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Fairy Tales anthology series
Black Swan, White Raven
Dark and decidedly grown-up stories inspired by fairy tales—from New York Times bestsellers Karen Joy Fowler, Joyce Carol Oates, Susanna Clarke, and more.
This collection from World Fantasy Award–winning editors Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling proves that fairy tales don’t have to be for little children and that happily ever after doesn’t necessarily mean forever. Here, the plights of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Rapunzel, and others are reimagined by some of today’s finest literary talents.
Hansel and Gretel make several appearances, not the least being at their trial for the murder of a supposedly helpless old woman. The real, shocking reason for Snow White’s desperate flight from her home is revealed. And the steadfast tin soldier, made flesh and blood, pays a terrible price for his love and devotion.
The twenty-one stories and poems in this collection run the gamut from triumphant to troubling to utterly outrageous, like Don Webb’s brilliant merging of numerous tales into one wild, hallucinogenic trip in his “Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs.” All in all, they mine the fantastical yarns we loved as children for new and darker gold.
Includes stories by Michael Cadnum, Karen Joy Fowler, Michael Blumlein, Nalo Hopkinson, Esther M. Friesner, Joyce Carol Oates, Steve Rasnic Tem, Garry Kilworth, Anne Bishop, Gregory Frost, Sten Westgard, Midori Snyder, Harvey Jacobs, Don Webb, Bruce Glassco, Pat Murphy, John Crowley, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Susanna Clarke, Nancy Kress, and Jane Yolen.
This collection from World Fantasy Award–winning editors Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling proves that fairy tales don’t have to be for little children and that happily ever after doesn’t necessarily mean forever. Here, the plights of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Rapunzel, and others are reimagined by some of today’s finest literary talents.
Hansel and Gretel make several appearances, not the least being at their trial for the murder of a supposedly helpless old woman. The real, shocking reason for Snow White’s desperate flight from her home is revealed. And the steadfast tin soldier, made flesh and blood, pays a terrible price for his love and devotion.
The twenty-one stories and poems in this collection run the gamut from triumphant to troubling to utterly outrageous, like Don Webb’s brilliant merging of numerous tales into one wild, hallucinogenic trip in his “Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs.” All in all, they mine the fantastical yarns we loved as children for new and darker gold.
Includes stories by Michael Cadnum, Karen Joy Fowler, Michael Blumlein, Nalo Hopkinson, Esther M. Friesner, Joyce Carol Oates, Steve Rasnic Tem, Garry Kilworth, Anne Bishop, Gregory Frost, Sten Westgard, Midori Snyder, Harvey Jacobs, Don Webb, Bruce Glassco, Pat Murphy, John Crowley, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Susanna Clarke, Nancy Kress, and Jane Yolen.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1997
162 people are currently reading
2942 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Datlow
279 books1,875 followersEllen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for forty years as fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and editor of Event Horizon and SCIFICTION. She currently acquires short stories and novellas for Tor.com. In addition, she has edited about one hundred science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies, including the annual The Best Horror of the Year series, The Doll Collection, Mad Hatters and March Hares, The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea, Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories, Edited By, and Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
September 11, 2014
Another volume in Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling's series of re-told fairy tales. There's a reason they're two of my favorite editors. This is a classic anthology. Highly, highly recommended.
Contents:
The Flounder's Kiss • Michael Cadnum
A rather disturbing tale of a fisherman who hates fish, his wife who doesn't think much of him, and what happens when a fish willing to grant wishes is caught...
The Black Fairy's Curse • Karen Joy Fowler
Short and simple... what if Sleeping Beauty didn't particularly feel like being woken up?
Snow in Dirt • Michael Blumlein
A very odd, science-fiction style story of a man who finds a beautiful woman buried, alive but seemingly comatose, in his backyard...Once she is resuscitated, he of course marries her, and she goes on to a career as a famous fashion model... but as usual, not everything works out perfectly when mysterious and possibly magical elements are involved...
Riding the Red • Nalo Hopkinson
The story of Little Red Riding Hood is used here as a metaphor for young women's sexuality and the threat(?) posed by sexually voracious men.
No Bigger Than My Thumb • Esther M. Friesner
A lord forces a showdown with the forest-dwelling woman whom, many years ago, he raped, and whose mother he burned as a witch. He accuses her of cursing him to not sire any heirs, and demands from her the child that he is sure she is hiding from him. However, the woman may indeed have some odd powers, and a woman's revenge can be nasty, gory, and oh-so-fitting..... not for the weak-stomached!
In the Insomniac Night • Joyce Carol Oates
A divorced mother has some serious emotional issues.... Protectiveness, whether or not it comes from a well-founded fear, can be as destructive as anything else... Reminded me a little of Melanie Tem's story in the other volume of this series that I just read.
The Little Match Girl • Steve Rasnic Tem
A short poem based on the story.
The Trial of Hansel and Gretel • Garry Kilworth
In this medieval-esque courtroom drama, the actions of the two children who pushed an old woman into her own oven take on a more criminal aspect.
Rapunzel • Anne Bishop
In this fairly-traditional retelling of the Rapunzel story, the eponymous character's mother is shown to be a horrible, self-centered bitch – and the witch who steals her is no better – a bitter, malevolent old woman. However, Rapunzel herself manages to transcend the trials that beset her, in order to become a stronger person.
Sparks • Gregory Frost
This story sets the tale of ‘The Tinder Box' in the milieu of the 1940's noir detective story. When a veteran-turned-P.I. accepts a commission to find a strange old lady's Zippo lighter, he falls into a bizarre underworld. Soon he has three huge, magical dogs willing to do his bidding, and a beautiful femme fatale who seem to be quite interested in him... Unfortunately, getting involved with her may also mean getting on the wrong side of organized crime...
The Dog Rose • Sten Westgard
Driven to desperation by drought, a gardener and a blacksmith go in search of the legendary castle of Sleeping Beauty, surrounded by impenetrable thorns. Perhaps only a Prince will end the enchantment, but a bold and lucky commoner may also find rewards according to his station.
The Reverend's Wife • Midori Snyder
A very cute and funny story set in Puritan(?) times about two women who concoct a couple of quite absurd stories in order to each have an affair with the other's husband – but, oddly enough, both end up happier for their adulteries in the long run.
The Orphan the Moth and the Magic • Harvey Jacobs
Suddenly orphaned and unexpectedly left a fortune by his miserly father, a young man is dismayed when a magical moth tells him that it would be best to discard that fortune. Inexplicably, he decides to pay attention to the moth. Penniless, he is mysteriously transported to a foreign land where animals are unknown, and where he is mistaken for a cat, and expected to eat rats - and sleep in the princess' bed. An enterprising young man may find a way to seriously capitalize on this situation... Doesn't really hold up to any kind of logic, but quite entertaining.
Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs • Don Webb
An intentionally absurdist riff on Snow White, set in a futuristic(?) mental hospital. Eh. It tries too hard.
True Thomas • Bruce Glassco
An truly memorable and excellent science fiction story that postulates that the legendary Thomas the Rhymer, who was supposed to have been abducted by Faeries and taken ‘under the hill,' was actually taken on an FTL interstellar flight by insectoid aliens (which would account for his returning only to find that years had gone by in his absence, while he had not aged). The portrayed perception of aliens from an early medieval perspective (Thomas assumes that the aliens ARE fairies) is done really well.
The True Story • Pat Murphy
Snow White's stepmother tells her side of the story – perhaps she wasn't evil after all, but was actually trying to save her beloved stepdaughter from incestuous abuse.
Lost and Abandoned • John Crowley
The counterpart to Joyce Carol Oates' story - a father fights tooth and nail to gain custody of his children, even though he is neither financially nor emotionally equipped to care for them.
The Breadcrumb Trail • Nina Kiriki Hoffman
A poem based on Hansel & Gretel.
On Lickerish Hill • Susanna Clarke
Clarke's ‘period' spelling is in even heavier effect in this story than it is in ‘Jonathan Norrell.' Personally, I really find it irritating, even if it is historically correct for her Victorian-esque setting. Still, if one can get past the ‘creative' spelling, this is a clever, funny and very entertaining version of ‘Rumplestiltskin.' The team of ‘learned experts' is hilarious, and the portrayal of the seemingly helpless Victorian lady as calm and resourceful in the face of adversity (including being locked away and threatened) is quite subtly subversive.
Steadfast • Nancy Kress
The tale of the tin soldier and the ballerina is here transposed into real-life France. A soldier devotes his life, and makes all his sacrifices for the ballerina he loves, although she has no interest in him – indeed, no interest in dancing. Still, his actions mystically somehow bring her success – although she does not appreciate it. Possibly even more tragic than the original.
Godmother Death • Jane Yolen
A wonderful story of Death (as a lady) and her human godson. Although he is granted special knowledge and privileges, he must learn that even he cannot cheat Death.
Now available as an e-book (from Open Road Media) for the first time! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy! As always, my opinions are my own.
Contents:
The Flounder's Kiss • Michael Cadnum
A rather disturbing tale of a fisherman who hates fish, his wife who doesn't think much of him, and what happens when a fish willing to grant wishes is caught...
The Black Fairy's Curse • Karen Joy Fowler
Short and simple... what if Sleeping Beauty didn't particularly feel like being woken up?
Snow in Dirt • Michael Blumlein
A very odd, science-fiction style story of a man who finds a beautiful woman buried, alive but seemingly comatose, in his backyard...Once she is resuscitated, he of course marries her, and she goes on to a career as a famous fashion model... but as usual, not everything works out perfectly when mysterious and possibly magical elements are involved...
Riding the Red • Nalo Hopkinson
The story of Little Red Riding Hood is used here as a metaphor for young women's sexuality and the threat(?) posed by sexually voracious men.
No Bigger Than My Thumb • Esther M. Friesner
A lord forces a showdown with the forest-dwelling woman whom, many years ago, he raped, and whose mother he burned as a witch. He accuses her of cursing him to not sire any heirs, and demands from her the child that he is sure she is hiding from him. However, the woman may indeed have some odd powers, and a woman's revenge can be nasty, gory, and oh-so-fitting..... not for the weak-stomached!
In the Insomniac Night • Joyce Carol Oates
A divorced mother has some serious emotional issues.... Protectiveness, whether or not it comes from a well-founded fear, can be as destructive as anything else... Reminded me a little of Melanie Tem's story in the other volume of this series that I just read.
The Little Match Girl • Steve Rasnic Tem
A short poem based on the story.
The Trial of Hansel and Gretel • Garry Kilworth
In this medieval-esque courtroom drama, the actions of the two children who pushed an old woman into her own oven take on a more criminal aspect.
Rapunzel • Anne Bishop
In this fairly-traditional retelling of the Rapunzel story, the eponymous character's mother is shown to be a horrible, self-centered bitch – and the witch who steals her is no better – a bitter, malevolent old woman. However, Rapunzel herself manages to transcend the trials that beset her, in order to become a stronger person.
Sparks • Gregory Frost
This story sets the tale of ‘The Tinder Box' in the milieu of the 1940's noir detective story. When a veteran-turned-P.I. accepts a commission to find a strange old lady's Zippo lighter, he falls into a bizarre underworld. Soon he has three huge, magical dogs willing to do his bidding, and a beautiful femme fatale who seem to be quite interested in him... Unfortunately, getting involved with her may also mean getting on the wrong side of organized crime...
The Dog Rose • Sten Westgard
Driven to desperation by drought, a gardener and a blacksmith go in search of the legendary castle of Sleeping Beauty, surrounded by impenetrable thorns. Perhaps only a Prince will end the enchantment, but a bold and lucky commoner may also find rewards according to his station.
The Reverend's Wife • Midori Snyder
A very cute and funny story set in Puritan(?) times about two women who concoct a couple of quite absurd stories in order to each have an affair with the other's husband – but, oddly enough, both end up happier for their adulteries in the long run.
The Orphan the Moth and the Magic • Harvey Jacobs
Suddenly orphaned and unexpectedly left a fortune by his miserly father, a young man is dismayed when a magical moth tells him that it would be best to discard that fortune. Inexplicably, he decides to pay attention to the moth. Penniless, he is mysteriously transported to a foreign land where animals are unknown, and where he is mistaken for a cat, and expected to eat rats - and sleep in the princess' bed. An enterprising young man may find a way to seriously capitalize on this situation... Doesn't really hold up to any kind of logic, but quite entertaining.
Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs • Don Webb
An intentionally absurdist riff on Snow White, set in a futuristic(?) mental hospital. Eh. It tries too hard.
True Thomas • Bruce Glassco
An truly memorable and excellent science fiction story that postulates that the legendary Thomas the Rhymer, who was supposed to have been abducted by Faeries and taken ‘under the hill,' was actually taken on an FTL interstellar flight by insectoid aliens (which would account for his returning only to find that years had gone by in his absence, while he had not aged). The portrayed perception of aliens from an early medieval perspective (Thomas assumes that the aliens ARE fairies) is done really well.
The True Story • Pat Murphy
Snow White's stepmother tells her side of the story – perhaps she wasn't evil after all, but was actually trying to save her beloved stepdaughter from incestuous abuse.
Lost and Abandoned • John Crowley
The counterpart to Joyce Carol Oates' story - a father fights tooth and nail to gain custody of his children, even though he is neither financially nor emotionally equipped to care for them.
The Breadcrumb Trail • Nina Kiriki Hoffman
A poem based on Hansel & Gretel.
On Lickerish Hill • Susanna Clarke
Clarke's ‘period' spelling is in even heavier effect in this story than it is in ‘Jonathan Norrell.' Personally, I really find it irritating, even if it is historically correct for her Victorian-esque setting. Still, if one can get past the ‘creative' spelling, this is a clever, funny and very entertaining version of ‘Rumplestiltskin.' The team of ‘learned experts' is hilarious, and the portrayal of the seemingly helpless Victorian lady as calm and resourceful in the face of adversity (including being locked away and threatened) is quite subtly subversive.
Steadfast • Nancy Kress
The tale of the tin soldier and the ballerina is here transposed into real-life France. A soldier devotes his life, and makes all his sacrifices for the ballerina he loves, although she has no interest in him – indeed, no interest in dancing. Still, his actions mystically somehow bring her success – although she does not appreciate it. Possibly even more tragic than the original.
Godmother Death • Jane Yolen
A wonderful story of Death (as a lady) and her human godson. Although he is granted special knowledge and privileges, he must learn that even he cannot cheat Death.
Now available as an e-book (from Open Road Media) for the first time! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy! As always, my opinions are my own.
October 6, 2014
As with all anthologies, Black Swan, White Raven is a mixed bunch, with some stories and I enjoyed and others I was more ambivalent about. That's probably going to be the same for just about anyone, but Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling are legendary SF/F editors for a reason, and that's apparent here.
Reading other reviews for these stories makes me laugh: complaining about the darker aspects of the stories, the fact that sometimes only a few vestiges of the original story (or rather, the story we usually know) are used, etc. Clearly these people have never looked at the 'original' stories -- 'negative and creepy' is one person's assessment, so goodness knows what they'd think of earlier versions of Sleeping Beauty and so on.
It's an interesting selection of writers, too, some of whom are well known names now (I don't know about when this was first published). I can't pick out a favourite, but overall I enjoyed the collection, and while for some stories the theme seemed a bit stretched, it's still worth reading -- I actually read the whole collection in two sittings.
Someone does point out that the voice of women is fairly absent here. There's one or two strong stories, particularly a retelling of Snow White, but there are also stories where women remain the objects of the quest rather than people. Somewhat to be expected, given the fairytale theme; still somewhat disappointing.
Reading other reviews for these stories makes me laugh: complaining about the darker aspects of the stories, the fact that sometimes only a few vestiges of the original story (or rather, the story we usually know) are used, etc. Clearly these people have never looked at the 'original' stories -- 'negative and creepy' is one person's assessment, so goodness knows what they'd think of earlier versions of Sleeping Beauty and so on.
It's an interesting selection of writers, too, some of whom are well known names now (I don't know about when this was first published). I can't pick out a favourite, but overall I enjoyed the collection, and while for some stories the theme seemed a bit stretched, it's still worth reading -- I actually read the whole collection in two sittings.
Someone does point out that the voice of women is fairly absent here. There's one or two strong stories, particularly a retelling of Snow White, but there are also stories where women remain the objects of the quest rather than people. Somewhat to be expected, given the fairytale theme; still somewhat disappointing.
July 30, 2021
3.7 Stars
As with every anthology, this one also has a few hits and misses. The misses seem to be more, but the hits are very good. The book has 21 pieces (19 stories and 2 poems).
My favorites:
No Bigger than my Thumb by Esther M. Friesner- creepish but good
In the Insomniac Night by Joyce Carol Oates- crazy, insane, twisted
The Trial of Hansel and Gretel by Garry Kilworth- too good
Rapunzel by Anne Bishop- lovely
Sparks by Gregory Frost- interesting
The Reverend’s Wife- fun
True Thomas by Bruce Glassco- interesting, engaging
The True Story by Pat Murphy- wonderful
*******
Read the full review
As with every anthology, this one also has a few hits and misses. The misses seem to be more, but the hits are very good. The book has 21 pieces (19 stories and 2 poems).
My favorites:
No Bigger than my Thumb by Esther M. Friesner- creepish but good
In the Insomniac Night by Joyce Carol Oates- crazy, insane, twisted
The Trial of Hansel and Gretel by Garry Kilworth- too good
Rapunzel by Anne Bishop- lovely
Sparks by Gregory Frost- interesting
The Reverend’s Wife- fun
True Thomas by Bruce Glassco- interesting, engaging
The True Story by Pat Murphy- wonderful
*******
Read the full review
February 14, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up. Decent stories overall, though none stood out that much as to captivate me completely.
April 4, 2020
This was a DNF for me. I read over half the stories and poems in this book and I just found most of them had weird and confusing narration. I didn't mind Anne Bishop's Rapunzel which had a really good start but then got a little bit weird at the end. Some of the stories and poems were also so short that you couldn't really get a feeling for what the author was trying to do. I usually love these two when they come together for anthologies, but this one was not my favorite, and I was really disappointed by it.
to-read-own
January 19, 20181/19/18 $1.99 for Kindle.
January 9, 2015
So picked up this anthology touted as adult retellings of fairytales and yes I should have known better as I read other books by this author before but I tried it again, I probably won't again anytime soon LOL so I decided to try something new when I read short stories and that is typing my reviews as I read them which led me to my two star ratings but I attempted each one and here are my thoughts..sigh on to more reading :)
---Flounder’s Kiss-Story about a fisherman and his unhappy wife who wishes he would stop fishing and make more money until the day he reels in a talking fish..Not a favorite.
---The Black Fairy’s Tale-Short, confusing story about a girl running through the woods and fantasizing and then its over..Disappointing.
---Snow in Dirt-Story about a guy who finds a woman buried in his backyard, nurses her back to health and lives with her until the end comes for them both..Not that good.
---Riding the Red-Admit to not really understanding this one as I thought the symbolism of the red was for a woman’s monthly bleeding and the lust it causes in men and then it reads like Red Riding Hood and then its over and you are left like huh? Very Disappointing.
---No Bigger Than My Thumb-Okay I cant front I didn’t like this story at all..it was rambling and abrupt and had a muddled storyline I was not into at all..Again Disappointed.
---In the Insomniac Night-Okay so I can’t..this story was just too disjointed and boring and long and it made me sad to read I didn’t want to finish so I didn’t, this book is shaping up to be the worst LOL
---The Little Match Girl—Okay so a mini poem about a little girl and fire and a match and I will just go ahead and say it, I was confused..again Disappointed..should I continue this miserable book?!
---The Trial of Hansel and Gretel-Well maybe the first shining light story for me so far but then with all its promise it ended so abruptly I don’t recommend this story either…Sigh, not that good.
---Rapunzel-Okay so it started with so much promise I can actually say I read with intrigue, then the story broke into weird confusing parts with shifting narrators and again I have to say I did not enjoy..Disappointed.
---Sparks-I don’t know this book is just losing me and losing me, I cant get into these stories and when I do I just want to stop reading them..Not even really sure what this one was about but I didn’t like it, sigh almost halfway through a severely disappointing read…dammit.
---The Dog Rose-Sigh another one I just cant finish, I am not enjoying like most of these, this one is about some plants and yea I am not a fan…extremely disappointed..
---The Reverend’s Wife-Yes! Finally a story I could read, wanted to read and enjoyed, a short but lively tale of two scheming lusty women and some ignorant men they trap into adultery, silly men. Don’t really know which fairytale this derives from but so far it was the best story yet..not disappointed, hmm inspired to finish?
---The Orphan, The Moth and the Magic-Hmm not bad, liked the whole morality of it, a poor boy suddenly orphaned right after he finds out he has inherited a large sum of money but is then warned by a moth not to spend the money as its tainted and that he will be well off despite. On nothing but faith and a great inner conscience he gets rid of the money and hopefully gets his happily ever after. Also one of the best yet, things are looking up book..
---Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs-Well hmm I didn’t hate this story, it was weird and could have been great but it veered off and got confusing telling the story of a famous psychiatrist who dispenses drugs and reunites with his old high school crush who has a weird life altering visit to three dwarves in the wood..Yea alittle kooky but not that disappointing..
---True Thomas-Umm back to unreadable, LOL and I kinda liked the way it started, with a man who can only speak the truth when he talks to others no matter how painful or conflicting and then it went to some fairy/Queen world and completely lost me..no more effort on this story, moving on..Disappointed.
---The True Story-A retelling of Snow White from the evil stepmother’s point of view, intriguing and I must say not that bad, was she really that evil or was that only one side of the story, I rather enjoyed it actually, bravo as there are some bright spots after all..Liked.
----Lost and Abandoned-Eh, not so much, basically the backstory to Hansel and Gretel though in the most vague way possible starting with the destruction of a marriage and the mother leaving the father with kids he eventually abandons too and then this like educational research component on the psyche of kids left behind or something like that, yea I got confused..and I didn’t enjoy it, disappointed again.
----The Breadcrumb Trail-A poem, not my favorite literary piece about Hansel and Gretel and their trek into the woods and the rationality and desperation behind leaving the crumbs to mark their trail..Not the best, not a favorite, not really disappointed but eh just flat kinda bored
---.On Lickerish Hill-Yea, tried it but there is just this weird language technique she tried that frustrated and confused me, the misspellings the old English yibberish and just the uninteresting story lost me somewhere, Disappointed *seriously they spelled poor as pore I was just done, better reading has to be ahead.
---Steadfast-Another dud in my eyes, it plodded along, it told this convoluted story of a dancing princess and soldiers in France and yup lost me somewhere..not a fan, not enjoyable for me..eh Disappointed
----Godmother Death-Okay so I think we ended on a high note friends it was easily the most readable of the book and just a good story about Death in the form of a beautiful woman who befriends a man on the street, becomes his child’s godmother and helps make him a successful doctor by predicting whether or not she will take them in death or not. I liked the twist at the end, the mystery and great storytelling a real fairytale like I thought much of this book would be, but oh well..I did enjoy this one...
Okay and done LOL..Maybe three and a possible out of twenty though yikes!
---Flounder’s Kiss-Story about a fisherman and his unhappy wife who wishes he would stop fishing and make more money until the day he reels in a talking fish..Not a favorite.
---The Black Fairy’s Tale-Short, confusing story about a girl running through the woods and fantasizing and then its over..Disappointing.
---Snow in Dirt-Story about a guy who finds a woman buried in his backyard, nurses her back to health and lives with her until the end comes for them both..Not that good.
---Riding the Red-Admit to not really understanding this one as I thought the symbolism of the red was for a woman’s monthly bleeding and the lust it causes in men and then it reads like Red Riding Hood and then its over and you are left like huh? Very Disappointing.
---No Bigger Than My Thumb-Okay I cant front I didn’t like this story at all..it was rambling and abrupt and had a muddled storyline I was not into at all..Again Disappointed.
---In the Insomniac Night-Okay so I can’t..this story was just too disjointed and boring and long and it made me sad to read I didn’t want to finish so I didn’t, this book is shaping up to be the worst LOL
---The Little Match Girl—Okay so a mini poem about a little girl and fire and a match and I will just go ahead and say it, I was confused..again Disappointed..should I continue this miserable book?!
---The Trial of Hansel and Gretel-Well maybe the first shining light story for me so far but then with all its promise it ended so abruptly I don’t recommend this story either…Sigh, not that good.
---Rapunzel-Okay so it started with so much promise I can actually say I read with intrigue, then the story broke into weird confusing parts with shifting narrators and again I have to say I did not enjoy..Disappointed.
---Sparks-I don’t know this book is just losing me and losing me, I cant get into these stories and when I do I just want to stop reading them..Not even really sure what this one was about but I didn’t like it, sigh almost halfway through a severely disappointing read…dammit.
---The Dog Rose-Sigh another one I just cant finish, I am not enjoying like most of these, this one is about some plants and yea I am not a fan…extremely disappointed..
---The Reverend’s Wife-Yes! Finally a story I could read, wanted to read and enjoyed, a short but lively tale of two scheming lusty women and some ignorant men they trap into adultery, silly men. Don’t really know which fairytale this derives from but so far it was the best story yet..not disappointed, hmm inspired to finish?
---The Orphan, The Moth and the Magic-Hmm not bad, liked the whole morality of it, a poor boy suddenly orphaned right after he finds out he has inherited a large sum of money but is then warned by a moth not to spend the money as its tainted and that he will be well off despite. On nothing but faith and a great inner conscience he gets rid of the money and hopefully gets his happily ever after. Also one of the best yet, things are looking up book..
---Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs-Well hmm I didn’t hate this story, it was weird and could have been great but it veered off and got confusing telling the story of a famous psychiatrist who dispenses drugs and reunites with his old high school crush who has a weird life altering visit to three dwarves in the wood..Yea alittle kooky but not that disappointing..
---True Thomas-Umm back to unreadable, LOL and I kinda liked the way it started, with a man who can only speak the truth when he talks to others no matter how painful or conflicting and then it went to some fairy/Queen world and completely lost me..no more effort on this story, moving on..Disappointed.
---The True Story-A retelling of Snow White from the evil stepmother’s point of view, intriguing and I must say not that bad, was she really that evil or was that only one side of the story, I rather enjoyed it actually, bravo as there are some bright spots after all..Liked.
----Lost and Abandoned-Eh, not so much, basically the backstory to Hansel and Gretel though in the most vague way possible starting with the destruction of a marriage and the mother leaving the father with kids he eventually abandons too and then this like educational research component on the psyche of kids left behind or something like that, yea I got confused..and I didn’t enjoy it, disappointed again.
----The Breadcrumb Trail-A poem, not my favorite literary piece about Hansel and Gretel and their trek into the woods and the rationality and desperation behind leaving the crumbs to mark their trail..Not the best, not a favorite, not really disappointed but eh just flat kinda bored
---.On Lickerish Hill-Yea, tried it but there is just this weird language technique she tried that frustrated and confused me, the misspellings the old English yibberish and just the uninteresting story lost me somewhere, Disappointed *seriously they spelled poor as pore I was just done, better reading has to be ahead.
---Steadfast-Another dud in my eyes, it plodded along, it told this convoluted story of a dancing princess and soldiers in France and yup lost me somewhere..not a fan, not enjoyable for me..eh Disappointed
----Godmother Death-Okay so I think we ended on a high note friends it was easily the most readable of the book and just a good story about Death in the form of a beautiful woman who befriends a man on the street, becomes his child’s godmother and helps make him a successful doctor by predicting whether or not she will take them in death or not. I liked the twist at the end, the mystery and great storytelling a real fairytale like I thought much of this book would be, but oh well..I did enjoy this one...
Okay and done LOL..Maybe three and a possible out of twenty though yikes!
June 2, 2017
Overall a good collection of fairytale retellings, where some were better than others as you'd expect. I'm a sucker for retellings though, so not really an objective opinion, but on the other hand I can be really critical sometimes and there were no stories here that I really felt failed they're attempt at reinvention or were poorly written. So would definitely recommend to those interested.
May 4, 2025
This compilation of stories was not quite as good as some others I have read in this series. There were overall more duds than stars. I think it is harder than it seems to write good short stories, especially when doing fairytale retellings. However, I'm still glad I read this collection and will continue to slowly finish the rest of the anthologies left in the series.
March 15, 2015
While I adore fantasy, retellings of myths or fairy tales aren’t the flavor that I’d first go for. Other than a handful of really well known classics, I’m not generally familiar with the source material, leaving at least one level of a retelling inaccessible for my appreciation. But, I wasn’t about to pass up a chance to try something a bit different from my favored norm, particularly when Ellen Datlow’s name is attached as editor. Terri Windling is just as respected, but I am far less familiar with her work. Probably because of this branch of fantasy in which she specializes.
And I was just enraptured from the moment starting this classic collection. Though I hadn’t heard of it before, Datlow made a comment on Twitter regarding how she was glad it was available again and in eBook form for those (like me) whose radar didn’t pick it up in the late 90s. After reading this I’ve since picked up all the other volumes from the series during an Open Road Media sale and look forward to enjoying them all.
The stories in this volume at least vary nicely in style and tone from the more serious to the light-hearted, and mix up the genres from an expected fantasy to something closer to science fiction or mystery. Beyond even the stories, there are also a couple of poems. Try as I might, I still can’t manage to get much appreciation out of poetry. I have gotten better, but still a long way off. So I didn’t read the poems in this. Nonetheless I’m glad they are there because I think the art form would give great opportunities for briefly retelling the cores of fairy tales. And these fairy tales, already existing ‘classically’ in myriad form, really are about some general ‘core’ elements rather than any given specific details of the plot.
While some of the stories stick to classic messages, perhaps in a new setting or from a new point of view, a large number serve to invert or recast elements that in this era would be considered problematic due to things like race or gender, or use the existing shell of a classic tale to create something wholly new that empowers and speaks to a group of the population that the tales of old rarely did.
For me personally on the two ends of the spectrum I cared least for “The Trial of Hansel and Gretel” and “On Lickerish Hill”. I found the former, casting the eponymous characters into a courtroom drama, to simply drag, and for the Clarke they style of the language was too much (though I managed her Strange & Norrell novel just fine). My most beloved readings here were “Godmother Death”, “The True Story”, “The Dog Rose”, “No Bigger Than My Thumb”, and “The Black Fairy’s Curse”. Many of those I enjoyed most fall into that category where a basic assumption from the original tale is taken and inverted to show a novel perspective or truth previously hidden or, within the confines of the story, ‘suppressed’.
Honestly I could list even more of the contents that I enjoyed, but the simplest thing is to let you find this and discover them all for yourself, if you haven’t already. Or perhaps to discover them all again. Whether this volume or (it is probably safe for me to speculate) any of the volumes of the Snow White, Blood Red series, you’re sure to find a good deal thought-provoking and entertaining.
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic reading copy of this from Open Road Media via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review that originally appeared at www.Reading1000Lives.com
And I was just enraptured from the moment starting this classic collection. Though I hadn’t heard of it before, Datlow made a comment on Twitter regarding how she was glad it was available again and in eBook form for those (like me) whose radar didn’t pick it up in the late 90s. After reading this I’ve since picked up all the other volumes from the series during an Open Road Media sale and look forward to enjoying them all.
The stories in this volume at least vary nicely in style and tone from the more serious to the light-hearted, and mix up the genres from an expected fantasy to something closer to science fiction or mystery. Beyond even the stories, there are also a couple of poems. Try as I might, I still can’t manage to get much appreciation out of poetry. I have gotten better, but still a long way off. So I didn’t read the poems in this. Nonetheless I’m glad they are there because I think the art form would give great opportunities for briefly retelling the cores of fairy tales. And these fairy tales, already existing ‘classically’ in myriad form, really are about some general ‘core’ elements rather than any given specific details of the plot.
While some of the stories stick to classic messages, perhaps in a new setting or from a new point of view, a large number serve to invert or recast elements that in this era would be considered problematic due to things like race or gender, or use the existing shell of a classic tale to create something wholly new that empowers and speaks to a group of the population that the tales of old rarely did.
For me personally on the two ends of the spectrum I cared least for “The Trial of Hansel and Gretel” and “On Lickerish Hill”. I found the former, casting the eponymous characters into a courtroom drama, to simply drag, and for the Clarke they style of the language was too much (though I managed her Strange & Norrell novel just fine). My most beloved readings here were “Godmother Death”, “The True Story”, “The Dog Rose”, “No Bigger Than My Thumb”, and “The Black Fairy’s Curse”. Many of those I enjoyed most fall into that category where a basic assumption from the original tale is taken and inverted to show a novel perspective or truth previously hidden or, within the confines of the story, ‘suppressed’.
Honestly I could list even more of the contents that I enjoyed, but the simplest thing is to let you find this and discover them all for yourself, if you haven’t already. Or perhaps to discover them all again. Whether this volume or (it is probably safe for me to speculate) any of the volumes of the Snow White, Blood Red series, you’re sure to find a good deal thought-provoking and entertaining.
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic reading copy of this from Open Road Media via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review that originally appeared at www.Reading1000Lives.com
January 17, 2021
I like fairy tales and I really like new takes on old stories, but this one is a dampner. I couldn't finish it. Read 3stories of which I couldn't figure what 2of them really meant. Black Fairy's Kiss by The one version of Sleeping Beauty I read by Karen Fowler was weird. Micheal Bkumlein's Snow in Dirt a Skeeping Beauty retell was predictable and OK. Riding the red by Nalo Hopkins was a complete bouncer.🤯 I don't have the courage to read any more.
Im disappointed, this book has been on my TBR for so long and have been looking forward to it. SIGH!
Im disappointed, this book has been on my TBR for so long and have been looking forward to it. SIGH!
January 20, 2013
I've always been fascinated with fairy tales, and this series puts a whole new spin on well loved stories. Most of them are darker retellings, just as a forewarning. I love to read stories I knew as a kid, but revamped for adults. My two favorites were the Rapunzel story and the Snow White retelling. The Snow White retelling is especially chilling because in this version, it is the father and not the step mother who is evil. I definitely recommend this book to all fans of fairy tales!
December 11, 2016
I didn't care for most of these adaptations, but I did love True Thomas by Bruce Glassco. The other three I liked were The Reverend's Wife by Midori Snyder, On Lickerish Hill by Susanna Clarke, and Godmother Death by Jane Yolen.
April 5, 2020
I personally preferred the stories in the 2nd half much more than the stories in the first half.
March 12, 2020
Fairy tales are interesting, both in their original form and the more sanitized happy versions we tend to grow up with today, and the differences between them. They resonate with so many people, no matter which form they’re in. From cautionary tales to hopeful visions of one’s future, there’s a place for fairy tales in our lives.
Which is why this collection is such a great one. It’s the sort of thing that can appeal to so many, not just fans of genre fiction. Though that is their primary appeal, since the overwhelming majority of the stories feature a sci-fi or fantasy bent, some read more like historical fiction or contemporary fiction, so there’s a range in here that’s fitting with the range of authors.
As with just about any anthology I read, though, some stories and some presentations hit harder with me than others. Particular favourites in this collection were Michael Blumlein’s Snow in Dirt (a sci-fi story involving a man who finds a strange comatose woman buried in his yard, then proceeds to revive and live with her), Esther M Friesner’s No Bigger Than My Thumb (a very twisted story of revenge), Gary Kilworth’s The Trial of Hansel and Gretel (exactly what it sounds like, portrayed as a medieval courtroom drama), Anne Bishop’s Rapunzel (a take on the classic story in which adversity builds character and everybody is more deeply flawed than you expect), Midori Snyder’s The Reverend’s Wife (a hilarious tale of ignorance and infidelity)… Okay, I’m starting to realise that there are more favourites in this collection that I first thought. Maybe it would be easier to say that there were really only 2 stories that I didn’t enjoy as much as the others rather than list all the ones I did like. And the ones that I didn’t find so appealing weren’t indicative of the quality of the story or the writing so much as they were just stories that didn’t really click with me. This happens a lot when I read anthologies with a mix of authors; inevitably there’s something that doesn’t appeal as much as the rest. Can’t win ’em all.
I understand that this isn’t the first collection in the series, and that there are plenty of other dark retellings of fairy tales edited by Datlow and Windling that I can look for now, and believe me, if this collection is indicative of the others, I’m going to have a damn good time reading through them. If you’re looking for a trip into a disturbing twist on the stories you grew up with (assuming you didn’t grow up with the Grimm versions, that is; they’re disturbing enough on their own), then I highly recommend Black Swan, White Raven. You’ve got a star collection of authors contributing here, and it really shows in the fantastic diversity of content and style. This is one to stay on my bookshelves for years to come!
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
Which is why this collection is such a great one. It’s the sort of thing that can appeal to so many, not just fans of genre fiction. Though that is their primary appeal, since the overwhelming majority of the stories feature a sci-fi or fantasy bent, some read more like historical fiction or contemporary fiction, so there’s a range in here that’s fitting with the range of authors.
As with just about any anthology I read, though, some stories and some presentations hit harder with me than others. Particular favourites in this collection were Michael Blumlein’s Snow in Dirt (a sci-fi story involving a man who finds a strange comatose woman buried in his yard, then proceeds to revive and live with her), Esther M Friesner’s No Bigger Than My Thumb (a very twisted story of revenge), Gary Kilworth’s The Trial of Hansel and Gretel (exactly what it sounds like, portrayed as a medieval courtroom drama), Anne Bishop’s Rapunzel (a take on the classic story in which adversity builds character and everybody is more deeply flawed than you expect), Midori Snyder’s The Reverend’s Wife (a hilarious tale of ignorance and infidelity)… Okay, I’m starting to realise that there are more favourites in this collection that I first thought. Maybe it would be easier to say that there were really only 2 stories that I didn’t enjoy as much as the others rather than list all the ones I did like. And the ones that I didn’t find so appealing weren’t indicative of the quality of the story or the writing so much as they were just stories that didn’t really click with me. This happens a lot when I read anthologies with a mix of authors; inevitably there’s something that doesn’t appeal as much as the rest. Can’t win ’em all.
I understand that this isn’t the first collection in the series, and that there are plenty of other dark retellings of fairy tales edited by Datlow and Windling that I can look for now, and believe me, if this collection is indicative of the others, I’m going to have a damn good time reading through them. If you’re looking for a trip into a disturbing twist on the stories you grew up with (assuming you didn’t grow up with the Grimm versions, that is; they’re disturbing enough on their own), then I highly recommend Black Swan, White Raven. You’ve got a star collection of authors contributing here, and it really shows in the fantastic diversity of content and style. This is one to stay on my bookshelves for years to come!
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
March 25, 2018
This is a most interesting collection of scrivenings (a word I saw for the first time in my life on p. 115, in “The Trial of Hansel and Gretel” … yes, I know and adore the novella of Herman Melville, “Bartleby the Scrivener,” but never, until just today, had I seen the word “scrivenings.”)
I should provide a caveat lector right up front: I’m not really a fan of Sci-Fi literature. And yet, I bought this book at a second-hand bookstore in NYC’s East Village because it suggested a modern-day telling of fairy tales. What’s not to like about fairy tales? And what’s not to like about a modern-day re-telling of them, especially if they’re written with an adult audience in mind?
Yes, it helps to have a name like that of ‘Joyce Carol Oates’ on the cover. And “In the Insomniac Night” was certainly no disappointment. Vintage Oates, I would have to say—and therefore, by definition, eminently readable.
But it remains difficult with a collection like this one—at least for me—to cite any one story (or even a few stories) as outstanding. I’ve just mentioned “In the Insomniac Night.” “Sparks,” by Gregory Frost—though 34 pages long—moves at a clip that almost defies imagination. Midori Snyder’s “The Reverend’s Wife” combines wit with an erotic touch that is so deft, I think it should be used in college-level (or even MFA) creative writing classes as a model for how to describe human sexuality in almost magical terms. And finally, Nancy Kress’s “Steadfast” is an absolute dance of delight!
Did I say that this collection is flawless? No, I didn’t. Some of the stories just failed to pull me in—or simply escaped my too rational comprehension. But that may just be me and the limits of my mind. I would encourage you to hunt it down and give it a try. Time with a book—even a slightly flawed book—is never time ill-spent.
RRB
Brooklyn, NY
25 March 2018
I should provide a caveat lector right up front: I’m not really a fan of Sci-Fi literature. And yet, I bought this book at a second-hand bookstore in NYC’s East Village because it suggested a modern-day telling of fairy tales. What’s not to like about fairy tales? And what’s not to like about a modern-day re-telling of them, especially if they’re written with an adult audience in mind?
Yes, it helps to have a name like that of ‘Joyce Carol Oates’ on the cover. And “In the Insomniac Night” was certainly no disappointment. Vintage Oates, I would have to say—and therefore, by definition, eminently readable.
But it remains difficult with a collection like this one—at least for me—to cite any one story (or even a few stories) as outstanding. I’ve just mentioned “In the Insomniac Night.” “Sparks,” by Gregory Frost—though 34 pages long—moves at a clip that almost defies imagination. Midori Snyder’s “The Reverend’s Wife” combines wit with an erotic touch that is so deft, I think it should be used in college-level (or even MFA) creative writing classes as a model for how to describe human sexuality in almost magical terms. And finally, Nancy Kress’s “Steadfast” is an absolute dance of delight!
Did I say that this collection is flawless? No, I didn’t. Some of the stories just failed to pull me in—or simply escaped my too rational comprehension. But that may just be me and the limits of my mind. I would encourage you to hunt it down and give it a try. Time with a book—even a slightly flawed book—is never time ill-spent.
RRB
Brooklyn, NY
25 March 2018
March 7, 2022
Why do anthologies always put the good stories at the end? I almost dropped this three times.
I really don't miss some parts of 90's writing. I was only reading this because I needed to finish out another bingo card, but I wasn't overly fond of it. The stories written by women were better, but the casual male sexism has gotten really tiresome and I didn't enjoy coming back to it and realizing most of the writers were still alive. The SFF anthology might be my least favorite bingo square.
• Flounder's Kiss: yes yes, harpy women. Yawn.
• Black Fairy's Curse: this was fine.
• Snow in Dirt: Ew. Tired of 90's men's depictions of women.
• Riding the Red: A reasonable interpretation.
• No Bigger Than My Thumb: Also a fun interpretation!
• In the Insomniac Night: I wasn't a fan of the style.
• The Trial of Hansel and Gretel: Fun!
• Rapunzel: It got better, but this is where I contemplated dropping the book for the second time.
• Sparks: Somewhat interesting, albeit a boring resolution. And women as prizes again.
• The Dog Rose: Fine.
• The Reverend's Wife: Why on earth was this in the collection?
• The Orphan the Moth and the Magic: I think the story was fine, but I didn't like the style.
• Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs: Of course it has to be reframed solely from a man's perspective. I guess the setting was a pastiche, but what an irritating one.
• True Thomas: Interesting alien fairies. Probably my favorite story.
• The True Story: More traditionally dark and edgy, but at least with a feminist bent.
• Lost and Abandoned: I guess both parents are horrible people? I'm not sure which fairy tale it was about.
• The Breadcrumb Trail: I'm not huge on verse.
• On Lickerish Hill: Lol pre-Jonathan Strange Susanna Clarke. I liked this quite a lot.
• Steadfast: Suffering for art. Meh.
• Godmother Death: A nice twist on a classic.
I really don't miss some parts of 90's writing. I was only reading this because I needed to finish out another bingo card, but I wasn't overly fond of it. The stories written by women were better, but the casual male sexism has gotten really tiresome and I didn't enjoy coming back to it and realizing most of the writers were still alive. The SFF anthology might be my least favorite bingo square.
• Flounder's Kiss: yes yes, harpy women. Yawn.
• Black Fairy's Curse: this was fine.
• Snow in Dirt: Ew. Tired of 90's men's depictions of women.
• Riding the Red: A reasonable interpretation.
• No Bigger Than My Thumb: Also a fun interpretation!
• In the Insomniac Night: I wasn't a fan of the style.
• The Trial of Hansel and Gretel: Fun!
• Rapunzel: It got better, but this is where I contemplated dropping the book for the second time.
• Sparks: Somewhat interesting, albeit a boring resolution. And women as prizes again.
• The Dog Rose: Fine.
• The Reverend's Wife: Why on earth was this in the collection?
• The Orphan the Moth and the Magic: I think the story was fine, but I didn't like the style.
• Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs: Of course it has to be reframed solely from a man's perspective. I guess the setting was a pastiche, but what an irritating one.
• True Thomas: Interesting alien fairies. Probably my favorite story.
• The True Story: More traditionally dark and edgy, but at least with a feminist bent.
• Lost and Abandoned: I guess both parents are horrible people? I'm not sure which fairy tale it was about.
• The Breadcrumb Trail: I'm not huge on verse.
• On Lickerish Hill: Lol pre-Jonathan Strange Susanna Clarke. I liked this quite a lot.
• Steadfast: Suffering for art. Meh.
• Godmother Death: A nice twist on a classic.
March 28, 2022
I was pretty excited to get into another of Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow’s collections of reimagined fairy tales, but I found the stories in this particular collection rather underwhelming. After reflecting on them all, I can’t really even think of one story that has stuck around in my memory… Looking at the table of contents very few stories quickly come back to mind, but at least there were a few seeds for thought - even if they did more to potentially inspire some stories I plan on writing in the near future myself. Nalo Hopkinson’s “Riding the Red” was disconcerting in its sexual overtones, but was a stark reminder (alongside another collection of grouped folk/fairytales I’m reading) that the story of Little Red Riding Hood is not as innocent as recent renditions have us believe; much can be said about wolfish men, the symbolism of red cloaks, and the discovery of wandering in the woods. “Godmother Death” by Jane Yolen takes its place as a strong and rightful closing note for the collection, playing on the idea of Death walking the world and the games we play as we live life; Yolen has done other stronger stories (in my opinion), but this story feels mythic and classic in its telling, and I am glad she chose not to modernize it too much. The rest? A handful of tales that twig memories of being annoyed at linguistic choices, overtly male-gaze awkwardness, and predictable enough plotlines even for their retelling.
December 20, 2014
22 different stories, all around one fairy tale or another. I wrote status updates for each one.
Really good story.
Quite enjoyably shockingly hilarious.
I enjoyed them all, some better than others. The remainder of the book was suggested readings, but I didn't look at them.
Really good story.
Quite enjoyably shockingly hilarious.
I enjoyed them all, some better than others. The remainder of the book was suggested readings, but I didn't look at them.
June 30, 2024
Average Rating: 3.33 stars
Excluding 1 star: 3.58 stars
The Flounder’s Kiss by MICHAEL CADNUM - 3 stars
The Black Fairy’s Curse by KAREN JOY FOWLER - 2 stars
Snow in Dirt by MICHAEL BLUMLEIN - 2 stars
Riding the Red by NALO HOPKINSON - 2 stars
No Bigger Than My Thumb by ESTHER M. FRIESNER - 5 stars
In the Insomniac Night by JOYCE CAROL OATES - 3 stars
The Little Match Girl by STEVE RASNIC TEM - 1 star
The Trial of Hansel and Gretel by GARRY KILWORTH - 4 stars
Rapunzel by ANNE BISHOP - 5 stars
Sparks by GREGORY FROST - 4 stars
The Dog Rose by STEN WESTGARD - 3 stars
The Reverend’s Wife by MIDORI SNYDER - 4.5 stars
The Orphan the Moth and the Magic by HARVEY JACOBS - 2 stars
Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs by DON WEBB - 4.5 stars
True Thomas by BRUCE GLASSCO - 5 stars - wow!
The True Story by PAT MURPHY - 5 stars
Lost and Abandoned by JOHN CROWLEY - 3 stars
The Breadcrumb Trail by NINA KIRIKI HOFFMAN - 2 stars
On Lickerish Hill by SUSANNA CLARKE - 1 star; DNF
Steadfast by NANCY KRESS - 4 stars
Godmother Death by JANE YOLEN - 5 stars
Excluding 1 star: 3.58 stars
The Flounder’s Kiss by MICHAEL CADNUM - 3 stars
The Black Fairy’s Curse by KAREN JOY FOWLER - 2 stars
Snow in Dirt by MICHAEL BLUMLEIN - 2 stars
Riding the Red by NALO HOPKINSON - 2 stars
No Bigger Than My Thumb by ESTHER M. FRIESNER - 5 stars
In the Insomniac Night by JOYCE CAROL OATES - 3 stars
The Little Match Girl by STEVE RASNIC TEM - 1 star
The Trial of Hansel and Gretel by GARRY KILWORTH - 4 stars
Rapunzel by ANNE BISHOP - 5 stars
Sparks by GREGORY FROST - 4 stars
The Dog Rose by STEN WESTGARD - 3 stars
The Reverend’s Wife by MIDORI SNYDER - 4.5 stars
The Orphan the Moth and the Magic by HARVEY JACOBS - 2 stars
Three Dwarves and 2000 Maniacs by DON WEBB - 4.5 stars
True Thomas by BRUCE GLASSCO - 5 stars - wow!
The True Story by PAT MURPHY - 5 stars
Lost and Abandoned by JOHN CROWLEY - 3 stars
The Breadcrumb Trail by NINA KIRIKI HOFFMAN - 2 stars
On Lickerish Hill by SUSANNA CLARKE - 1 star; DNF
Steadfast by NANCY KRESS - 4 stars
Godmother Death by JANE YOLEN - 5 stars
January 2, 2023
I absolutely adored four of the stories but the rest were just fine as well as some I truly did not care for.
The ones I loved, in order of preference:
Rapunzel by Anne Bishop casts the heroine as a cycle-breaking, kind woman.
The True Story by Pat Murphy imagines Snow White's stepmother as not so evil after all.
The Dog Rose by Stan Westgard gives the perspective of a gardening peasant boy who tries to conquer Sleeping Beauty's wall of thorns.
The Trial of Hansel and Gretel by Garry Kilworth considers how the village law and order would react to children killing a purported witch.
It was interesting to read these as a collection and see what patterns emerged: the trials of single parents with children, lots more evil men and much fewer evil women, sprinklings of sci-fi and how that compares with magic. The editors have other collections that I'll check out.
The ones I loved, in order of preference:
Rapunzel by Anne Bishop casts the heroine as a cycle-breaking, kind woman.
The True Story by Pat Murphy imagines Snow White's stepmother as not so evil after all.
The Dog Rose by Stan Westgard gives the perspective of a gardening peasant boy who tries to conquer Sleeping Beauty's wall of thorns.
The Trial of Hansel and Gretel by Garry Kilworth considers how the village law and order would react to children killing a purported witch.
It was interesting to read these as a collection and see what patterns emerged: the trials of single parents with children, lots more evil men and much fewer evil women, sprinklings of sci-fi and how that compares with magic. The editors have other collections that I'll check out.
August 27, 2023
I am glad to have acquired this book in fair trade at our "little free library" exchange point. Although I admire Ellen Datlow I had never read this particular collection. Some of the authors presented had already written novels in 1997, but some are emergent. Of these, what I thought was the best short story is Anne Bishop's "Rapunzel," an adult retelling of the fairytale which moves from tragedy to the happy ending, the protagonist planting massive amounts of the lettuce in her garden to freely give to expectant mothers. Bishop has become amazingly prolific, and my local library seems to have most of her book titles, so that is a good thing.
February 25, 2024
While I enjoyed some of the short stories and their re-tellings others were bland. Honestly, these retellings were not necessary though. The Flounder’s Kiss and The Black Fairy’s curse were decent . Snow in the dirt however was too long, boring and just filled with sexual assaul references. Riding the red was okay but No bigger than my thumb and The insomniac night I could do without. The rest of the book is like that. Small little hits but absolutely huge misses. Makes me not want to pick up the rest of the anthologies like this.
July 7, 2020
Especially enjoyed the one about the true story of Snow White's stepmother - how kind she really was but how time made her into a witch. Time and jealous men. I love it when we "take back" the older female roles like that.
Fairy tales can really mirror the sad parts of our world - and our mastery of those parts. And in these modern tales, the women don't always need a handsome prince. It is such fun to see the different storytelling angles writers take with the old stories.
Fairy tales can really mirror the sad parts of our world - and our mastery of those parts. And in these modern tales, the women don't always need a handsome prince. It is such fun to see the different storytelling angles writers take with the old stories.
January 31, 2021
Bruce Glassco's "True Thomas" was my favourite tale in this anthology - it's worth buying the book just to read this one story!
I loved how Glassco interpreted the traditional tale of Thomas the Rhymer. I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil it... but I will never see that tale in the same way again. Brilliant, sad, and strange.
I loved how Glassco interpreted the traditional tale of Thomas the Rhymer. I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil it... but I will never see that tale in the same way again. Brilliant, sad, and strange.
March 20, 2022
Twenty-one additional retold fairy tales in the Snow White, Blood Red series. The most notable of this anthology were: “In the Insomniac Night” by Joyce Carol Oates; “The Reverend’s Wife” by Midori Snyder; “The Orphan the Moth and the Magic” by Harvey Jacobs; and “The Breadcrumb Trail” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman.
January 26, 2018
Fun, exciting stories.
I enjoyed the stories and tales written and give kudos to the writers. I have always liked fairy tales and I loved the new interpretations of old tales. Now on to the next book!
I enjoyed the stories and tales written and give kudos to the writers. I have always liked fairy tales and I loved the new interpretations of old tales. Now on to the next book!
did-not-finish
May 9, 2023The Flounder's Kiss: BLEH
The Black Fairy's Curse: ehh
Snow in Dirt: at least this one was long enough for me to care a little about the characters, but still -- mehhhh
Riding the Red: nope. quit on this
The Black Fairy's Curse: ehh
Snow in Dirt: at least this one was long enough for me to care a little about the characters, but still -- mehhhh
Riding the Red: nope. quit on this
deals
March 7, 20207 March 2020: $1.99 on Kindle
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews