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Toad Words and Other Stories
From author T. Kingfisher comes a collection of fairy-tale retellings for adults. By turns funny and dark, sad and lyrical, this anthology draws together in one volume such stories as "The Wolf and the Woodsman," "Loathly," and "Bluebeard's Wife," along with an all-new novella, "Boar & Apples."
Author's Note: Many of these stories have appeared in various forms on the author's blog.
Author's Note: Many of these stories have appeared in various forms on the author's blog.
131 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2014
117 people are currently reading
4077 people want to read
About the author
T. Kingfisher
58 books24.8k followersT. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
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August 18, 2020
4.5 stars for this fine collection of folk and fairy tale-based fantasy short stories by Ursula Vernon (T. Kingfisher). (Reorganizing this review to fix the mess the GR librarians made when they - incorrectly! - merged some of my reviews here.) Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
T. Kingfisher is the name used by author Ursula Vernon for her adult fiction, although some of her T. Kingfisher works fall into the young adult category, like The Seventh Bride, and some of her Ursula Vernon works are adult works, like her wonderful Nebula award-winning short story Jackalope Wives. Regardless of the name she uses, I’ve been searching out her fiction ever since reading “Jackalope Wives.” T. Kingfisher writes lovely fairy tale retellings and other folk and fairy tale-flavored fantasies, usually with a twist, sometimes dark and disturbing, always thoughtful.
In Toad Words and Other Stories, T. Kingfisher has collected many of her folk and fairy tale-based short stories. This collection includes eight stories based off of old tales such as “Toads and Diamonds,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Peter Pan,” and others, including one that was entirely new to me, the “Loathly Lady.” Three short original poems, also fairy-tale themed, are included in this collection.
The title story, “Toad Words,” is a very brief tale in which the sister who was cursed to have amphibians fall from her lips every time she speaks (the result of speaking rudely to a fairy), tells how she unexpectedly discovered some hidden benefits of her curse.
“The Wolf and the Woodsman” is a twisted version of “Little Red Riding Hood,” where a girl named Turtle ― who actually doesn’t wear a hood of any color, let alone red (“that was added later because it alliterated”) ― helps her grandmother and a kindly wolf take care of a problem with an overly familiar woodsman. Though the story veers away from the classic tale, there are several humorous callbacks to some of the time-honored lines in the original.
“Bluebeard’s Wife” This story is another, very different take on the Bluebeard folk tale, from the point of view of Bluebeard’s wife. In this version, Althea, the wife, has two prying sisters who have annoyed and badgered her all her life. As a result, Althea has a deep sympathy towards her husband’s demand for the one room at the top of the tower in their manor to remain private. So when he entrusts her with the key to the room, she informs him she really has no interest in peeking in his room, and drops the key in an urn … and just leaves it there.
Ursula Vernon (aka T. Kingfisher) commented on her blog, where she originally published this story: “I am honestly rather sympathetic to Althea here, because I would be the woman on camera going ‘No, I had no idea he was a serial killer!’ that nobody believes. You get used to things, you don’t have a suspicious mind, and…well. … Knowing someone has done horribly evil things doesn’t neatly replace all your knowledge of living with someone, does it? What are you supposed to feel, and what do you really wind up feeling instead?”
The twist here is an intriguing one, as Kingfisher explores the ramifications of Bluebeard’s wife having this type of personality, but otherwise this version of the tale is very quick and one-note. Kingfisher’s later retelling of Bluebeard, her YA novel The Seventh Bride, is much more imaginative and memorable. Free online on T. Kingfisher's website: http://tkingfisher.com/?page_id=212
“Loathly” is based on the medieval “Loathly Lady” stories, which now have fallen into obscurity, but are based on the motif of a woman who is enchanted to appear physically repulsive, and is transformed into a beauty when a man desires her in spite of initial ugliness. In this story, Kingfisher takes a very dark (and adult) view of the woman’s enchantment, which forces her to make untenable demands of traveling knights, and kill them when they refuse to comply … and of the way that various knights react to the situation, as well as the woman herself. It is a grim and rather gruesome tale, but also a poignant one.
“The Sea Witch Sets the Record Straight” is another brief, amusing twist on the classic tale. Ursula, the sea witch, explains that she really didn’t want the mermaid’s voice for herself, but took it to protect the secret of their underwater society:
“Never” is another very dark story, based on the Peter Pan tale. The Lost Boys and the occasional girl stolen by Pan to live with him in Neverland actually lead a wretched existence. There are reasons no one ever gets old in Neverland. It’s a disturbing and melancholy tale, with a few haunting revelations, and one of the most memorable stories in this collection.
“Night” is a one-page vignette about the cast members who put on the eternal show of starry nights, eon after eon, for very slowly evolving life forms. It’s an imaginative and humorous tale, so brief that it’s not particularly notable, but it makes a nice amuse-bouche preceding the final tale in this collection.
Boar & Apples, my favorite in this collection, is a novella-length retelling of “Snow White,” in which Snow hangs out with seven talking boars and feral pigs, rather than dwarves. I loved that twist, along with a few others in this novella. Snow is a very pale, generally biddable girl with a stubborn streak. Her mother, the queen, is a cruel woman with no love at all for others, including her own child.
I love Kingfisher’s voice in these tales ― they’re filled with dry humor and whimsical details that make reading them a delight, and they’re often quite insightful about human nature and life. If you’re a fan of fairy tale retellings, this collection shouldn’t be missed, especially since it’s only $3.99 for the ebook. Several of the short stories in this collection are available to read free online; Kingfisher generously lists her online short fiction here on her website, including more that aren’t included in this Toad Words and Other Stories collection.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the author in exchange for a review. Thank you!
T. Kingfisher is the name used by author Ursula Vernon for her adult fiction, although some of her T. Kingfisher works fall into the young adult category, like The Seventh Bride, and some of her Ursula Vernon works are adult works, like her wonderful Nebula award-winning short story Jackalope Wives. Regardless of the name she uses, I’ve been searching out her fiction ever since reading “Jackalope Wives.” T. Kingfisher writes lovely fairy tale retellings and other folk and fairy tale-flavored fantasies, usually with a twist, sometimes dark and disturbing, always thoughtful.
In Toad Words and Other Stories, T. Kingfisher has collected many of her folk and fairy tale-based short stories. This collection includes eight stories based off of old tales such as “Toads and Diamonds,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Peter Pan,” and others, including one that was entirely new to me, the “Loathly Lady.” Three short original poems, also fairy-tale themed, are included in this collection.
The title story, “Toad Words,” is a very brief tale in which the sister who was cursed to have amphibians fall from her lips every time she speaks (the result of speaking rudely to a fairy), tells how she unexpectedly discovered some hidden benefits of her curse.
“You’ll grow into it,” the fairy godmother said. “Some curses have cloth-of-gold linings.” She considered this, and her finger drifted to her lower lip, the way it did when she was forgetting things. “Mind you, some curses just grind you down and leave you broken. Some blessings do that too, though.”“Toad Words” is a short but impactful tale that will particularly resonate with readers who are concerned about endangered species.
“The Wolf and the Woodsman” is a twisted version of “Little Red Riding Hood,” where a girl named Turtle ― who actually doesn’t wear a hood of any color, let alone red (“that was added later because it alliterated”) ― helps her grandmother and a kindly wolf take care of a problem with an overly familiar woodsman. Though the story veers away from the classic tale, there are several humorous callbacks to some of the time-honored lines in the original.
“Bluebeard’s Wife” This story is another, very different take on the Bluebeard folk tale, from the point of view of Bluebeard’s wife. In this version, Althea, the wife, has two prying sisters who have annoyed and badgered her all her life. As a result, Althea has a deep sympathy towards her husband’s demand for the one room at the top of the tower in their manor to remain private. So when he entrusts her with the key to the room, she informs him she really has no interest in peeking in his room, and drops the key in an urn … and just leaves it there.
Ursula Vernon (aka T. Kingfisher) commented on her blog, where she originally published this story: “I am honestly rather sympathetic to Althea here, because I would be the woman on camera going ‘No, I had no idea he was a serial killer!’ that nobody believes. You get used to things, you don’t have a suspicious mind, and…well. … Knowing someone has done horribly evil things doesn’t neatly replace all your knowledge of living with someone, does it? What are you supposed to feel, and what do you really wind up feeling instead?”
The twist here is an intriguing one, as Kingfisher explores the ramifications of Bluebeard’s wife having this type of personality, but otherwise this version of the tale is very quick and one-note. Kingfisher’s later retelling of Bluebeard, her YA novel The Seventh Bride, is much more imaginative and memorable. Free online on T. Kingfisher's website: http://tkingfisher.com/?page_id=212
“Loathly” is based on the medieval “Loathly Lady” stories, which now have fallen into obscurity, but are based on the motif of a woman who is enchanted to appear physically repulsive, and is transformed into a beauty when a man desires her in spite of initial ugliness. In this story, Kingfisher takes a very dark (and adult) view of the woman’s enchantment, which forces her to make untenable demands of traveling knights, and kill them when they refuse to comply … and of the way that various knights react to the situation, as well as the woman herself. It is a grim and rather gruesome tale, but also a poignant one.
“The Sea Witch Sets the Record Straight” is another brief, amusing twist on the classic tale. Ursula, the sea witch, explains that she really didn’t want the mermaid’s voice for herself, but took it to protect the secret of their underwater society:
No, I took her voice for two simple reasons ― she was a twit and she was in love. I took one look at her and knew that she’d spill everything she knew in that pretty human boy’s ear, and then where would we be?So Ursula gives the mermaid’s voice to an albatross who has ambitions of being an opera star. It’s not her fault that the prince isn’t really interested in an odd mute girl who’s rather ditzy, however beautiful!
“Never” is another very dark story, based on the Peter Pan tale. The Lost Boys and the occasional girl stolen by Pan to live with him in Neverland actually lead a wretched existence. There are reasons no one ever gets old in Neverland. It’s a disturbing and melancholy tale, with a few haunting revelations, and one of the most memorable stories in this collection.
“Night” is a one-page vignette about the cast members who put on the eternal show of starry nights, eon after eon, for very slowly evolving life forms. It’s an imaginative and humorous tale, so brief that it’s not particularly notable, but it makes a nice amuse-bouche preceding the final tale in this collection.
Boar & Apples, my favorite in this collection, is a novella-length retelling of “Snow White,” in which Snow hangs out with seven talking boars and feral pigs, rather than dwarves. I loved that twist, along with a few others in this novella. Snow is a very pale, generally biddable girl with a stubborn streak. Her mother, the queen, is a cruel woman with no love at all for others, including her own child.
The queen’s witchblood came from an ancestor many years removed, who had loved a troll and been loved in return with little thought for the consequences … The queen’s blood ran hot and cold, and when she had found the mirror, she had no thought but to use it. The demon did not have to seduce her with words or visions; she came essentially pre-seduced. This offended the demon’s notion of its own craftsmanship, but it did save time.When the neglected Snow turns seventeen, the demon in the mirror tells the now-aging queen that Snow is fairer than her ― mostly just to stir up trouble. The queen orders the huntsman to kill Snow; he takes her far from the castle, where they run into a group of wild hogs that are interested in having a human stay with them and help them with their needs (preparing meals and helping them sell the truffles they gather). The hogs have distinct and often amusing personalities. And Snow slowly comes to “the end of what being quiet and biddable could do for her” … which is a very good thing, once the queen is finally told the truth by the gleeful mirror.
I love Kingfisher’s voice in these tales ― they’re filled with dry humor and whimsical details that make reading them a delight, and they’re often quite insightful about human nature and life. If you’re a fan of fairy tale retellings, this collection shouldn’t be missed, especially since it’s only $3.99 for the ebook. Several of the short stories in this collection are available to read free online; Kingfisher generously lists her online short fiction here on her website, including more that aren’t included in this Toad Words and Other Stories collection.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the author in exchange for a review. Thank you!
June 16, 2016
I'd read the title story from this author (aka Ursula Vernon, for her kids' books) some time ago online, and it made an indelible impression. It sets a high bar for its companion stories to get over, but they stand up well even in comparison, especially "Never" and "Boar and Apples".
Especially "Never". Oh my yes. On so many levels.
Mode/subgrenre is fairy tales retold for 21st C. grownups of all ages, interrogating the text with a lot of skiffy-minded logical questions, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking.
Underpriced for the value, frankly. Highly recommended.
Ta, L.
Later: Also read Nine Goblins. Great fun mainly for the protags, especially the elvish veterinarian, although the goblin sergeant runs him a close second. A gruesome bit toward the end. But a fascinating take on wizards. And an appreciation of the exhaustion of responsibility that must have come from real-life experience, in whatever form.
Ta, L.
Especially "Never". Oh my yes. On so many levels.
Mode/subgrenre is fairy tales retold for 21st C. grownups of all ages, interrogating the text with a lot of skiffy-minded logical questions, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking.
Underpriced for the value, frankly. Highly recommended.
Ta, L.
Later: Also read Nine Goblins. Great fun mainly for the protags, especially the elvish veterinarian, although the goblin sergeant runs him a close second. A gruesome bit toward the end. But a fascinating take on wizards. And an appreciation of the exhaustion of responsibility that must have come from real-life experience, in whatever form.
Ta, L.
December 31, 2017
WELCOME TO DECEMBER PROJECT!
last year, i carved out my own short story advent calendar as my project for december, and it was so much fun i decided to do it again this year! so, each day during the month of december, i will be reading a short story and doing the barest minimum of a review because ain't no one got time for that and i'm already so far behind in all the things. however, i will be posting story links in case anyone wants to read the stories themselves and show off how maybe someone could have time for that.
here is a link to the first story in last year's project,
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
which in turn links to the whole monthlong project, in case you wanna do some free short story reading of your own! links to the stories in this year's advent-ure will be at the end of each review.
enjoy, and the happiest of decembers to you all!
DECEMBER 13
There was a girl who died every morning, and it would not have been a problem except that she kept bees.
so, although i have loved ursula vernon/t. kingfisher's stories so far, this one just didn't do it for me. it's too short and too... uneventful, maybe? i dunno, i guess i need more than 736 words to reel me in. tadiana's review is worth checking out - it sure helped me with context. i live in queens, not brooklyn, so i don't know anything about bees
and i was grateful for the info about traditional beekeeping customs as they appear in this story. if you like very short stories about bees, go get it!
read it for yourself here:
http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/te...
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last year, i carved out my own short story advent calendar as my project for december, and it was so much fun i decided to do it again this year! so, each day during the month of december, i will be reading a short story and doing the barest minimum of a review because ain't no one got time for that and i'm already so far behind in all the things. however, i will be posting story links in case anyone wants to read the stories themselves and show off how maybe someone could have time for that.
here is a link to the first story in last year's project,
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
which in turn links to the whole monthlong project, in case you wanna do some free short story reading of your own! links to the stories in this year's advent-ure will be at the end of each review.
enjoy, and the happiest of decembers to you all!
DECEMBER 13
There was a girl who died every morning, and it would not have been a problem except that she kept bees.
so, although i have loved ursula vernon/t. kingfisher's stories so far, this one just didn't do it for me. it's too short and too... uneventful, maybe? i dunno, i guess i need more than 736 words to reel me in. tadiana's review is worth checking out - it sure helped me with context. i live in queens, not brooklyn, so i don't know anything about bees
and i was grateful for the info about traditional beekeeping customs as they appear in this story. if you like very short stories about bees, go get it!
read it for yourself here:
http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/te...
DECEMBER 1
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April 9, 2024
“Fairy tales are human things which we have chewed over since before we could eat solid food.”
Please don’t be fooled into thinking this collection is cute and light. I did at first then quickly realized it was actually more like original fairytales! It was very well done, but there are some darker themes and notable trigger warnings that may not be suitable for some readers. Some I identified are as follows:
TW: violence, sexual assault, murder, suicide
All that being said, I think this is a great introduction to T. Kingfisher’s writing! It was my first time delving into her work, and I have plans to read some of her full-length novels.
Toad Words ★★★★☆
“Frogs fall out of my mouth when I talk. Toads, too.”
Moral of story: making the best out of whatever curse or blessing is bestowed upon you.
The Wolf and the Woodsman ★★★★★
A twisty retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Have you ever wondered why the wolf was actually pretending to be Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother in the first place? Perhaps there were other motives.
Bluebeard’s Wife ★★★★★
“She’d just thought that the world was a complicated place, and everyone in it deserved a little bit of privacy, and perhaps a room of one’s own.”
This is about the conflicts of privacy. Especially in a marriage. Shocking twists and turn of events! I felt for the FMC in this one.
Loathly ★★★★★
"I may die of the change, but I would rather die than live like this."
This is about being true to yourself no matter what happens. It was also quite ghastly!
The Sea Witch Sets The Record Straight ★★★★☆
“I didn’t take her voice for myself. I want to set the record straight on that, right up front.”
The Sea Witch’s Confession. Very fun and comical!
Never ★★★☆☆
“You didn’t grow up in Neverland. You didn’t get a chance.”
Peter Pan retelling – kind of ruined things for me! Quite disturbing and definitely the darkest story in the collection!
Bait ★★★★★
Very haunting short story! So much atmosphere with so little words.
Night ★★★★☆
“ ‘Night’ is the longest running show in the universe.”
A love letter to the night. Beautiful and memorable.
Boar and Apples ★★★★☆
A twisty Snow White retelling, also the longest short story of the collection. But also very worth it. The twists are a lot of fun!
Odd Season ★★★☆☆
Short, fairytale poem.
2024 Monster Mash Challenge
|Frankenstein Category|
◇ Read a book with the color green on the cover. ✔️
Please don’t be fooled into thinking this collection is cute and light. I did at first then quickly realized it was actually more like original fairytales! It was very well done, but there are some darker themes and notable trigger warnings that may not be suitable for some readers. Some I identified are as follows:
TW: violence, sexual assault, murder, suicide
All that being said, I think this is a great introduction to T. Kingfisher’s writing! It was my first time delving into her work, and I have plans to read some of her full-length novels.
Toad Words ★★★★☆
“Frogs fall out of my mouth when I talk. Toads, too.”
Moral of story: making the best out of whatever curse or blessing is bestowed upon you.
The Wolf and the Woodsman ★★★★★
A twisty retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Have you ever wondered why the wolf was actually pretending to be Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother in the first place? Perhaps there were other motives.
Bluebeard’s Wife ★★★★★
“She’d just thought that the world was a complicated place, and everyone in it deserved a little bit of privacy, and perhaps a room of one’s own.”
This is about the conflicts of privacy. Especially in a marriage. Shocking twists and turn of events! I felt for the FMC in this one.
Loathly ★★★★★
"I may die of the change, but I would rather die than live like this."
This is about being true to yourself no matter what happens. It was also quite ghastly!
The Sea Witch Sets The Record Straight ★★★★☆
“I didn’t take her voice for myself. I want to set the record straight on that, right up front.”
The Sea Witch’s Confession. Very fun and comical!
Never ★★★☆☆
“You didn’t grow up in Neverland. You didn’t get a chance.”
Peter Pan retelling – kind of ruined things for me! Quite disturbing and definitely the darkest story in the collection!
Bait ★★★★★
Very haunting short story! So much atmosphere with so little words.
Night ★★★★☆
“ ‘Night’ is the longest running show in the universe.”
A love letter to the night. Beautiful and memorable.
Boar and Apples ★★★★☆
A twisty Snow White retelling, also the longest short story of the collection. But also very worth it. The twists are a lot of fun!
Odd Season ★★★☆☆
Short, fairytale poem.
2024 Monster Mash Challenge
|Frankenstein Category|
◇ Read a book with the color green on the cover. ✔️
April 16, 2023
I really love T. Kingfisher's/Vernon's short stories and short fiction, actually more than the full length novels. I left this anthology for last (crossing fingers she writes more short stories...), perhaps because I am a bit tired of fairy tale retellings and this is a fairy tale retelling anthology mostly with a Peter Pan spinoff some abstractish poems and "Night" is basically about the universe. It does not include all of the author's fairy tale retellings, there is at least one in Jackalope Wives and Other Stories.
In all, liked it very much, but not as strong an anthology, not as many stories, nor as varied as Jackalope Wives and Other Stories. The longest story, Boar & Apples" a Snow White retelling also felt too long and at the same time eluding the relationship stuff I wanted to see at the end (I am basic...). Bluebeard's Wife feels Roald Dahl'esque which is an interesting mode for a fairy tale retelling and truly clicked for me But then again almost all of the stories clicked very much for me, the old ladies and young teens, the common sense pervasive...
By the way, great cover blurb "T. Kingfisher writes like I would if I were using a penname"- Ursula Vernon.
In all, liked it very much, but not as strong an anthology, not as many stories, nor as varied as Jackalope Wives and Other Stories. The longest story, Boar & Apples" a Snow White retelling also felt too long and at the same time eluding the relationship stuff I wanted to see at the end (I am basic...). Bluebeard's Wife feels Roald Dahl'esque which is an interesting mode for a fairy tale retelling and truly clicked for me But then again almost all of the stories clicked very much for me, the old ladies and young teens, the common sense pervasive...
By the way, great cover blurb "T. Kingfisher writes like I would if I were using a penname"- Ursula Vernon.
November 9, 2024
It's always worth taking a look at T. Kingfisher's older works, because the woman has been writing fantastic stories for years and years now. This collection was mostly fairy-tale retellings and I basically liked every single story in here. Some were only short glimpses into fantastical worlds, others retold familiar tales in their entirety (the Snow-White retelling "Boar and Apples" even went on a little to long for my taste). My favorite story was "Loathly", about a girl who was turned into a bear-like monster and is now cursed to kill every knight that refuses to meet her demands.
October 16, 2018
T. Kingfisher is quickly becoming one of my favourite Fantasists merely because of how much I've enjoyed her fairy tale retellings, all of them so lovely, whimsical and that always manage to elicit a smile. She's so imaginative and at times irreverent, but always delivers it with a good dose of humour.
This anthology wasn't different from expected, if shorter than normal. It contains 11 short stories that retell classic fairy tales and one Arthurian-style legend. Not all of the retellings are short stories, three of them are poems, but all do take inspiration from a tale or legend. For me, the best ones were "The Wolf and the Woodsman" (A Little Red Riding Hood remake with a twist: Red isn't as oblivious as she is usually painted), "Loathly" (the one knightly tale with a rather dark twist; it's a sort of Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady retelling from the perspective of the Loathly Lady. Tragic story.), and "The Sea Witch Sets the Record Straight" (The Little Mermaid from Ursula's point of view, comical all round).
This anthology wasn't different from expected, if shorter than normal. It contains 11 short stories that retell classic fairy tales and one Arthurian-style legend. Not all of the retellings are short stories, three of them are poems, but all do take inspiration from a tale or legend. For me, the best ones were "The Wolf and the Woodsman" (A Little Red Riding Hood remake with a twist: Red isn't as oblivious as she is usually painted), "Loathly" (the one knightly tale with a rather dark twist; it's a sort of Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady retelling from the perspective of the Loathly Lady. Tragic story.), and "The Sea Witch Sets the Record Straight" (The Little Mermaid from Ursula's point of view, comical all round).
Read
August 29, 2017I glommed an absurd amount of T Kingfisher on my holidays, basically consuming her entire adult backlist, and I regret nothing except that there aren't more. This is a delightful collection of stories, as imaginative and elegantly written and readable as one would expect from this author. I find her combination of humour, sharp insight and kind-heartedness incredibly soothing to my soul.
September 9, 2023
Trigger warning: Rape.
Absolutely loved all of the short stories!
Put me in a fall/horror mood.
I definitely loved the spins on Bluebeard’s Wife and Snow White.
Full Review:
"The Wolf and the Woodsman"-so fantastic. Loved the retelling of Red Riding Hood and a very dangerous character who is not who you would expect. I also laughed at Kingfisher adding in the detail no one would run around in a red cloak, who has that kind of dye and money to do this.
"Bluebeard's Wife"-Well what can you say when you actually respect someone's privacy and it still turns out wrong? I loved this twist on Bluebeard and what happened to his last wife.
"Loathly"-is based on the medieval “Loathly Lady” stories, based on the motif of a woman who is enchanted to appear physically repulsive, and is transformed into a beauty when a man desires her in spite of initial ugliness. This is a very dark tale and I have to say that it goes on to the point that you are wondering if there is an end, and then you get there.
"The Sea Witch Sets the Record Straight"-I maybe laughed through this whole tale of us having "Ursula" letting us know why she supposedly took the little mermaid's voice.
"Never"-Based on Peter Pan, but it's a dark Peter Pan that explains what happens to the children when they start to grow up. It's grim as heck by the way.
"Night"-Really short, just a tale of a circus that puts on a nightly show for various life forms.
"Boar & Apples"-Retelling of Snow White that I thought was cleverly done, there are no dwarves in this version. And I loved that Snow White seemed to be "more" here than in the classic or Disney tale.
Absolutely loved all of the short stories!
Put me in a fall/horror mood.
I definitely loved the spins on Bluebeard’s Wife and Snow White.
Full Review:
"The Wolf and the Woodsman"-so fantastic. Loved the retelling of Red Riding Hood and a very dangerous character who is not who you would expect. I also laughed at Kingfisher adding in the detail no one would run around in a red cloak, who has that kind of dye and money to do this.
"Bluebeard's Wife"-Well what can you say when you actually respect someone's privacy and it still turns out wrong? I loved this twist on Bluebeard and what happened to his last wife.
"Loathly"-is based on the medieval “Loathly Lady” stories, based on the motif of a woman who is enchanted to appear physically repulsive, and is transformed into a beauty when a man desires her in spite of initial ugliness. This is a very dark tale and I have to say that it goes on to the point that you are wondering if there is an end, and then you get there.
"The Sea Witch Sets the Record Straight"-I maybe laughed through this whole tale of us having "Ursula" letting us know why she supposedly took the little mermaid's voice.
"Never"-Based on Peter Pan, but it's a dark Peter Pan that explains what happens to the children when they start to grow up. It's grim as heck by the way.
"Night"-Really short, just a tale of a circus that puts on a nightly show for various life forms.
"Boar & Apples"-Retelling of Snow White that I thought was cleverly done, there are no dwarves in this version. And I loved that Snow White seemed to be "more" here than in the classic or Disney tale.
March 31, 2024
I finally got around to reading this 2014 volume of early T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon fairy-tale retellings. They're all worth reading (OK, I skimmed the poetry offerings), but of course I liked some more than others. Over half the length, and at least half the fun, was from her novella-length and very unusual Snow White story, "Boar & Apples." Boars are heavily involved, as is a nunnery, apples, truffles, and potatoes. And an exceptionally nasty Witch Queen. Bravo!
My least favorite was the Peter Pan retelling, but it certainly had moments. And I see that one was Bujold's favorite! So, if you've missed this collection, you are in for some treats, and likely your list of favorites will be different than mine. Not to be missed, if you're a Vernon/Kingfisher fan. I certainly got my $4 worth, and have posted some (non-spoiler) Kindle highlights.
Have fun! I plan to reread these down the line.
ToC and story details: https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?...
My Kindle highlights: https://www.goodreads.com/notes/22877...
My least favorite was the Peter Pan retelling, but it certainly had moments. And I see that one was Bujold's favorite! So, if you've missed this collection, you are in for some treats, and likely your list of favorites will be different than mine. Not to be missed, if you're a Vernon/Kingfisher fan. I certainly got my $4 worth, and have posted some (non-spoiler) Kindle highlights.
Have fun! I plan to reread these down the line.
ToC and story details: https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?...
My Kindle highlights: https://www.goodreads.com/notes/22877...
August 28, 2016
If you’ve been following my reactions to T. Kingfisher’s longer retellings, it’s probably no surprise that I enjoyed this collection of short stories. Despite the stated belief that she can’t write short stories, this should make it very obvious that she can: with wry humour, with tenderness, with care, with cleverness. Each of these stories has its own spin on the original fairytales; each has its own voice and shape, and sometimes it goes quite far from the original — but always in a way that I really enjoy. For example, the talking boars in ‘Boar & Apples’, which is a skewed retelling of Snow White.
If you’re not reading T. Kingfisher yet, this would make a good introduction; there’s plenty of bang for your buck here, because the stories give you a taster of all the author’s talents (rather than being a single story like Bryony and Roses or The Raven and the Reindeer). Mind you, it’s not like the other books are very expensive either; I totally recommend going for it and having a binge, if you enjoy fairytale retellings.
Of course, not all the stories were 100% to my taste, but that always happens, especially with short stories — I’m picky. It’s a strong enough collection that I think what appeals to me less could well be someone else’s favourite.
(My favourite story was ‘Loathly’; though it doesn’t explicitly reference Arthuriana, I enjoyed this take on the Loathly Lady a lot.)
Originally posted here.
If you’re not reading T. Kingfisher yet, this would make a good introduction; there’s plenty of bang for your buck here, because the stories give you a taster of all the author’s talents (rather than being a single story like Bryony and Roses or The Raven and the Reindeer). Mind you, it’s not like the other books are very expensive either; I totally recommend going for it and having a binge, if you enjoy fairytale retellings.
Of course, not all the stories were 100% to my taste, but that always happens, especially with short stories — I’m picky. It’s a strong enough collection that I think what appeals to me less could well be someone else’s favourite.
(My favourite story was ‘Loathly’; though it doesn’t explicitly reference Arthuriana, I enjoyed this take on the Loathly Lady a lot.)
Originally posted here.
June 28, 2024
3.5⭐
I really love T. Kingfisher and I enjoyed these short fairytale retellings.
My favourite of the entire collection was probably "The Wolf and the Woodsman" - a fun and interesting twist on the classic Red Riding Hood story.
P.S. I laughed so hard at the blurb on the cover - Kingfisher cracks me up.
I really love T. Kingfisher and I enjoyed these short fairytale retellings.
My favourite of the entire collection was probably "The Wolf and the Woodsman" - a fun and interesting twist on the classic Red Riding Hood story.
P.S. I laughed so hard at the blurb on the cover - Kingfisher cracks me up.
May 20, 2023
Years ago I found a short story online called Toad Words. Never knew who wrote it. I've come across it several times since then and every single time it catches in my mind in a way I can't quite articulate. Years after my initial reading of that story I discovered T. Kingfisher. And a few years later still I picked up this book. That story that I loved so much came to mind but I thought "that would be a weird coincidence, wouldn't it?"
And it was a weird coincidence. That beloved story is the title work in this collection. When I found it in this book I read it twice back to back. And then I read it again the next morning for good measure. I knew I loved T. Kingfisher's writing. And now I know I have loved it far longer than I thought. She continues to create magic.
The story in question can be read for free here: https://ursulav.livejournal.com/15901...
I encourage you to read it. Then go read this whole collection. And everything she has ever written. I'm making my own attempt to do so. But first, I think one more reading of Toad Words before I continue.
And it was a weird coincidence. That beloved story is the title work in this collection. When I found it in this book I read it twice back to back. And then I read it again the next morning for good measure. I knew I loved T. Kingfisher's writing. And now I know I have loved it far longer than I thought. She continues to create magic.
The story in question can be read for free here: https://ursulav.livejournal.com/15901...
I encourage you to read it. Then go read this whole collection. And everything she has ever written. I'm making my own attempt to do so. But first, I think one more reading of Toad Words before I continue.
October 29, 2025
RTC!!
August 8, 2014
It's really difficult for me to review short story anthologies, because I am TERRIBLE at stopping and letting one story rest and germinate a review in my head before I start the next one. It's like... did you know that many books have CHAPTER BREAKS, where average mortals STOP READING AND GO TO SLEEP? That is also not my strongest concept.
So instead the stories all end up happening in the same world for me, even when they obviously aren't. Oops. But happily, because this book had a folk-tale theme, at least it worked out ok for me. Maybe I'll do it like a middle school awards assembly?
Creepiest goes to The Wolf and the Woodsman, for a really excellent and bone-chilling depiction of stalking.
Never gets the award for Most Heartbreaking because there's no way out.
Boar and Apples wins for Most Satisfying. It has everything I didn't know I wanted, including a charming pun as a central premise.
Bluebeard's Wife gets Most Wistful, for depictions of just wanting a little respect and privacy.
Loathly was in the running for Most Wistful, but will have to settle for Most Misandrist. In a good way. Magic is terrible, kids.
As for the poetry, I think that poetry is arrows shot at a smaller mark than prose, but I really enjoyed Bait for the way it required reading through and then listening to. Poetry, man. It's wicked hard.
Vernon's writing style is wry, and detached, and observational. It keeps a lot of things from becoming overly sentimental. And once in a while she hits a turn of phrase that makes me wish more people could do what she does.
~He had apparently been a very evil man, but not actually a bad one.~
And sometimes it's so funny and true that you can't help but sort of huff out a laugh.
~(I wish I could do salamanders. I would read Clive Barker novels aloud and seed the streams with efts and hellbenders. I would fly to Mexico and read love poems in another language to restore the axolotl. Alas, it’s frogs and toads and nothing more. We make do.) ~
(Clive Barker WOULD produce salamanders. Then I had to think about what amphibians other writers would produce. Imagine the sad little mudskippers you'd get from reading Clive Cussler instead.)
~(The seamstress had always had a great desire to sew something with puffed sleeves, and the fact that Snow stared at them with great astonishment and mild indignation did nothing to diminish her moment of glory.) ~
AHAHAHAHA PUFFED SLEEVES.
Read if: You, too, grew up on retold fairy tales and Anne of Green Gables. And if you like people who keep their authorial wits about them instead of getting carried away.
Skip if: You are a nice earnest person who will not appreciate realizing that this whole beautiful story was probably born as a late-night pun.
Also read: Seas of Venus, for a MASTERFUL construction of an entire novella leading to a TERRIBLE pun. And, um, The Girls of the Kingfisher Club for another narrator not afraid to let you know she's there.
Oh! And Jane Yolen's Sleeping Ugly. You should certainly read that, too. Yup.
So instead the stories all end up happening in the same world for me, even when they obviously aren't. Oops. But happily, because this book had a folk-tale theme, at least it worked out ok for me. Maybe I'll do it like a middle school awards assembly?
Creepiest goes to The Wolf and the Woodsman, for a really excellent and bone-chilling depiction of stalking.
Never gets the award for Most Heartbreaking because there's no way out.
Boar and Apples wins for Most Satisfying. It has everything I didn't know I wanted, including a charming pun as a central premise.
Bluebeard's Wife gets Most Wistful, for depictions of just wanting a little respect and privacy.
Loathly was in the running for Most Wistful, but will have to settle for Most Misandrist. In a good way. Magic is terrible, kids.
As for the poetry, I think that poetry is arrows shot at a smaller mark than prose, but I really enjoyed Bait for the way it required reading through and then listening to. Poetry, man. It's wicked hard.
Vernon's writing style is wry, and detached, and observational. It keeps a lot of things from becoming overly sentimental. And once in a while she hits a turn of phrase that makes me wish more people could do what she does.
~He had apparently been a very evil man, but not actually a bad one.~
And sometimes it's so funny and true that you can't help but sort of huff out a laugh.
~(I wish I could do salamanders. I would read Clive Barker novels aloud and seed the streams with efts and hellbenders. I would fly to Mexico and read love poems in another language to restore the axolotl. Alas, it’s frogs and toads and nothing more. We make do.) ~
(Clive Barker WOULD produce salamanders. Then I had to think about what amphibians other writers would produce. Imagine the sad little mudskippers you'd get from reading Clive Cussler instead.)
~(The seamstress had always had a great desire to sew something with puffed sleeves, and the fact that Snow stared at them with great astonishment and mild indignation did nothing to diminish her moment of glory.) ~
AHAHAHAHA PUFFED SLEEVES.
Read if: You, too, grew up on retold fairy tales and Anne of Green Gables. And if you like people who keep their authorial wits about them instead of getting carried away.
Skip if: You are a nice earnest person who will not appreciate realizing that this whole beautiful story was probably born as a late-night pun.
Also read: Seas of Venus, for a MASTERFUL construction of an entire novella leading to a TERRIBLE pun. And, um, The Girls of the Kingfisher Club for another narrator not afraid to let you know she's there.
Oh! And Jane Yolen's Sleeping Ugly. You should certainly read that, too. Yup.
May 3, 2016
I read this very short story free online at: http://tkingfisher.com/?page_id=212
Great retelling of Bluebeard from his last wife's perspective.
Great retelling of Bluebeard from his last wife's perspective.
December 16, 2025
This collection of short stories is amazing! I've always loved fairytales, and the author does an incredible job of retelling them with a new spin without it sounding recycled. Snow White, Peter Pan, and The Little Mermaid are some of the retold stories to name a few. "Boar & Apples" (Snow White) and "The Sea Witch Sets the Record Straight" are my two favorites. I will definitely be coming back to read these again. All the stars!
July 25, 2025
Subversive retellings
Let me start by staking out a couple of positions. First, every story-teller retells old stories. Second, every story-teller preaches.
You don't grow up among other humans without hearing stories. For most of us, those stories will include the folklore of our culture, even if the versions you hear are those sanded down by Disney, rather than the older (but still not original), more gruesome Grimm's versions. When you tell a story, you can't do it without echoes of the stories you've heard showing up in your own. Even if you consciously try to avoid retelling old stories, through that avoidance negative images of old stories creep into yours.
Second, story-tellers have reasons (or at least motivations) for telling their stories. In trying to make your stories interesting, or instructive, or funny, or sexy, you tell your readers what things you think are interesting, or instructive, or funny, or sexy. You don't tell a story without preaching something of your worldview.
What about T. Kingfisher's (AKA Ursula Vernon's) Toad Words and Other Stories? It is a collection of 11 works: three poems, seven short stories, and one novella. The short stories are all retellings, or at least consciously based on old stories. The title story, "Toad Words", for instance, is based on the classic Diamonds and Toads. The novella, Boar and Apples, is a Snow White retelling.
All these stories feel similar to me. It is as if Vernon read the old fairy tale, with its original heavy-handed message about good and evil, and said to herself, "Well! Let's just see about that!" and turned the morality of the story upside-down, or at least somewhat askew. That is why I call them subversive retellings.
If you enjoy seeing familiar things in a new light, then you may enjoy Toad Words. Besides that, Vernon has a sense of humor, some of the stories and poems are quite funny.
Blog review.
Let me start by staking out a couple of positions. First, every story-teller retells old stories. Second, every story-teller preaches.
You don't grow up among other humans without hearing stories. For most of us, those stories will include the folklore of our culture, even if the versions you hear are those sanded down by Disney, rather than the older (but still not original), more gruesome Grimm's versions. When you tell a story, you can't do it without echoes of the stories you've heard showing up in your own. Even if you consciously try to avoid retelling old stories, through that avoidance negative images of old stories creep into yours.
Second, story-tellers have reasons (or at least motivations) for telling their stories. In trying to make your stories interesting, or instructive, or funny, or sexy, you tell your readers what things you think are interesting, or instructive, or funny, or sexy. You don't tell a story without preaching something of your worldview.
What about T. Kingfisher's (AKA Ursula Vernon's) Toad Words and Other Stories? It is a collection of 11 works: three poems, seven short stories, and one novella. The short stories are all retellings, or at least consciously based on old stories. The title story, "Toad Words", for instance, is based on the classic Diamonds and Toads. The novella, Boar and Apples, is a Snow White retelling.
All these stories feel similar to me. It is as if Vernon read the old fairy tale, with its original heavy-handed message about good and evil, and said to herself, "Well! Let's just see about that!" and turned the morality of the story upside-down, or at least somewhat askew. That is why I call them subversive retellings.
If you enjoy seeing familiar things in a new light, then you may enjoy Toad Words. Besides that, Vernon has a sense of humor, some of the stories and poems are quite funny.
Blog review.
Read
October 30, 2016Featured in our Short Fiction column: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Merged review:
Reviewed in our Short Fiction Monday column:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Merged review:
4 stars from Tadiana, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
Disclaimer: just so you know, some of the books we review are received free from publishers
T. Kingfisher is the name used by author Ursula Vernon for her adult fiction, although some of her T. Kingfisher works fall into the young adult category, like The Seventh Bride, and some of her Ursula Vernon works are adult works, like her wonderful Nebula award-winning short story “Jackalope Wives.” Regardless of the name she uses, I’ve been searching out her fiction ever since reading “Jackalope Wives.” T. Kingfisher writes lovely fairy tale retellings and other folk and fairy tale-flavored fantasies, usually with a twist, sometimes dark and disturbing, always thoughtful.
In Toad Words and Other Stories, T. Kingfisher has collected many of her folk and fairy tale-based short stories. This collection includes eight stories based off of old tales such as “Toads and Diamonds,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Peter Pan,” and others, including one that was entirely new to me, the “Loathly Lady.” Three short original poems, also fairy-tale themed, are included in this collection....4 stars from Tadiana, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
Merged review:
Reviewed in our Short Fiction Monday column:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Merged review:
4 stars from Tadiana, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
Disclaimer: just so you know, some of the books we review are received free from publishers
T. Kingfisher is the name used by author Ursula Vernon for her adult fiction, although some of her T. Kingfisher works fall into the young adult category, like The Seventh Bride, and some of her Ursula Vernon works are adult works, like her wonderful Nebula award-winning short story “Jackalope Wives.” Regardless of the name she uses, I’ve been searching out her fiction ever since reading “Jackalope Wives.” T. Kingfisher writes lovely fairy tale retellings and other folk and fairy tale-flavored fantasies, usually with a twist, sometimes dark and disturbing, always thoughtful.
In Toad Words and Other Stories, T. Kingfisher has collected many of her folk and fairy tale-based short stories. This collection includes eight stories based off of old tales such as “Toads and Diamonds,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Peter Pan,” and others, including one that was entirely new to me, the “Loathly Lady.” Three short original poems, also fairy-tale themed, are included in this collection....4 stars from Tadiana, read the full review at FANTASY LITERATURE
August 11, 2020
This is an ASTONISHINGLY good set of fairy tale and modern-mythos retellings. Funny, bloody, serious, heartbreaking. One of the hallmarks of T. Kingfisher's work (including writing as Ursula Vernon) is a kind of very sensible, now-what-do-we-do-about-this mindset, and it runs through all the stories and poems here. Her heros and heroines never take too much time googling about the situation. It is what it is, I speak toads into existence/peter pan is always surrounded by children and I'm growing up/the queen my mother wants to kill me, so now what should I DO about that? What's the sensible thing to do here? This is very calming to read about, and is wonderfully juxtaposed with the absurdity of fantasy fiction. Of course, sometimes that means calmly staring into your oncoming death as much as it means you sometimes calmly finding a way out of the situation by bartering truffles with peddlers, which is why I read this in very small bites and occasionally forgot I had it on the go. (oops.)
But yeah, astonishingly good and should be taught in classrooms studying fairytales and retellings.
But yeah, astonishingly good and should be taught in classrooms studying fairytales and retellings.
December 23, 2014
So good to have so many of Ursula Vernon's smart, down-to-earth, slyly funny fables in one place, and with a new novella (casting the seven dwarves as intelligent, principled boars!) to boot. I haven't seen rewrites of the familiar fairy tales this interesting and creative since Tanith Lee's Red As Blood.
September 19, 2014
Yes. Get this book. It's a charming and delightful collection of short stories and poems, mostly retellings of classic fairy tales. Get this. It's well worth it.
May 28, 2016
This was a collection of short stories based on different POV in certain fairy tales. They were clever and amusing and lovely to dip in to.
December 17, 2017
That was a nice first page of a story that I would read if the author got around to writing it.
February 22, 2016
Toad Words is a collection fairy tales retold in such a way that they are instantly recognizable, but motivations are reexamined, antagonists and protagonists switch places, and shifting things just slightly puts everything in a completely new light.
It has been brought to my attention – A poem about how there is more than one way to examine fairy tales.
Toad Words – An excellent retelling of Diamonds and Toads, in which the ‘toad’ sister puts her ‘curse’ to excellent ecological use. Also, loved seeing how different spoken words would create different animals.
The Wolf & The Woodsman It flips the story on its head, puts modern day stalking in a fairy tale context, and perfectly shows without getting preachy how victims get conditioned to blame themselves.
Bluebeard’s Wife – A very A different version of the tale that dances on the edge of giving too much sympathy to the devil. But I loved how sensible the last wife was in this version.
Loathly It shows how impossible it is to simply move on after a curse has been removed when you can remember all the horror the curse caused.
The Sea Witch Sets The Record Straight – In which we learn that the sea witch had some very sensible, environmental reasons to keep the mermaid from talking.
Never – Peter Pan really is a horror story when you start to question the details…
Bait – No pun intended, but it’s a chilling suggestion about what was the Snow Queen’s true goal all along.
Night – A rather hilarious comparison between the Cosmos and your average theater troupe.
Boar and apples – This retelling of Snow White started out very strong but somehow became the story I thought worked the least in this collection. For me, what didn’t work was the switch in the type of fantasy story that occurs about halfway through.
I’m not sure what the proper terms are (please let me know if you do), but the first half of the story is the Tanith Lee style that has lots of lyrical descriptions of the settings and actions and is sparse on dialogue, creating a dreamy, speculative, almost metaphorical feeling of the fantasy setting. The second half of the retelling was heavier on dialogue with a more solid, down to earth setting; a more realistic approach to world-building a la Tamara Pierce.
The two styles smashed together made for a more awkward story, but I still loved the creative recasting of the dwarves and Snow’s ability to spot a lie at 50 paces, like fresh fruit in winter.
Overall, a great collection of new ways to look at age old fairy tales.
Merged review:
She packs a lot into less than 1,000 words, exploring the consequences of curses, to be dead but not dead, and to long to still be part of life.
This might be a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, if you tilt your head and squint.
January 27, 2016
what a lovely collection
this is a set of adult fairy tale retellings wherein adult means thoughtful and complicated rather than HBO style 'just add sex and blood!!!!' adult
i read them all in one long bus ride so i don't have much to say about individual stories per se but as a whole i found them very down-to-earth and sympathetic to their characters. also this has what is maybe my favourite bluebeard retelling? possibly because most bluebeard retellings i've seen follow in the tradition of angela carter and are heavy on the ~aesthetic~ and vernon is more into sensible protaganists and using the story to think about privacy
4 stars
this is a set of adult fairy tale retellings wherein adult means thoughtful and complicated rather than HBO style 'just add sex and blood!!!!' adult
i read them all in one long bus ride so i don't have much to say about individual stories per se but as a whole i found them very down-to-earth and sympathetic to their characters. also this has what is maybe my favourite bluebeard retelling? possibly because most bluebeard retellings i've seen follow in the tradition of angela carter and are heavy on the ~aesthetic~ and vernon is more into sensible protaganists and using the story to think about privacy
4 stars
September 1, 2014
I loved Digger, but I am *madly* in love with this story collection. It honestly reminds me a lot of the best of Connie Willis' short fiction, and it has a sensibility similar to that of Terry Pratchett. Go, read this. Now!
October 17, 2023
"Pickles were one of the great unrelenting good things in life, and the highest state that a cucumber, which was otherwise a rather wet and insipid vegetable, could aspire to. "
August 21, 2014
I totally didn't cry at "Boar & Apples" and I'm not tearing up now thinking about it.
So there.
Very highly recommended.
So there.
Very highly recommended.
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