Fairy Tales

by Petra Collins (Photographer), Alexa Demie (Contributor)

Artist Petra Collins and actress Alexa Demie create nine erotic stories in a contemporary reimagining of a fairy tale book.

Fairy Tales is an erotic folklore of short stories shot by Petra Collins starring Alexa Demie. The pair created the concept and text collaboratively. Alexa portrays nine characters that embody new stories they would have liked to see. As children, Petra and Alexa were both enamored with fairy tales, which provided an escape from their own painful realities. The two collaborated to write the book.

Each of the nine tales are set in unique spaces, ranging from suburban homes and parking lots to fantastical sets. Petra and Alexa's chapters of elves, mermaids, sirens, water sprites, fallen angels, fairies, witches, and banshees blend their own stories with retold fairy tales. The photos combine elements of camp, prosthetics, and shibari in a surreal update to the imagery of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, Charles Perrault, and others.

Genres: Art, Photography, Coffee Table Books, Smut, Nonfiction

152 pages, Hardcover

Published November 30, 2021

Reviews

[x.urlittleflea.o · Rating 4 out of 5]

i bought this purely for the photos i was actually surprised there was stories lol. i loved the photos but the stories are quite boring and average so it lost a star for that 💋🖤

[Katie Vanbeber · Rating 4 out of 5]

definitely more of a coffee table photography book than an actual book. i’m not sure why it was advertised as having erotic writing. there was very very little writing but the photography was absolutely gorgeous. i loved the photos and alexa demie

[Cameron Herrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super pretty, super awesome, super sexy 😍😍

[Chanel Chapters]

Sexy shibari sprite slimefest

4.25 ⭐️

[ainsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.85 stars.

Weird as hell, but I'm so into it.

[Emilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drenched in defiant femininity, these stories live in a world of their own making. The photos are what really sell it, though. The stories by themselves are quite one-dimensional, but completely come to life with the photography. I wish they hadn’t advertised it as erotica, though, because there was absolutely no erotic writing lol… but Alexa Demie herself is erotica so I can’t complain. Love these girls so much, this book feels so right sitting in my lap.

[Mariela · Rating 5 out of 5]

anything for alexa demie <3

[kota:) · Rating 5 out of 5]

my gosh it’s beautiful

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 ⭐

[✩⋆Vickkelodeon⋆✩ · Rating 3 out of 5]

La fotografía impecable como siempre (te amo Petra) pero los cuentos dejan mucho que desear. El libro vale por la fotografía

[Amanda Baptista · Rating 4 out of 5]

sliming around just girly things

[amy jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

so many gorgeous photos of my beloved alexa demie but that was really about it. this DEFINITELY should not have been marketed as erotic art because it’s incredibly tame and the writing is really mid at best. i was also anticipating some good shibari but unfortunately that was also very mid :((

[Lucrezia · Rating 4 out of 5]

as a long time fan of Petra Collins, I was so excited to get my hands on this book. I absolutely loved the artistic direction, set design, alexa’s modeling, and of course the graphic design. this is gonna be a great coffee table book for my apartment.

what just didn’t hit for me, were some of the prosthetics (i.e. her horns in Túz Anya, Sirens) and the actual writing of the short stories. It felt half-baked, stories obviously being made up afterwards in an attempt to form some sort of narrative for each photo series in each chapter. I love short stories and tales and i really really felt nothing reading any of these tales. also as everyone else in the reviews has noted … 0 erotic writing.

in terms of photo series and aesthetic, I loved Mermaid and Water Sprite chapters !! honestly 4/5 stars still for the absolutely ethereal and fantastical photography but 0/5 for any words written on any page in this “erotic” book.

[danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

“why did being alive and a sexual creature make her a monster?”

this book was truly other wordly. alexa demie is an absolute goddess and petra collins captured her essence and beauty perfectly. this book is so sensual and erotic and absolutely elegant. the quality and look of the pictures is gorgeous, and everything about the sets, make up, costumes, etc. completely pulls you into the world they so perfectly curated. this is definitely a prized possession and i will forever be changed after witnessing it in all her glory.

“it doesn’t hurt when i love you,” she said to herself in the mirror. “it finally doesn’t.”

[Tizha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah, the photos are pretty and Alexa Demie does a lot of the heavy lifting. But the concept and stories are mid at best and a lazy attempt to justify its existence at worse. You can tell by the rope work that eroticism is just an aesthetic with no substance in this work, like they didn’t attempt to explore it in any meaningful way. Makes me mad when people put in so much production into soulless art

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to support a fellow Hungarian woman but… the text is completely lacking. I was excited for some fairy tales gone rogue, especially being that i didn’t grow up with the originals, but the text is pretty much useless. The photos are gorgeous and the aesthetic sucked me in immediately… an overall let down even though I enjoyed the art.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed . The prettiest coffee table book .

[andie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Photographer Petra Collins has to be one of my favorite
photographers of the new era. In my three years of being a die hard fan this has to be some of the most poignant work I’ve seen of hers. Collins has created a style that will go down in history as one that people can only hope to try to recreate. I loved every chapter of this book, and what stuck with me were the themes of being okay being alone, as well as sexuality and sensuality for the purpose of womens joy. Which is a radical act and a topic I’ve tried to develop my opinion on for years. Collins is the blueprint for the next generation of femme photographers. She’s the next Cindy Sherman, and the first Petra Collins.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

So visually stunning!! Love the concept/theme and how Petra and Alexa carried it out. The chapters and stories were awesome. Love the illustrations and switch offs between pink and black. If it interests you at all, I would recommend it. Absolutely beautiful. Will be keeping it on a table in my room for myself and guests to look through.

[Kinsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I bought this for the photos (I would assume that many of us did lol) and I did not expect the writing to be that great… and I was correct. Most of these stories do not make any sense, but Alexa Demie looks great so I can’t say that I’m disappointed because I got exactly what I was expecting when I got this book.

[Rute · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so, so beautiful and I'm amazed at what Petra Collins and Alexa Demie did together.
Fairy Tales is a picture book about mystical creatures, accompanied with short stories about each one of them.
The photographs, are stunning, magical, and transmit an aura that, for me, would make this book 5 stars.
Unfortunately the stories were a little lack luster, compared to the grandiose of the photographs. (hence why, I take 1 star).

[Debby Friday · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute coffee table book that I suspect will become a collector’s item. Lots of ethereal, feminine images. I wish the writing was printed in more legible font but I give it a pass in the name of creative vision. I like Collins as a photographer and I think her and Alexa Demie work really well together here.

[Jaden Rudd · Rating 4 out of 5]

the photos are amazing i’m in love with alexa demie! the backgrounds, the costume, the makeup, the lighting, everything is so captivating and beautiful. the stories aren’t anything special but i didn’t buy this book for them.. loveeeeeddddddd this

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous. Initially bought for the photos, obviously, so I didnt expect there to be multiple stories, and they honestly exceeded my expectations. Beautifully written. And the photos are gorgeous as well. I wish some of them weren’t in rounded frames

[lenina · Rating 5 out of 5]

“she had spent her life casting protection over the defenseless, yet who would protect her?”

love this book so so much i love alexa demie so much and the story is very short but that’s all i need.. they should’ve let us grow up with THIS version of fairytales.

[sardine · Rating 5 out of 5]

first photography book and first petra collin’s item i own.

i absolutely love everything about this, from the short stories to the beautiful photos of alexa. petra is able to capture the essence of alexa incredibly throughout each concept. love love love

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird AF. Love it and AD 💜

[miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

found a reallly sketchhh pdf of this on some dutch website but i need to buy this right now bc im obsessed w the pictures and the stories theyre like just the right amount of weird

[Kaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is horrifying in the best way. i am so inspired.

[Elsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

alexa demie is unreal. loved the illustrations as well