The Crow by Giambattista Basile, Weekend at Bernie's by
Robert Klane, On Fairy-Stories by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, Dr. Seuss, Edgar Allan Poe, The Fir-Tree by Hans Christian Andersen, Christopher S. Nassaar, Peter Raby, Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin, Aladdin by Ron Clements, John Musker, Ted Elliott, and Terry Rossio [based on] "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" from One Thousand and One Nights; Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews, "The Finger" from Shivhei ha-Ari, Corpse Bride by John August, Caroline Thompson, and Pamela Pettler; The White Cat by Madame d'Aulnoy, The Story of a Boy Who Went Forth to Learn Fear by the Brothers Grimm, Encanto by Charise Castro Smith and Jared Bush, King Lindworm by Svend Grundtvig, Molly Whuppie, Shrek by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman, and Roger S. H. Schulman, [loosely based on] Shrek! by William Steig;
Steel Magnolias(screenplay) by Robert Harling [based on] Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, The Goose Girl by the Brothers Grimm, The Twelve Months/The Three Little Men in the Wood: Strawberries in the Snow; Rumpelstiltskin by the Brothers Grimm, The Fairy and the Woodcutter/The Heavenly Maiden and The Woodcutter, The Little Shop of Horrors by Roger Corman and Charles B. Griffith; Vasílísa and Baba Yaga, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola, East of the Sun, West of the Moon by Asbjørnsen and Moe, The Robber Bridegroom the Brothers Grimm, The Seven Ravens by the Brothers Grimm, 1601 by Mark Twain, Final Destination by Glen Morgan, James Wong, and Jeffrey Reddick

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🧚🏻‍♀️📚📖

My thoughts: ⏯️ - I've listened to the introduction and triggers. I may have bitten off more than I can chew; I don't do feces.

🇫🇷🐴 Daddy’s Little Donkey-Skin (Charles Perrault’s “Peau d’Âne”) - This was way better than the original story.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇩🇪🌳 The Devil Made Her Do It (The Grimms’ “The Juniper Tree”) - I am not a fan of the original story, so of course her version is better. She gets right to the meat of the story. I feel like some of these stories are drawn out and repetitive because they are trying to get these kids to go to sleep or be quiet longer. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📱14% 1:20:33 Part 1 - Thumberella - So far, these stories are pretty funny and not much darker than the original versions. I enjoy commentary and jokes. I'm gonna stop here because I was never a fan of Thumbelina; that movie gave me the creeps. Kidnapped by a bug, a toad, and a mole, I'm not ready.

🇮🇳👍🏽Thumberella (India’s “Bâpkhâdi”) - I enjoyed the narrator switch; it made the commentary that much better, but it still was seamless. There was no Mister Mole and bugs in this storyIt was a mixture of Thumbelina Hansel and Gretel Cinderella and one of those other stories. I enjoyed it a lot.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇱🇹🐍Snakes Who Cannot Shed Their Kin (Lithuania’s “Eglė, the Queen of Serpents”) - This wasn't bad, well it was, but it wasn't. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🇨🇱⚪️🌹Blanca Rosa, Mother of Thieves (A Chilean Snow White) - This was actually pretty good a lot better than the other versions of Snow White I've heard.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇺🇸🎶🕊🌹 Love Is for the Birds (Oscar Wilde’s “The Nightingale and the Rose”) — This was well written but sad. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🇿🇦🌳❤️🧕🏿 Love Is Like a Tree (The Xhosa’s “Kamiyo of the River,” South Africa) — I couldn't find this story. It sounds like Pinocchio, but with a wife instead of a boy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌬⛰️🇵🇭🇪🇸 Love Is a Revolution (A Filipino Myth of Mount Makiling) — This was pretty good and political as well. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🇻🇳💒 Love Is a Family Affair (Vietnam’s “Hon Vong Phu”) — This was wack. 😆 ⭐️⭐️

✡️🇷🇺 ☝️💍 Love Is Dead (“The Finger,” a Jewish Folktale) — I was a fan of The Corpse Bride. There was a humorous commentary, but the story was meh ⭐️⭐️½

🇫🇷🐩🐈 Till There Was Mew (Madame d’Aulnoy’s “The White Cat”) — This was very interesting. I want to read Madame d'Aulnoy's book. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

📱49% 4:47:00 Part 3 - When a Bird Loves a Woman - I'm going to have to switch it up as it's getting late, and some of these stories are creepy.

🇲🇽🌯🦅 When a Bird Loves a Woman (The Tzotzil Mayan’s “The Buzzard Husband,” Mexico) — Meh, it was interesting. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

🇹🇳🐴 Mule Be in My Heart (Tunisia’s “The Donkey’s Head”) — This story was crazy, like Shrek, but good. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇭🇹💍🐠 My Carp Will Go On (Haiti’s “Tezen”) — This plot was similar to the Queen of the Snakes but I enjoyed it more. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇩🇰🤴🏼👸🏼🐍 Master and Serpent (Denmark’s “King Lindworm”) — This was a bit too gory for my taste. ⭐️⭐️⭐️½

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The X-Treme Sport of Giant Killing (Scotland’s “Molly Whuppie”) — This was pretty funny despite all of the murder and mayhem. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇩🇰 🐎🏞💰 How to Trick Friends and Execute People (Hans Christian Andersen’s “Little Claus and Big Claus”) — The original was one of my son's favorite stories by Hans Christian Andersen so I totally have to let him listen to this. I laughed aloud when I heard the title.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇰🇷🐸 🐂🥢Never Cross a Cinderella (Korea’s “Kongjwi and Patjwi”) — The story was okay but the telling is hilarious.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🇫🇷👵🏻🔪 Skin-Deep (Giambattista Basile’s “The Flayed Old Woman”) — Wow! Well, it was a bit of Karma. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇩🇪🪓 No Small Peat (Germany’s “The Maid of Wildenloh”) — This was interesting. I was frustrated that I couldn't find the original story. I will have to get the print version.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇯🇵🍜🍵 Good Soup (A Japanese Folktale) — Before I could get over my ick the joke came. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇮🇳🇮🇷🇮🇶🇸🇾🇪🇬🇹🇷🕌💨 The Stench of Embarrassment (A Tale from Arabian Nights) — I'm not into fart jokes. ⭐️⭐️

🇰🇷🍆🍆🐽👻🤧 It Snot What You Think (Korea’s “Origin of the Common Cold”) — This will forever change how I feel about stuffy noses. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇮🇳🎉👸🏽Kalendrin, the Party Princess (A Muria Period Piece, India) — Typical but it was good. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🇵🇪💩 The Pongo’s Prophecy (The Quechua’s Poopy Parable, Peru) — I read it twice and I'm still confused. ⭐️

This book gets 5 stars and no that's not an average I just rated each story based on how much I enjoyed it but each story was technically 5 stars because Liz was hilarious. I am definitely going to recommend this story to others. I'm gonna get the ebook and read this story again.

Recommend to others: I have already retold a few of these tales to others.

Memorable Quotes: Disney’s The Little Mermaid was released on VHS in May 1990. This little black plastic brick transformed me. Under the spell of Ariel, I was no longer an awkward eight-year-old kid; instead, I was a graceful sixteen-year-old mermaid, grown-up enough to wear a seashell bra! Ino longer paddled Aunt Carol’s pool in suburban Rhode Island; I flicked my fins across the sparkling Mediterranean! (Or Caribbean? It’s hard to say.) I belted my all-consuming love of Prince Eric from the steps in the shallow end, now an outcropping above the waves. I tossed my majestic ginger mane (a tangled brown mop with uneven bangs) as the ocean and the orchestra crashed behind me (drenching my sunbathing mother). My mother, luckily more of a buoying fairy godmother than a vengeful sea witch, toweled me off and handed me a beautifully illustrated, oversized anthology of Hans Christian Andersen tales. “Wait till you see how Ariel’s story really ends.” I wrenched open the book to the OG “The Little Mermaid,” and my adoration transferred seamlessly to the page. While I was scandalized that there was no singing crab, bestie fish, or dopey seagull, I was shocked and thrilled to discover the pain and despair the nameless little mermaid endured. The sea witch literally cut out the kid’s tongue to take her voice; the mermaid felt blades tearing through the soles of her feet with every step; and on top of all that, the prince married some other lady, and Ariel threw herself into the ocean and died?! I gaped at my mother . . . then devoured “The Snow Queen,” “The Tinderbox,” and “The Steadfast Tin Soldier.”

“Daddy’s Little Donkey Skin”—Attempted incest, death of an animal. “The Devil Made Her Do It”—Dead moms, abortion, gory filicide, desecration of a corpse, cannibalism. (It’s the grimmest of Grimm!) "Thumberella”—Poverty, abandonment, infanticide, breastfeeding tweens. (Wow!) “Snakes Who Cannot Shed Their Kin”—Child abuse, gruesome murder, and, like, a billion snakes! “Blanca Rosa, Mother of Thieves”—Death of an animal (again), desecration of corpse (you saw that coming), a fairy-tale roofie. (Jesus!)

The kingdom was happy and successful, with money literally coming out the wazoo. The palace safe-deposit boxes contained a veritable buttload of coin! Limitless gold poop nuggets provided a sprawling offering of public services. Sure, neighboring countries and petty thieves attempted to force the donkey-bank from the king’s hands. But all he had to do was feed the animal a laxative, and boom! His public safety needs were paid in full. Andrew Lang made the donkey’s superpower more palatable to his Victorian audience in The Grey Fairy Book (1900). He changed the donkey’s mode of payout to its very big ears, rather than what must have been a very sore butthole. The king stayed grounded and likable despite his endless wealth. He was a benevolent leader and adored by his subjects. His wisdom and kindness extended to his court and staff. His queen was the most beautiful woman in the land, with charm to boot. Their daughter was the reflection of her. This royal family was flying high. So, when tragedy struck, it struck hard.

The king made this promise, and, thus contented, the queen took her final breath. The queen didn’t actually give a fuck about her husband or heirs. She couldn’t stomach the idea of him remarrying and thought she could prevent it. Hubris, thy name is this lady! To say the king greatly mourned his wife is an incredible understatement. He sank into a deep depression, wandering the halls, refusing meals, and skipping meetings. This man had not only lost his wife, but the Greatest Wife of All! So, without modern psychology and SSRIs, the king quite literally lost his mind with grief.

The sound of Marlene singing brought Heddie down to earth. Her plan didn’t seem so simple now that the boy was bleeding out in the kitchen. She cleaned up as best she could and propped Jonas’s body up on a chair. Then she retrieved his head and an apple from the trunk, wiped the apple clean, and perched it in his limp hand. She balanced the boy’s head on his neck, but she still had the problem of the gaping neck wound. So she pulled the white scarf she was wearing off her head and tied it around his neck. He’d lost so much blood, the scarf didn’t stain. This is the worst prequel to Weekend at Bernie’s I have ever read. “Mama?” Marlene poked her head into the room. “Can I have that apple now?” Heddie gestured to the boy. “Your brother picked one for you, go ahead and ask him.” She pumped water into a pot. Marlene walked to the table. “Jonas, may I have that apple?” She took in her brother’s pale, silent form, and crept to her mother’s side. “Mama, he’s not answering me.” She frowned. “He doesn’t look so good.” “He’s just ignoring you. Rude little boy!” Heddie put the pot on the fire. “Ask him again, and if he won’t hand it over, box his ears for sassing you.” She gave Marlene a sharp look. Heddie offers the rare representation of wicked stepmother and wicked mother!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection of stories! I think it's a perfect blend of traditional tales and modern adaptations. I found the author's comments hilarious and useful for clarifying certain points.
If you have the opportunity, I recommend listening to the audiobook while reading the book. The narrators are excellent, and the author's comments are even funnier.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review
Fcked Up Fairy Tales by Liz Gotauco

I was lucky enough to be selected as an advanced reader for this book through NetGalley, and to say I was excited is a bit of an understatement. I have followed Liz (may I call you Liz?) on TikTok for a while and have always enjoyed her videos retelling tales we thought we knew all about, as well as giving us some great facts and context to them.

Reading this book was like having a chat with a good friend, the witty commentary from Liz interjected in the Fairy Tales selected were both hilarious and insightful. I have certainly learnt a lot more about the Fairy Tales I have grown up with (Cinderella who? What do you mean there are over 1000 versions!) and I have also been introduced to so many I was not aware of but tie in with the 'classics' and for the most part, are a lot more fun. I feel both smarter and funnier for reading this book and cannot wait to discuss it with more people on its release.

I do not envy the task of whittling down the seemingly endless iterations of Fairy Tales from around the world to the ones selected in this book, and so it does make me so happy that there is a lot of recommended tales (along with a hearty list of Trigger Warnings). There is also a lot of love from me for the Woodblock style illustrations for each tale and I do want some of them as a T-Shirt!

Publish date - 7th October 2025
#FckedUpFairyTales #NetGalley #ARC #ARCReader #Lucky #Bookstagram #Reader #BookLover #FairyTales #TikTokBooks #Debut #Author #LizGotauco #Books #Cinderella #NotForChildren

[Yvette · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Favorite Read of 2025... and not just because the author is a friend and former colleague. I've always loved fairy tales. This is a great collection of not-that- well-known but totally weird fairy tales spanning different cultures and sensibilities. I was moved to both hilarity and disgust. I appreciated the introduction and the commentary sprinkled throughout. That was helpful with the really weird stories. It's obvious that the author did her thoughtful research and didn't just collect fairy tales or rehash bits from her YouTube project (which is a riot). The artwork by sister Jade Gotauco fits perfectly.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of F*cked Up Fairy Tales.

When most people think of fairy tales, they think of the Disney-fied version; beautiful princess meets handsome prince, they have cute, quirky friends and animal sidekicks, a magical villain(ness), a harrowing journey, and happily ever after.

But if anyone has read Grimm and know where fairy tales originated from, you'll find they're really not suitable for children.

Or even adults.

I'm not on social media so I didn't know who the author was so I went into this with an open mind.

First, I loved that the author researched fairy tales from all over the world.

Second, I don't think paraphrasing them for a modern audience means you're a writer but this is an opportunity to gain a broader understanding of how fairy tales come from all cultures and in some way how we view the world and relationships.

I enjoyed the author's snarky comments in the beginning but due to the formatting on my Kindle, it was distracting and disrupted the narrative.

Third, the diverse fairy tales all contain similar elements and it's fun (and discouraging) to see how many patriarchal elements permeate the tales no matter the time period and culture you live in.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and fun read.

I also appreciated the diversity of the fairy tales and the illustrations.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve watched the TikTok series or listened to her Patreon podcast, you know that the author has a gift for story telling. In this book she covers a wide variety of stories from all over the world.

The book is devided into sections covering themes. In addition to humorous asides, there are a references to history, similar stories in other cultures, and notes to help understand context. In “Swipe Right to Your Happy Ending,” the tale “Love is Revolution” has some great thoughts on activism.

Something I haven’t seen in other reviews is comments on the illustration by Jade A Gotauco. The black and white drawings are beautiful pastiches of the tales they accompany and are worth looking back on after completing each story to see how she wove the writing into art.

[Tammy Buchli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved fairy and folk tales, the more bizarre the better. So this book was a natural for me, and, boy did I enjoy it! Each tale is colloquially retold, with amusing asides, popup-style annotations and lots of cussing (which I also love). Perfect for people like me who like crazy stories and have a high tolerance for irreverence and spicy talk. People who dislike profanity should take the warning presented by the title seriously. If you don’t like the F-word, you won’t like this book.

[Scott Lupo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up at the library while browsing the stacks. The title says it all. How could I not check this out? Glad I did. I'm not a social media person so there were references I didn't get but it was still super funny and dark (which is even funnier!). I appreciated the author's research of fairy tales across the globe and the many renditions they take depending on geography, culture, etc. I also enjoy snark, and the author has plenty of it throughout the book. My favorite line: tongue my fart-box. That's good stuff!

[Amber Jahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Liz,

I loved this so much. I would die to audition for the part of Johanna with the pleat (please make a movie). This collection gave me so much laughter. Please write another. I’ll likely buy this book for every woman I know with a warped sense of humor. Thank you.

11.14 update - shared the legend of how the common cold was created….omg amazing…ah-maz-ing

[Caleb Fogler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of stories was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the historical information and alternatives for similar stories based on what culture they are told. Probably not something to read to children, but adults who don’t mind a bit of spicy humor will enjoy this one.

[Kali Denis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun and funny collection of folklore-based stories from around the world. 3.5 stars rounded up

[Victoria Chapes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5⭐️

[Sarah AK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Proof that humans have always been fucked up and weird and gross! But this book made all these stories from around the world supremely hilarious and enjoyable.

[Hex Que · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is wonderfully entertaining and surprisingly informative!
I enjoyed that many of these fairytales were ones that I had not heard of before and the author provided the historical and cultural ties along with relevant information.
Since my kids demanded to know what I was cackling at, I regurgitated some of the puns to them but it is definitely not a bedtime read with the kids.
It was a very good time though.

[Pamela Faust · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that Emmy and I would have written when we were sixteen and weren’t so freaking prissy as teenagers. This book is a collection of fairy tales from around the world. I laughed so many times and I would suggest that anyone read this one. Some of my favorite parts: *As I began researching this story, the Facebook algorithm offered me a set of AI-generated depicting Elon Musk getting cozy with a robot girlfriend. There it was, my modern equivalent of a rich man crafting his ideal mate, better than any joke I could come up with. I sighed, witnessing AI taking my job away in real time. *“Hard pass!” Egle’s father yelled from a window. “As if we’d send our youngest, prettiest daughter to marry a snake!” Wow! We all suspect our parents have a favorite, but to be so blatant about it is something else. *Bold choice, to open my one Mexican folktale with the “lazy Mexican” stereotype! Rest assured, dear reader, this man is the exception, not the rule. *How many of us felt this way as teens, only to look back at our old photos in middle age and think "OMG, look how fuckin’ cute I was! What was I thinking?" “Noemi!” I yell through the page, “you’re so fuckin’ cute!“ *At this point in the story, perhaps you are thinking, “Why would Molly commit such a dangerous deed to secure a marriage for the sister who tied her to a rock and left her for dead?” Based on the evidence, I think Molly was in it more for the story than for the reward. She was the Evel Kneivel of early Scotland, the Johnny Knoxville of fairy-tale folk, a little lady with a taste for big thrills. *At this point in the story, you may be thinking, “Holy hell, is Molly Whupppie the actual villain in this piece?” Why kill that nice old lady who tried to save them? Why bring the pets into it? I’ll be frank: I don’t fuckin’ know and I don’t fuckin’ like it either.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @w.w.norton for the review copy.

What is your favorite fairy tale? My two favorites are Beauty and the Beast and The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

F*cked Up Fairy Tales Is a collection of some of the “strangest and darkest stories humans had the audacity to invent.”

My thoughts on this collection of stories:
• Publication Date is October 7, 2025.

• This was an entertaining book that was perfect for me. I have loved reading Grimm’s Fairy Tales and “real” fairy tales from around the world since I was young. I once read the entire fairy tale, myth, and legends section of my middle school library. Fractured Fairy Tales were my favorite thing to watch as a kid and this collection is the adult version.

• The introduction details the authors research on fairy tales across the world. It was fascinating. There are many similarities between stories, but also some truly odd ball stories.

• There is also a list of trigger warnings before the stories start that was hilarious. Real fairy tales are not Disney stories.

• There were great drawings/illustrations throughout the book.

• In the stories there were little asides from the contemporary point of view. They were hilarious, but also sometimes stopped the flow of the story. The stories are told through contemporary language.

• The stories were from all over the world.

• There were great references at the end of each story for further reading if you enjoyed the story. There was also a great overall reference section at the end of the book.

• F*cked Up Fairy Tales is apparently a TikTok web series. I need to check this out.

• The book was split into five different sections: F*cked Up Family Trees, Swipe Right to Your Happy Ending, So. . . . You Married an Animal, What’s Your Body Count?, and Crappily Ever After.

• Many of the stories made me gasp and think “WTH did I just read?” “OMG” “LOL” I laughed a lot while reading this.

Overall, F*cked Up Fairy Tales by Liz Gotauco is a hilarious book of some of the strangest fairy tales one will ever read. I appreciated the details and facts. It’s perfect for any fan of “real” fairy tales.

This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2025...

[Emmalita · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Liz Gotauco (aka cosbrarian) announced last year that her F*cked Up Fairytales with Liz video series was coming to us in book form, I got very excited. When the arc showed up on NetGalley, I smashed the request button hard. When the e-arc showed up on my kindle, I started to read it very slowly, because in 2025, joy should be savored. Fucked Up Fairytales: Sinful Cinderellas, Prince Alarmings and Other Timeless Classics is everything I hoped it would be.

F*cked Up Fairy Tales is what happens when you let a storytelling nerd (complimentary) off the chain. I have savored reading this lovely book. I spent 3 days just reading the introduction and I went back to it periodically while reading the fairy tales. The collected tales are drawn from all over the world and Liz interjects asides and commentary as she retells the stories. Having watched her video series (starting on TikTok but available elsewhere too), the interjections felt familiar. I could often hear her voice as I was reading. Liz’s love of storytelling comes through on every page.

The tales included do indeed live up to the “f*cked up” descriptor. Fortunately Liz includes content warnings for each story. “The X-Treme Sport of Giant Killing,” a retelling of Scotland’s “Molly Whuppie,” did not at all go the way I expected based on my Disney training. Rather than being the well-behaved milksop, Molly becomes an increasingly unhinged giant killer. “Love is a Revolution,” delves into resistance to colonialism in the Philippines while exploring toxic masculinity and the long term consequences of insulting a goddess, even a goddess you think you’ve co-opted. I enjoyed reading all of the stories, even the ones that horrified me because Liz was right there agreeing that whatever was happening, it was f*cked up.

I liked Jade Gotauco’s illustrations. They reminded me of the illustrations in one of the folk tales books I had as a kid in the 1980s. I can’t wait to have a physical copy in my hand.

I received this as an advance reader copy from W. W. Norton and Co. and NetGalley. I shared online communities with the author for many years, so I can’t consider myself unbiased. My review though is honest and freely given.

[Linda (The Arizona Bookstagrammer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley @netgalley W.W. Norton & Company @w.w.norton and Liz Gotauco @cosbrarian for this free ebook!
“F*cked Up Fairy Tales” by Liz Gotauco⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Fantasy. NOTE: Read the lengthy introduction. It’s fascinating, and has trigger warnings for each story.

Author Liz Gotauco reminds us folklore builds culture/shapes identity, and fairy tales are a genre of folklore-they’re fiction with magic/supernatural elements. Fairytales have dozens of versions, because all stories change, shift, evolve over time-kind of like memes. These are Gotauco’s feminist, f*cked up reimaginings of classic tales based on her popular web series. If you’re easily offended by what you might think of as Woke or “radical leftist” ideas, just go find another book to read. This is not for you. If, on the other hand, you get a kick out of hilarious, shocking, baudy tales, dive in!

I’ve read old, obscure, no-happy-ending fairy tales since I was a child so I loved this! For every wicked stepmother, Gotauco gives us a gaslighting sorcerer; for every royal wedding, an embarrassing public breakup; for every childhood politeness lesson, she hits lust, aging, poetic justice, farts. . Gossipy animals, homicidal royals, doomed commoners, shape-shifting beaux with adult issues, Gotauco’s stories range from accidental bestiality (“So . . . You Married an Animal”) to catastrophic marriages (“Crappily Ever After”) to what to do with your murderous lindworm child (“F*cked Up Family Trees”). She gives us tons of insights into story origins, and weird details about authors. It’s sexy, disturbing, outrageous, and it’s 5⭐️s from me 📚👩🏼‍🦳 #FckedUpFairyTales #netgalley

[Katy Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so fascinating!

Social history fans and those who love these stories will have their eyes widened at the breadth of stories from multiple cultures and periods, with similarities to the small sample we know, and their amazing differences.

I did wonder if Gotauco's constant asides would be annoying, but actually I thought they were witty, informative and added a lot to my enjoyment of the stories.

I studied Fairy Tales as part of a post-grad course in children's literature, so this was just perfect for me. Seeing stories I know but versions of them from other countries and with such ADULT themes, happenings and words oh my! Brilliant.

This is NOT (as the title gives you warning) a book for children. There is fornication, the ripping of wind, body parts left, right and sometimes centre, intimate acts, manipulation and death every which way.

I laughed out loud at a lot of these, shared plot points with friends (to their slight disgust and my delight), and was very pleased to see source material referenced and further reading suggested.

What a collection. I could have read twice the amount of stories, and multiple different versions of favourite childhood tales - it doesn't bother me! The history of fairy tales is incredible, how each culture has come up with the stories, with lessons for different audiences and purposes, and they are still recognisable in structure and plot from those in our own societies, and still incredibly readable (though really should be read aloud!) and entertaining.

Bravo. Loved it. More please.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all know that there are some really screwy fairy tales out there, and I’m happy to say that the author left out the usual ones that most people know, such as the version of sleeping beauty where the prince rapes her while she is asleep, and she gives birth to two children, all while sleeping. No, that weird one isn’t in there. Instead we get stories of clams that become women, and pee in their husbands soup, to give it flavor. Or ones where snakes keep killing their wives, until one learns how to fight back.

The best part of this collection is the comments the author makes, in each story. She doesn’t point out just the usual stuff, but the stuff we may not know, such as what earlier translations have said about each story in the book. Sometimes she will give the alternative endings, or will say that the story didn’t make sense with one ending.

If you want a good collection of unusual fairy and folk tales, then this book is for you. But, if you want your fairy tales sanitized beyond belief, then I pity you, as you are missing out.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published on October 7th 2025.

[Ashley (aneverendingbookstack) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of bawdy, shocking, and hilarious retellings of classic and rare fairy tales — the kind that are far from Disney’s sanitized versions. It dives into twisted, adult versions of folklore featuring crazy themes like accidental bestiality, disastrous marriages, and even dealing with a murderous lindworm child. You'll encounter gossipy animals, homicidal royals, doomed commoners, shape-shifting lovers — all battling adult-sized problems that the original fairy tales quietly skipped over. Add in funny historical tidbits about the Brothers Grimm and Madame d’Aulnoy, plus bold illustrations, and you’ve got a wildly entertaining and edgy fairy tale reboot.

If you're looking for fairy tales that are sexy, disturbing, and outrageously funny — packed with folklore knowledge and delivered with a wink — this book is exactly that: fairy tales turned gloriously messy.
Need it even briefer or with a content warning? Just say the word.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

This book is being published on October 7th 2025.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are not the Disney versions that you remember. They are for adults only now, even though our long ago ancestors used them to scare the pants off their own children. The author even includes trigger warnings referencing animal cruelty, child abuse, and sexual misconduct. These are some seriously F*cked Up Fairy Tales.

That said, the tales are fascinating reading. The author’s somewhat snarky and usually humorous asides echo what present day readers may be thinking about the plots of some of these tales. For example, a snake curls up in your clothing while you are bathing in a lake. What’s a young girl to do? Marrying the snake is not even my 100th guess.

The tales are not just the familiar stories from Western Europe either. There are stories from around the world and from various eras included.

Overall, F*cked Up Fairy Tales is an intriguing and well-researched book showing how non-politically correct our ancestors really were. 5 stars & a favorite!

Thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for providing me with an advanced review copy.

[Maryellen Hess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an entertaining read. Gotauco has done a lot of research on the backgrounds of all the stories and explains their origins and explains what some of the symbols or actions would have meant at the time they were written. The author's writing/narrating also alludes to contemporary culture intermittently. As you would imagine, based on the title, there's quite a bit of profanity and crude language. For me it was part of the fun but it may not be for everyone.

There are new takes on fairy tales which I have read in the past. The biggest difference is that they are not whitewashed from the original stories. When I think back about cartoons and fairy tales I watched and read when I was younger I realize now how much violence some had but it was portrayed in a silly manner. (Wile E. Coyote comes to mind. How many times did he survive an anchor dropping on him?) This book takes all of the blinders off of those stories. It also includes tales I had not read before so they was interesting to hear.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for those of us who teethed on Disney movie fairy tales - the Sleeping Beauties and Snow Whites and Rapunzel's - and who have since grown up. You won't find the sanitized fairy tales of your youth in the pages of this novel. Instead, Liz Gotauco introduces fairy tales and fables from cultures and countries all over the world between its covers. The stories are divided into categories: 'So...You Married an Animal', 'What's Your Body Count?', and 'The Devil Made Her Do It' just to name a few. Within each story recounted, Liz adds her own anecdotes, facts, and personal feelings between paragraphs. This had me feeling like I was gossiping with a friend when reading the stories. The author also gives references at the end of the story and sometimes additional facts about the story. This was such a fun and entertaining read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, W.W. Norton & Company, and Liz Gotauco for the eARC of this book for review.

[Megan O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars!!! As someone who took not one, but two mythology classes in college, this book was extremely for me!! I love learning about various cultures via their folklore, which highlights often the belief systems, cultural norms, and community mindset. This collection of truly messed up fairytales spans the globe, covers every topic imaginable, and is pretty dang entertaining as it’s done!

Broken up into different categories of fairytales/folklore, some hit much harder for me - I generally loved the sections about messed up families, finding love, and falling in love with an animal - but felt less great about the stories in the body count (murder) and crappily ever after (body functions) sections even though the writing was stellar throughout. I loved the modernized language, the aside commentary, and the opportunities to learn more about each story and each culture!!


Thanks so much to Liz Gotauco and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn’t what I was expecting-that’s on me, I didn’t read the summary carefully—but it was a delight. It made me think of a doctoral dissertation on fairy/folk tales if that were hilarious and snarky. I laughed out loud many times while listening to the book.

These aren’t retellings of fairy/folk tales - it’s actually those tales from a wide variety of cultures and an explanation of how the themes are similar across cultures and what that reflects of society. One of my fave lines (to get the tone of the book) was in the Snow White story (Blanca Rosa from Chile). When the prince finds her in her coffin, he “opens it like a f***ing weirdo”. I had to pause the audio because I couldn’t stop giggling. And there was a lot like that - note if curse it’s bother you, there are a fair number of them.

This was fun as an audio for commutes (relatively short chapters) but I think would also be great as a physical book.

[Allison Cary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of old folk stories, myths, legends, and classic fairytales. It’s divided into five categories, including Family Trees, Happy Endings, Bestiality, Murder, and Bodily Fluids.

This book was almost awesome, but it just missed the mark for me. I loved reading the original tales and learning how these stories came to be, which regions shaped them, why they existed, and how they influenced childhood and culture. It was fun relating them to today’s world and breaking them apart.

The author’s commentary had moments that were genuinely funny, but some of it was a swing and a miss. I listened and read at the same time, and with all the little author interruptions, reading ended up being the only way to get through it.

I would have enjoyed more of the fun history and fewer jokes, but I still appreciated the concept and liked the short stories overall.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Norton for my #gifted ARC. My thoughts are my own.

I struggle to categorize this book in my mind--it's like nonfiction, in that it is relating fairy tales from around the world and how they have developed and evolved over the years. But it has lots of side-comments and snark, and is very good at showing these stories through a modern lens. The stories themselves are deeply human and serious, but told in an entertaining, lighthearted, and approachable way (even though some of the themes are horrifying!). I enjoyed it, though I did take care to review the extensive trigger warnings at the outset (which I LOVED!!!!!) and I took care accordingly. I also excitedly did a deep dive on her web series, which is equally entertaining, informative, and approachable. The use of fairy tales/fables to comment on society, inform culture, and as a vehicle for the transmission of mores is a fascinating concept. This book was great--It's like hiding vitamins in gummy bears--you know you're learning important stuff, but it's fun!

[Foxx Writer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of fairy tales like no other! with cussing, spitting, cannibalism, and more! you won't find sleeping beauty in here. (or if you do, it certainly won't be the one your used to) filled with the most disgusting, disturbing, and deranged tales you can thing of! each one with special commentary by the author, and collected into themed groupings. with stories that made me howl with laughter, cringe with second hand embarrassment, and even feel a little queasy, this is a collection of some of the wildest, worst, best, and most F*cked up stories you could ever want to read. highly recommended for anyone with a fascination with the grim, or those with a twisted sense of humor!

Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company ad Netgalley for this Arc.