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Dark Fairy Tales: Weird, Wicked Stories from Around the World
Master storyteller Viktor Wynd is back with a gloriously grim collection of wickedly entertaining tales from around the world, guaranteed to tickle the darker side of the imagination.
Viktor Wynd has always gravitated towards the weirder corners of folklore. On his extensive travels, he has amassed a trove of stories that refuse to play nice - filled with risque twists, grotesque details, and endings that are surprisingly happy, though not always in the way one might expect. Having entertained audiences around the world with these tales, he has now written down some of his favorites in a book as beautifully produced as it is macarbre. The stories were collected in Wales, Ireland, Arabia, Germany, Norway, Papua New Guinea, and Borneo, and include the adventures of a one-eyed troll; the feckless Paddy O'Dwyer; a changeling child; a girl who thinks she can outwit a witch; the doomed Sinbad the Traveler; shapeshifters; and a baby-eating pig. Each chapter begins with Wynd's personal account of how he came to learn these stories. Arresting and intricate illustrations by Transylvanian artist Luciana Nedelea perfectly balance the charming and grotesque. The book also includes a guide to the art of learning and recounting fairy tales. With foil accents and stenciled edges, this volume feels like a forbidden artifact plucked from a dusty cabinet of curiosities.
Viktor Wynd has always gravitated towards the weirder corners of folklore. On his extensive travels, he has amassed a trove of stories that refuse to play nice - filled with risque twists, grotesque details, and endings that are surprisingly happy, though not always in the way one might expect. Having entertained audiences around the world with these tales, he has now written down some of his favorites in a book as beautifully produced as it is macarbre. The stories were collected in Wales, Ireland, Arabia, Germany, Norway, Papua New Guinea, and Borneo, and include the adventures of a one-eyed troll; the feckless Paddy O'Dwyer; a changeling child; a girl who thinks she can outwit a witch; the doomed Sinbad the Traveler; shapeshifters; and a baby-eating pig. Each chapter begins with Wynd's personal account of how he came to learn these stories. Arresting and intricate illustrations by Transylvanian artist Luciana Nedelea perfectly balance the charming and grotesque. The book also includes a guide to the art of learning and recounting fairy tales. With foil accents and stenciled edges, this volume feels like a forbidden artifact plucked from a dusty cabinet of curiosities.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2025
4 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Viktor Wynd
7 books2 followersViktor Wynd is an artist, author, lecturer, impresario and committee member of The London Institute of 'Pataphysics.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 29, 2025
A quite wonderful collection of stories from various places across the world. We’ve got stories from Papua New Guinea, Norway, Ireland and many other places. But! If you’re looking for scary, gothic or anything similar, this is not the collection for you. The dark in the fairy tales is mostly death and a lot of sex.
The stories themselves are interesting. I love folk tales and Wynd uses a language that is quite suited to telling stories. They are written as one would speak them. I bet many of them would have another dimension added by reading them out loud to a loved one.
Wynd’s ruminations add a personal touch to the stories, but are a little overindulgent and seem out of place sometimes. They are highly personal and often tend to reinforce stereotypes about people and cultures. He does have a conversation with his editor on page and if I may say, I think the editor could have cut even more of the lengthy personal thoughts.
All in all, a lovely collection of stories. I was surprised I haven’t heard any of the Scandinavian or Irish/British ones so I am glad to add them to my consciousness.
I was granted permission to read an ARC through NetGalley. Thanks to publisher Prestel and the author for letting me read it!
The stories themselves are interesting. I love folk tales and Wynd uses a language that is quite suited to telling stories. They are written as one would speak them. I bet many of them would have another dimension added by reading them out loud to a loved one.
Wynd’s ruminations add a personal touch to the stories, but are a little overindulgent and seem out of place sometimes. They are highly personal and often tend to reinforce stereotypes about people and cultures. He does have a conversation with his editor on page and if I may say, I think the editor could have cut even more of the lengthy personal thoughts.
All in all, a lovely collection of stories. I was surprised I haven’t heard any of the Scandinavian or Irish/British ones so I am glad to add them to my consciousness.
I was granted permission to read an ARC through NetGalley. Thanks to publisher Prestel and the author for letting me read it!
reziexemplare
November 2, 2025Viktor Wynds Dark Fairy Tales ist eine Sammlung, die sich weigert, in eine Schublade zu passen. Schon der Titel verspricht Dunkelheit, doch wer hier gotische Schauergeschichten erwartet, wird schnell eines Besseren belehrt. Wynd interessiert sich weniger für das Grauen des Todes als für die Dunkelheit des Begehrens. Seine Märchen aus Irland, Norwegen, Papua-Neuguinea oder Arabien sind sinnlich, roh und oft erstaunlich derb – Geschichten, in denen Körperlichkeit und Trieb ebenso selbstverständlich vorkommen wie Magie und Verwandlung.
Wynd schreibt, wie man erzählt. Seine Sprache ist rhythmisch, voller Einschübe und Abschweifungen, fast so, als säße man ihm beim Glas Wein gegenüber, während er sich von einer Anekdote in die nächste verliert. Diese mündliche Unmittelbarkeit hat Charme, kann aber auch ermüden. Zwischen den eigentlichen Erzählungen kommentiert Wynd unaufhörlich: Er berichtet von Reisen, Begegnungen und persönlichen Eindrücken, manchmal amüsant, manchmal irritierend selbstverliebt. Es ist ein Ton, der zugleich Nähe schafft und Distanz erzeugt.
Die Märchen selbst sind eine Entdeckung. Viele davon sind im Westen kaum bekannt, und Wynd gelingt es, ihre archaische Energie zu bewahren. Dabei zeigt er, dass Volksmärchen nie harmlos waren: Sie sind voller Lust, Gewalt und Absurdität. Dass der Autor dabei keinerlei Scheu vor expliziten Szenen hat, mag manchen Leser befremden, gehört aber zur Ehrlichkeit seiner Herangehensweise. Diese Geschichten sind nicht für Kinder, und Wynd macht kein Geheimnis daraus, dass das „Dunkle“ hier oft aus Fleisch und Blut besteht.
Die Ausgabe selbst ist prachtvoll gestaltet, mit Illustrationen der Künstlerin Luciana Nedelea, die das Groteske und Schöne der Texte kongenial einfängt. Am Ende bietet Wynd sogar praktische Hinweise, wie man Märchen selbst erzählen kann – ein sympathischer Versuch, die alte Kunst der mündlichen Überlieferung zu beleben.
Dark Fairy Tales ist ein widersprüchliches Buch: zu lang, zu selbstbezogen, manchmal unappetitlich, aber zugleich lebendig, witzig und voller erzählerischer Neugier. Es erinnert daran, dass das Märchen einst ein Ort des Begehrens, der Furcht und der Freiheit war – bevor man es in Kinderzimmer verbannte. Wynds Sammlung ist kein makelloses Werk, aber ein verführerisch schiefes, das seine Leser nicht belehrt, sondern verführt. Und vielleicht ist das, in einer Zeit glatter Erzählungen, sein größter Vorzug.
Wynd schreibt, wie man erzählt. Seine Sprache ist rhythmisch, voller Einschübe und Abschweifungen, fast so, als säße man ihm beim Glas Wein gegenüber, während er sich von einer Anekdote in die nächste verliert. Diese mündliche Unmittelbarkeit hat Charme, kann aber auch ermüden. Zwischen den eigentlichen Erzählungen kommentiert Wynd unaufhörlich: Er berichtet von Reisen, Begegnungen und persönlichen Eindrücken, manchmal amüsant, manchmal irritierend selbstverliebt. Es ist ein Ton, der zugleich Nähe schafft und Distanz erzeugt.
Die Märchen selbst sind eine Entdeckung. Viele davon sind im Westen kaum bekannt, und Wynd gelingt es, ihre archaische Energie zu bewahren. Dabei zeigt er, dass Volksmärchen nie harmlos waren: Sie sind voller Lust, Gewalt und Absurdität. Dass der Autor dabei keinerlei Scheu vor expliziten Szenen hat, mag manchen Leser befremden, gehört aber zur Ehrlichkeit seiner Herangehensweise. Diese Geschichten sind nicht für Kinder, und Wynd macht kein Geheimnis daraus, dass das „Dunkle“ hier oft aus Fleisch und Blut besteht.
Die Ausgabe selbst ist prachtvoll gestaltet, mit Illustrationen der Künstlerin Luciana Nedelea, die das Groteske und Schöne der Texte kongenial einfängt. Am Ende bietet Wynd sogar praktische Hinweise, wie man Märchen selbst erzählen kann – ein sympathischer Versuch, die alte Kunst der mündlichen Überlieferung zu beleben.
Dark Fairy Tales ist ein widersprüchliches Buch: zu lang, zu selbstbezogen, manchmal unappetitlich, aber zugleich lebendig, witzig und voller erzählerischer Neugier. Es erinnert daran, dass das Märchen einst ein Ort des Begehrens, der Furcht und der Freiheit war – bevor man es in Kinderzimmer verbannte. Wynds Sammlung ist kein makelloses Werk, aber ein verführerisch schiefes, das seine Leser nicht belehrt, sondern verführt. Und vielleicht ist das, in einer Zeit glatter Erzählungen, sein größter Vorzug.
October 17, 2025
I'm very much in two minds about this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Dark Fairy Tales is two books: a collection of folk/fairy tales and a memoir. This analogy isn't perfect, because the memoir aspects are tied in with the tales, but it works well enough. The collection is very solid. Wynd is a talented storyteller, and reading these retellings was a delight. By sheer luck, he hit on a good mixture of stories I had heard before and stories that were new to me. They were raunchy in a fun way for the most part, though the use of "punani" made me cringe through space and time. Generally, I liked his editorializing; it was entertaining and added to the sense of being told the story by a real person, as opposed to the somewhat dry, academic tone that folk/fairy tale retellings can have. Structuring the stories by country and chronologically when Wynd visited them was strong, and gave the collection some narrative momentum.
With that said, some of Wynd's editorializing did not go over so well with me. If I never have to read about some white guy speaking about political correctness in a joking but exasperated manner again, it will be too soon. Wynd also writes about his past girlfriends in a slightly gross manner, especially his comments about what people from Scandinavia are like as lovers and his details about his sex life with his German girlfriend. I truly cannot decide how I feel about the way he writes about "Arabia" (he clarifies in the introduction to that series of stories that he visited Syria), Papua New Guinea, and Borneo. Syria is probably the worst offender, because Wynd has less of an emotional attachment to it than he does the latter two countries. You can feel how much he loves particularly Papua New Guinea, and frankly I don't know enough about the tourist industry there to know if tourism is appreciated or not (from a cursory google search, it seems that it is? Please let me know if I'm off on that). He does seem invested in engaging with indigenous people in Papua New Guinea in particular, which is good. I honestly don't know; your mileage may vary.
Overall, an entertaining story collection and memoir of a man who has lived quite the life. I may try to go to his absinthe bar.
Dark Fairy Tales is two books: a collection of folk/fairy tales and a memoir. This analogy isn't perfect, because the memoir aspects are tied in with the tales, but it works well enough. The collection is very solid. Wynd is a talented storyteller, and reading these retellings was a delight. By sheer luck, he hit on a good mixture of stories I had heard before and stories that were new to me. They were raunchy in a fun way for the most part, though the use of "punani" made me cringe through space and time. Generally, I liked his editorializing; it was entertaining and added to the sense of being told the story by a real person, as opposed to the somewhat dry, academic tone that folk/fairy tale retellings can have. Structuring the stories by country and chronologically when Wynd visited them was strong, and gave the collection some narrative momentum.
With that said, some of Wynd's editorializing did not go over so well with me. If I never have to read about some white guy speaking about political correctness in a joking but exasperated manner again, it will be too soon. Wynd also writes about his past girlfriends in a slightly gross manner, especially his comments about what people from Scandinavia are like as lovers and his details about his sex life with his German girlfriend. I truly cannot decide how I feel about the way he writes about "Arabia" (he clarifies in the introduction to that series of stories that he visited Syria), Papua New Guinea, and Borneo. Syria is probably the worst offender, because Wynd has less of an emotional attachment to it than he does the latter two countries. You can feel how much he loves particularly Papua New Guinea, and frankly I don't know enough about the tourist industry there to know if tourism is appreciated or not (from a cursory google search, it seems that it is? Please let me know if I'm off on that). He does seem invested in engaging with indigenous people in Papua New Guinea in particular, which is good. I honestly don't know; your mileage may vary.
Overall, an entertaining story collection and memoir of a man who has lived quite the life. I may try to go to his absinthe bar.
October 12, 2025
Publishing date: 09.09.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Prestel Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
TLDR //
A little too much hankypanky, mostly just a campy collection, written as you would tell the stories, a little too many personal anecdotes. 2 stars
Quickfire likes and gripes //
Stories came from a lot of different cultures and countries
These were indeed dark and not for kids, as advertised
The fairy tales themselves were mostly written in a way you would tell them to someone else, which made them easy to read
Cool illustrations
Expected something more gothic
Why so much sex?
Please use less of these ( ) mid story
Other thoughts //
I was going into this collection as I enjoy fairy tales with a more tragic or gothic twist. The sadder and more grotesque the better. This had none of this.
Also the author has a lot of sections in-between where he talks about his experience with either the different countries, people, or tales. These feel very overindulgent and overly personal. Like an out of place personal. Some of them also dwell on some outdated or harmful stereotypes.
I understand that sex has been a big part of storytelling for humans since forever, but some of these things could have been left our or rewritten. I feel like a lot of it was irrelevant to a lot of the stories and settling on “they slept together” would have been okay. And the amount of … animals and humans … were a little over the top.
How it was to read //
This was a mostly easy read. The only thing that took me really out of it all were these ( ) mid story. I understand that the author’s intended style was to write them as you would tell them, but those were really distracting. And most of the time they were used they could have been switched out with a different sentence or cut entirely.
Audience //
If you are interested in adult fairy tales you might enjoy this. And when I say adult, I mean … “adult”. Looking for gothic or scary? Look elsewhere.
Final Verdict //
This collection wasn’t to my liking. Not what I wanted. Giving this 2 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Prestel Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
TLDR //
A little too much hankypanky, mostly just a campy collection, written as you would tell the stories, a little too many personal anecdotes. 2 stars
Quickfire likes and gripes //
Stories came from a lot of different cultures and countries
These were indeed dark and not for kids, as advertised
The fairy tales themselves were mostly written in a way you would tell them to someone else, which made them easy to read
Cool illustrations
Expected something more gothic
Why so much sex?
Please use less of these ( ) mid story
Other thoughts //
I was going into this collection as I enjoy fairy tales with a more tragic or gothic twist. The sadder and more grotesque the better. This had none of this.
Also the author has a lot of sections in-between where he talks about his experience with either the different countries, people, or tales. These feel very overindulgent and overly personal. Like an out of place personal. Some of them also dwell on some outdated or harmful stereotypes.
I understand that sex has been a big part of storytelling for humans since forever, but some of these things could have been left our or rewritten. I feel like a lot of it was irrelevant to a lot of the stories and settling on “they slept together” would have been okay. And the amount of … animals and humans … were a little over the top.
How it was to read //
This was a mostly easy read. The only thing that took me really out of it all were these ( ) mid story. I understand that the author’s intended style was to write them as you would tell them, but those were really distracting. And most of the time they were used they could have been switched out with a different sentence or cut entirely.
Audience //
If you are interested in adult fairy tales you might enjoy this. And when I say adult, I mean … “adult”. Looking for gothic or scary? Look elsewhere.
Final Verdict //
This collection wasn’t to my liking. Not what I wanted. Giving this 2 stars.
September 7, 2025
One of the recent audiobooks I listened to was: "Dark Fairy Tales: Weird, Wicked Stories From Around The World." The book itself debuts on Tuesday. This was written by Viktor Wynd.
["Master storyteller Viktor Wynd is back with a gloriously grim collection of wickedly entertaining tales from around the world, guaranteed to tickle the darker side of the imagination.
Viktor Wynd has always gravitated towards the weirder corners of folklore. On his extensive travels, he has amassed a trove of stories that refuse to play nice - filled with risque twists, grotesque details, and endings that are surprisingly happy, though not always in the way one might expect. Having entertained audiences around the world with these tales, he has now written down some of his favorites in a book as beautifully produced as it is macarbre. The stories were collected in Wales, Ireland, Arabia, Germany, Norway, Papua New Guinea, and Borneo, and include the adventures of a one-eyed troll; the feckless Paddy O'Dwyer; a changeling child; a girl who thinks she can outwit a witch; the doomed Sinbad the Traveler; shapeshifters; and a baby-eating pig. Each chapter begins with Wynd's personal account of how he came to learn these stories. Arresting and intricate illustrations by Transylvanian artist Luciana Nedelea perfectly balance the charming and grotesque. The book also includes a guide to the art of learning and recounting fairy tales. With foil accents and stenciled edges, this volume feels like a forbidden artifact plucked from a dusty cabinet of curiosities."]
This book was wonderful. It was filled with old stories and new stories (new to me). It was dark and delightful. It was bizarre and beautiful. It's the original endings to so many of the Disney-fied stories we grew up watching. I highly recommend.
#darkfairytales #weirdwickedstoriesfromaroundtheworld #darkfairytalesweirdwickedstoriesfromaroundtheworld #viktorwynd #fairytales #fairytalerettlings #books #audiobooks #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
["Master storyteller Viktor Wynd is back with a gloriously grim collection of wickedly entertaining tales from around the world, guaranteed to tickle the darker side of the imagination.
Viktor Wynd has always gravitated towards the weirder corners of folklore. On his extensive travels, he has amassed a trove of stories that refuse to play nice - filled with risque twists, grotesque details, and endings that are surprisingly happy, though not always in the way one might expect. Having entertained audiences around the world with these tales, he has now written down some of his favorites in a book as beautifully produced as it is macarbre. The stories were collected in Wales, Ireland, Arabia, Germany, Norway, Papua New Guinea, and Borneo, and include the adventures of a one-eyed troll; the feckless Paddy O'Dwyer; a changeling child; a girl who thinks she can outwit a witch; the doomed Sinbad the Traveler; shapeshifters; and a baby-eating pig. Each chapter begins with Wynd's personal account of how he came to learn these stories. Arresting and intricate illustrations by Transylvanian artist Luciana Nedelea perfectly balance the charming and grotesque. The book also includes a guide to the art of learning and recounting fairy tales. With foil accents and stenciled edges, this volume feels like a forbidden artifact plucked from a dusty cabinet of curiosities."]
This book was wonderful. It was filled with old stories and new stories (new to me). It was dark and delightful. It was bizarre and beautiful. It's the original endings to so many of the Disney-fied stories we grew up watching. I highly recommend.
#darkfairytales #weirdwickedstoriesfromaroundtheworld #darkfairytalesweirdwickedstoriesfromaroundtheworld #viktorwynd #fairytales #fairytalerettlings #books #audiobooks #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
October 15, 2025
Pros:
- the author in his introduction suggests that this book be read aloud, whether to yourself or to a friend, and so my partner and I took turns reading each other one of these before bed and it was genuinely a delight
- taking oral stories and writing them down is always a challenge, but Wynd manages to capture the feeling of oral storytelling on the page, which his asides and little quips
- the other thing that is challenging about fairytales is that they are often part of a broader cultural fabric, and so presenting just a selection can sometimes lose that sense of expansive tradition. Wynd manages to make it feel like you're just touching the tip of the iceberg with the selected stories, and makes you want to visit the areas he's highlighted for yourself to hear some more
- hehe small balls
- now, the book is slightly a misnomer is that the real reason this isn't for children is that it is simply extremely raunchy. As someone with the perennial humor of a teenage boy, this was a delightful revelation, though if you're expecting horror, there is some of that too
- snake birth. snirth.
- I love Grimm's fairytales but it's nice seeing traditions that have survived engagement with Christianity unchanged,
- no really small balls was my favorite, when is it my turn to be invited to the gay orgy
- at the end of the book there are a lot of tips to continue the tradition of oral storytelling yourself, which I really liked. There's even a blank section for your own notes
Cons:
- this feels like a stereotypical old man telling a story and if you don't like hearing someone else's voice coming through, you may struggle with this book
- there is a bit of repetition that is to be expected with fairytales but I some of Wynd's signature inclusions felt repetitive too
Overall:
Hey can you check to see if my balls are like really small my wife keeps saying they are
4.5/5
- the author in his introduction suggests that this book be read aloud, whether to yourself or to a friend, and so my partner and I took turns reading each other one of these before bed and it was genuinely a delight
- taking oral stories and writing them down is always a challenge, but Wynd manages to capture the feeling of oral storytelling on the page, which his asides and little quips
- the other thing that is challenging about fairytales is that they are often part of a broader cultural fabric, and so presenting just a selection can sometimes lose that sense of expansive tradition. Wynd manages to make it feel like you're just touching the tip of the iceberg with the selected stories, and makes you want to visit the areas he's highlighted for yourself to hear some more
- hehe small balls
- now, the book is slightly a misnomer is that the real reason this isn't for children is that it is simply extremely raunchy. As someone with the perennial humor of a teenage boy, this was a delightful revelation, though if you're expecting horror, there is some of that too
- snake birth. snirth.
- I love Grimm's fairytales but it's nice seeing traditions that have survived engagement with Christianity unchanged,
- no really small balls was my favorite, when is it my turn to be invited to the gay orgy
- at the end of the book there are a lot of tips to continue the tradition of oral storytelling yourself, which I really liked. There's even a blank section for your own notes
Cons:
- this feels like a stereotypical old man telling a story and if you don't like hearing someone else's voice coming through, you may struggle with this book
- there is a bit of repetition that is to be expected with fairytales but I some of Wynd's signature inclusions felt repetitive too
Overall:
Hey can you check to see if my balls are like really small my wife keeps saying they are
4.5/5
July 31, 2025
ARC Review
*Dark Fairy Tales* by Viktor Wynd, is like stepping into a dusty old cabinet of curiosities, where every drawer holds something strange, grotesque, oddly beautiful—or all three at once.
Viktor Wynd has curated a unique anthology of obscure and lesser-known fairy tales from around the world, many of which toe the line between the unsettling and the hilarious. Some left me amused, some creeped out, and some completely stunned. What made the experience especially intimate was the way each story is introduced with a personal note from the author, sharing where he first encountered the tale or how it came to fascinate him. It felt like being handed a secret, whispered from one curious soul to another.
Though the stories themselves are rich with cultural flavor and bizarre twists, Wynd’s commentary adds a self-aware, almost apologetic tone—like he’s embarrassed by just how unfiltered and unhinged some of these old tales are. There’s a wink behind the words, and that cheeky voice makes the darker content feel intentional rather than gratuitous.
Admittedly, certain descriptions became repetitive (beauty and virility are… overly praised, and the “love truncheon” does make several grand entrances), but that repetition speaks to the shared DNA of folk storytelling across cultures. These tales weren’t designed to be read back-to-back, so it makes sense.
The guidance at the end of the book on how to retell a story was unexpectedly useful and thoughtful. As someone who struggles to remember details of things I’ve read or watched, I appreciated the practical tips for oral storytelling.
Overall, this collection isn’t your typical sanitized fairy tale fare. It’s raw, oddly poetic, often surreal—and absolutely fascinating. A perfect pick for readers who love folklore that hasn’t been scrubbed clean for modern sensibilities.
(3.75⭐ rounded off to 4.)
*Dark Fairy Tales* by Viktor Wynd, is like stepping into a dusty old cabinet of curiosities, where every drawer holds something strange, grotesque, oddly beautiful—or all three at once.
Viktor Wynd has curated a unique anthology of obscure and lesser-known fairy tales from around the world, many of which toe the line between the unsettling and the hilarious. Some left me amused, some creeped out, and some completely stunned. What made the experience especially intimate was the way each story is introduced with a personal note from the author, sharing where he first encountered the tale or how it came to fascinate him. It felt like being handed a secret, whispered from one curious soul to another.
Though the stories themselves are rich with cultural flavor and bizarre twists, Wynd’s commentary adds a self-aware, almost apologetic tone—like he’s embarrassed by just how unfiltered and unhinged some of these old tales are. There’s a wink behind the words, and that cheeky voice makes the darker content feel intentional rather than gratuitous.
Admittedly, certain descriptions became repetitive (beauty and virility are… overly praised, and the “love truncheon” does make several grand entrances), but that repetition speaks to the shared DNA of folk storytelling across cultures. These tales weren’t designed to be read back-to-back, so it makes sense.
The guidance at the end of the book on how to retell a story was unexpectedly useful and thoughtful. As someone who struggles to remember details of things I’ve read or watched, I appreciated the practical tips for oral storytelling.
Overall, this collection isn’t your typical sanitized fairy tale fare. It’s raw, oddly poetic, often surreal—and absolutely fascinating. A perfect pick for readers who love folklore that hasn’t been scrubbed clean for modern sensibilities.
(3.75⭐ rounded off to 4.)
July 19, 2025
This book drew me in the more I read it. It is not my usual genre, but it intrigued me. I felt that Viktor (the author), although loved the tales, felt embarrassed by them because of today's societal standards, and so his writing between each tale is apologetic and light hearted. It was fascinating to read so many interesting tales from around the world and how the culture/ society of each area really came through in the way the stories were told and the characters/ scenarios depicted.
I did find that some aspects of each story became repetitive (how beautiful the baby was, how attractive the man was, lots of similar descriptions of the er, male love truncheon!!), but that could well be because many of these stories originate from similar beginnings, just retold throughout the ages in different countries.
The guidance at the end of the book was very informative. I have always struggled to retain detail in a story (or a film, or even an actual event!), so the pointers Viktor gives here on how to retell a story will serve me well!
I did find that some aspects of each story became repetitive (how beautiful the baby was, how attractive the man was, lots of similar descriptions of the er, male love truncheon!!), but that could well be because many of these stories originate from similar beginnings, just retold throughout the ages in different countries.
The guidance at the end of the book was very informative. I have always struggled to retain detail in a story (or a film, or even an actual event!), so the pointers Viktor gives here on how to retell a story will serve me well!
August 21, 2025
The tales were not neccessarily darker than Grimm's, but I love how the art of telling fairytales and stories is making a comeback in this book, and how the author framed it (in his introduction and at the ending supplement) as fairytales for adults; as how they're supposed to be told according to the oral tradition. The illustrations are excellent and atmospheric, and I appreciate the global diversity of the book, which features tales from multiple countries and continents. As someone who's deeply involved in legends and fairytales, I did not know some of them which pleasantly surprised me: in the past, I've been on a reading slump with fairytale publications in which every story was familiar.
In terms of the language, the prose is not literary and sometimes it's not as engaging as I wished, but it definitely emulates the fairy tale genre.
I thank Netgalley and Smith Publicity for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I got a kindle/digital copy and I think the book was meant to be read as a physical copy, which would make the experience even more atmospheric.
In terms of the language, the prose is not literary and sometimes it's not as engaging as I wished, but it definitely emulates the fairy tale genre.
I thank Netgalley and Smith Publicity for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I got a kindle/digital copy and I think the book was meant to be read as a physical copy, which would make the experience even more atmospheric.
August 27, 2025
Dark Fairy Tales: Weird, Wicked Stories from Around the World is a fascinating collection. I loved seeing how the culture and society of each region really came through in the way the tales were told. The characters, the scenarios, even the morals, felt uniquely tied to their origins. It made the book feel both global and deeply rooted at the same time.
When I started reading I didn't realize that Wynd included guidance at the end on how to retell a story. It was unexpectedly thoughtful and genuinely useful. As someone who often struggles to remember the details of things I’ve read or watched, I really appreciated the practical tips for oral storytelling.
Overall, this was an engaging, strange, and rewarding read. It's perfect if you enjoy seeing how dark folklore takes shape in different corners of the world. I would encourage reading a physical copy as opposed to an e-reader.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
When I started reading I didn't realize that Wynd included guidance at the end on how to retell a story. It was unexpectedly thoughtful and genuinely useful. As someone who often struggles to remember the details of things I’ve read or watched, I really appreciated the practical tips for oral storytelling.
Overall, this was an engaging, strange, and rewarding read. It's perfect if you enjoy seeing how dark folklore takes shape in different corners of the world. I would encourage reading a physical copy as opposed to an e-reader.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 17, 2025
What a wild little treasure chest of spooky folklore! I am soooo here for it. It's like sitting around a campfire with someone who’s been everywhere and just casually starts telling you stories that get weirder and darker the longer you listen—except it’s all written down!
Every tale has that perfect mix of odd, grotesque, and oddly satisfying. Some are haunting, some are hilarious, and some are like… did that just happen?? I loved how each story started with a little background from the author about where or how he heard it. It made it feel intimate, like he was letting us in on secrets he picked up from some mysterious corner of the world. And the vibe? Totally old-world and eerie but with a cheeky wink. Love.
It also lowkey made me want to memorize at least one tale so I can casually drop it at a dinner party and be the most interesting person at the table. 😂
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
Every tale has that perfect mix of odd, grotesque, and oddly satisfying. Some are haunting, some are hilarious, and some are like… did that just happen?? I loved how each story started with a little background from the author about where or how he heard it. It made it feel intimate, like he was letting us in on secrets he picked up from some mysterious corner of the world. And the vibe? Totally old-world and eerie but with a cheeky wink. Love.
It also lowkey made me want to memorize at least one tale so I can casually drop it at a dinner party and be the most interesting person at the table. 😂
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
July 10, 2025
The physical special edition of this book sounds so pretty and delightful with all the art by Luciana Nedelea. I have an ebook copy and even being smaller and causing formatting hiccups, the art i still beautiful.
Fairy tales are everywhere, but there are so many that are not know world wide. This collection of stories has range. More familiar myths coming from Ireland and Whales to more lesser known stories from Arabia, Borneo, Papa New Guinea. The books is formatted by location which is very nice.
Stories and old myths are meant to bring strong emotions. They were used as warnings or lessons passed down in a more manageable way. Sometimes there are no happy endings and so read with caution.
My favorite story is between "The man whose wife was married to the moon" and "The lazy housewife's comeuppance"
Fairy tales are everywhere, but there are so many that are not know world wide. This collection of stories has range. More familiar myths coming from Ireland and Whales to more lesser known stories from Arabia, Borneo, Papa New Guinea. The books is formatted by location which is very nice.
Stories and old myths are meant to bring strong emotions. They were used as warnings or lessons passed down in a more manageable way. Sometimes there are no happy endings and so read with caution.
My favorite story is between "The man whose wife was married to the moon" and "The lazy housewife's comeuppance"
September 3, 2025
Oy. Why do men. This is the second collection of fairy tales I've read, collected and thusly authored by a man with seemingly no other credentials than spare time. I have to give them props and a couple stars for including a variety of cultures and locations, but other than that it felt like an inflated ego was trying to mansplain storytelling to me. Skip this one.
I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC, NetGalley amd publisher.
I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC, NetGalley amd publisher.
September 4, 2025
Contemporary explorer Viktor Wynd recalls all the dark, and often racy, fairy tales he's picked up in his travels from Wales to New Guinea. It's great to have them embellished by his own stories and little asides as he tells these tales that have been passed down orally over generations.
Want to read
September 3, 2025Thank you to Viktor Wynd, illustrator Luciana Nedelea, Prestel Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are both honest and my own.
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