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Fractured: Happily Never After? 3 Tales
Everyone knows a fairytale or two. They’re the kind of stories that seem to stick with you. Maybe it’s the magic. Maybe it’s the handsome prince. Or maybe they’re just the absolute perfect place to lose yourself for a little while.
But what would happen if Snow White were around today? Would Cinderella still need a fairy godmother? And would the Little Mermaid show up on YouTube?
Joanna Karaplis has put an unexpected spin on Snow White, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid; she’s quietly fractured the stories and then reassembled them for the 21st Century. So, while there may not be a whole lot of horse-drawn carriages and magic potions, you can be sure that there will be at least one evil witch and maybe even a handsome prince (or two)…
But what would happen if Snow White were around today? Would Cinderella still need a fairy godmother? And would the Little Mermaid show up on YouTube?
Joanna Karaplis has put an unexpected spin on Snow White, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid; she’s quietly fractured the stories and then reassembled them for the 21st Century. So, while there may not be a whole lot of horse-drawn carriages and magic potions, you can be sure that there will be at least one evil witch and maybe even a handsome prince (or two)…
128 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
1 person is currently reading
1384 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 8, 2010
Fairy tales have been told and written down for centuries. Throughout the years, they've not only been told, but retold, and many have been completely revisioned. Fractured gives us incarnations of Snow White, Cinderella and The Little Mermaid, all old favorites, but with a very different twist. They're modernized: Snow White is Yuki (meaning "snow" in Japanese) White, budding graphic designer and friends of the seven dorks who hang out in the computer room. Cinderella is Cindy, fangirl extraordinaire and texter to the extreme—who manages to snag tickets to see her reality-TV crush at a Halloween party. And the little mermaid is Adrianna, a girl with a beautiful voice but the perceived impairment of a gigantic schnoz—thank goodness YouTube can get her an audience without her having to show her face.
All three tales are completely rewritten and re-imagined in ways I have never seen before, but they all retain the structure and basic story of the original fairy tales collected by the Grimm Brothers and written by Hans Christian Anderson. Karaplis manages to make everything work incredibly well—Snow White's apple, Cinderella's fairy godmother and the ball, and the little mermaid's impairment keeping her from her love (in this case, it's not a prince at all, but fame as a singer).
So let's break it down by story.
"Snow White and the Seven Dorks" is about, as I said, Yuki White, new girl in school, slightly badass, and awesome artist. She eventually falls in the geek crowd, not necessarily as one of them, but as their hang-out buddy, someone who also happens to use the computer room. Yuki is seriously awesome—she's got a sassy, sarcastic air to her that is just great (funny and charming) and it makes her incredibly likable. I wanted to be her friend. I also really liked how the story alternates between the present at the dance she's at with her crush and how she got to that point. There's a lot of development within the 30 pages of the story, not only in Yuki's character, but in her relationship with Kevin, head dork and all-around nice guy. This was by far my favorite, if only because I loved Yuki so much.
"Cyberella" is, of course, the Cinderella story. But this story is told completely in texts and blog posts (which are done by Trevor, fan blogger for the reality show True 2 Life). Some might find the texting to be a bit annoying, but I quite liked looking at the story through them. It's a new sort of epistolary telling, along the lines of ttyl by Lauren Myracle. Karaplis completely captures the language tweens and teens use in texting, accidental misspellings included. It makes it real. At times they seemed more like IMs than texts, but then again I'm sure there are people who text that frequently. My one problem was that the "prince" of the story, the True 2 Life star, says his Mystery Girl left something behind at the party, but then we never find out what it is. But all in all it's a cute story and I enjoyed it.
"Swan Song" is the story of the Little Mermaid, Adrianna (nicknamed Adi), who has a beautiful and professional voice, but a nose that she is incredibly self-conscious about. Her friend Fiona convinces her to create YouTube videos after a particularly awful encounter with a bully who targets her nose, and Adi agrees, as long as she doesn't face the camera. But looks aren't everything, and she makes a decision that will change the course of her life forever. It's a story about self-acceptance, even if Adi might not accept herself as she is—we can learn from her, as the story's title page indicates. And the ending gave me goosebumps, by the way. It's a great retelling, even if I didn't quite identify with Adi or agree with the decisions she makes. I kept telling her NO DON'T DO IT. But she did anyway. And if she didn't, we wouldn't get a Little Mermaid story.
One quick note about Jenn Brisson's illustrations. Each story began with a title page that included a tag line and an illustration. I loved them all. They look like pencil drawings, and they're set in a white oval on a black background. They all have this surreal quality, which goes very well with the fairy tale theme, and are all slightly creepy. Again, I especially love the Snow White one, a girl holding a circle with an apple on it and looking slightly anxious, with a crow in a top hat swooping under and around. Very nice.
If you like fairy tales, especially fractured ones as I do, I would definitely check out this one. Completely original tellings in a modern context.
All three tales are completely rewritten and re-imagined in ways I have never seen before, but they all retain the structure and basic story of the original fairy tales collected by the Grimm Brothers and written by Hans Christian Anderson. Karaplis manages to make everything work incredibly well—Snow White's apple, Cinderella's fairy godmother and the ball, and the little mermaid's impairment keeping her from her love (in this case, it's not a prince at all, but fame as a singer).
So let's break it down by story.
"Snow White and the Seven Dorks" is about, as I said, Yuki White, new girl in school, slightly badass, and awesome artist. She eventually falls in the geek crowd, not necessarily as one of them, but as their hang-out buddy, someone who also happens to use the computer room. Yuki is seriously awesome—she's got a sassy, sarcastic air to her that is just great (funny and charming) and it makes her incredibly likable. I wanted to be her friend. I also really liked how the story alternates between the present at the dance she's at with her crush and how she got to that point. There's a lot of development within the 30 pages of the story, not only in Yuki's character, but in her relationship with Kevin, head dork and all-around nice guy. This was by far my favorite, if only because I loved Yuki so much.
"Cyberella" is, of course, the Cinderella story. But this story is told completely in texts and blog posts (which are done by Trevor, fan blogger for the reality show True 2 Life). Some might find the texting to be a bit annoying, but I quite liked looking at the story through them. It's a new sort of epistolary telling, along the lines of ttyl by Lauren Myracle. Karaplis completely captures the language tweens and teens use in texting, accidental misspellings included. It makes it real. At times they seemed more like IMs than texts, but then again I'm sure there are people who text that frequently. My one problem was that the "prince" of the story, the True 2 Life star, says his Mystery Girl left something behind at the party, but then we never find out what it is. But all in all it's a cute story and I enjoyed it.
"Swan Song" is the story of the Little Mermaid, Adrianna (nicknamed Adi), who has a beautiful and professional voice, but a nose that she is incredibly self-conscious about. Her friend Fiona convinces her to create YouTube videos after a particularly awful encounter with a bully who targets her nose, and Adi agrees, as long as she doesn't face the camera. But looks aren't everything, and she makes a decision that will change the course of her life forever. It's a story about self-acceptance, even if Adi might not accept herself as she is—we can learn from her, as the story's title page indicates. And the ending gave me goosebumps, by the way. It's a great retelling, even if I didn't quite identify with Adi or agree with the decisions she makes. I kept telling her NO DON'T DO IT. But she did anyway. And if she didn't, we wouldn't get a Little Mermaid story.
One quick note about Jenn Brisson's illustrations. Each story began with a title page that included a tag line and an illustration. I loved them all. They look like pencil drawings, and they're set in a white oval on a black background. They all have this surreal quality, which goes very well with the fairy tale theme, and are all slightly creepy. Again, I especially love the Snow White one, a girl holding a circle with an apple on it and looking slightly anxious, with a crow in a top hat swooping under and around. Very nice.
If you like fairy tales, especially fractured ones as I do, I would definitely check out this one. Completely original tellings in a modern context.
April 20, 2013
This book was actually kinda good. I liked the idea of having three short stories about the modern day princesses. I'm going to give a rating to each short story:
Snow white and the seven 'Dorks': 3/10
Cyberella: 2/10
Swan Song: 4/10
I liked the last one the most but the other ones were good, too. I didn't understand why the last story was called 'Swan Song' because it's about the little mermaid and with that title I would have thought it would be about Swan Lake. I only gave 'Cyberalla' a 2 because it was a good story I'm just personally getting tired of reading a book in all internet messages. I'm giving this book a 3/10 because that's the average of all the story's individually.
Snow white and the seven 'Dorks': 3/10
Cyberella: 2/10
Swan Song: 4/10
I liked the last one the most but the other ones were good, too. I didn't understand why the last story was called 'Swan Song' because it's about the little mermaid and with that title I would have thought it would be about Swan Lake. I only gave 'Cyberalla' a 2 because it was a good story I'm just personally getting tired of reading a book in all internet messages. I'm giving this book a 3/10 because that's the average of all the story's individually.
March 24, 2023
I wish I hadn't read the third story while dealing with a massive dental infection. What an ending!!
The first 2 stories were cute though, total throwback to early 2010s (for better and worse). I like how the author interpreted the fairy tales into modern cautionary tales.
The first 2 stories were cute though, total throwback to early 2010s (for better and worse). I like how the author interpreted the fairy tales into modern cautionary tales.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2010
Visit At Home Between the Pages to see this review in full, plus more!
Fractured is a collection of three modern day retellings of fairytales. The first is called Snow White and the Seven Dorks, where the main character is an outcast at a small school and she falls in with the “dork” crowd. The second is Cyberella, which is told entirely in blog posts, chat messages, and text messages. Lastly is Swan Song, a retelling of The Little Mermaid about a girl trying to kick start a singing career, but who keeps hitting roadblocks.
The thing about these stories is that the themes are ones that everyday high school students might meet daily: crushes, reality shows, big career dreams, drugs, self-consciousness, and more. Joanna really captured teenage life and made her novel very relatable and realistic. In that same vein, this means that not all stories have a “happily ever after.” Here’s more of a mini review of each story:
Snow White and the Seven Dorks:
What I liked about this one was the ways in which Joanna incorporated the original fairytale. One example was showcased in my teaser last week. She also found a creative way to keep the main character’s name as “Snow White.” The story itself flips back and forth between when Snow first moved to this little town, and a school dance that she is attending with the most popular guy in school. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to Snow and her situation: not making a lot of friends in school and thus wanting to be accepted even more, attracted to the most popular guy in school, and the pressure of using drugs. It made me think about how this is a real life situation for some, and I like that Joanna isn’t afraid to address it in her novel.
Cyberella:
This one was a really quick read because of the way it was written in blog posts and text/chat messages. The one thing I had to remember to do when reading is checking the time stamps on each entry, because the story is slightly time sensitive. The story is about Cindy and her friend Matt who get tickets to an exclusive Halloween party where their favourite reality TV stars will be in attendance. Cindy meets her favourite star, but doesn’t know it because the stars, as well as body doubles, are all masked so that attendants can guess who the real stars are. It follows the fairytale in that the reality star doesn’t know Cindy’s name and then tries to find her the next day. Like I said, it’s a quick read and also really cute.
Swan Song:
This story was by far my favourite. It was the longest of the three and I think it really evoked the strongest emotions in me, and potentially others as well. The story is about Adriana, a hopeful singer who is unhappy with her physical appearance and feels that it gets in the way of her chances of becoming a star. She is even willing to go through plastic surgery to fix it. I really liked her best friend, Fiona, who was always supportive of her, but at the same time tried to help Adi see that she didn’t need plastic surgery to be great. She was truly what a best friend should be like. I found this story to be least like the original fairytale. It took me a little bit of thinking about the story to find parallels. I think I was just so encompassed in the story itself that I didn’t have time to think about how it compared to The Little Mermaid. I have to warn you, this one really pulled at my heartstrings and I almost cried. I won’t tell you whether it was out of joy or sadness, but remember you were warned.
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes reading fairytales or fracture fairytales, or stories that are really relatable. Joanna was really able to centre this novel in the everyday teenager’s life, which I think is great. It’s a quick read no matter what your reading pace, considering it’s only 119 pages. I definitely recommend picking it up!
Thanks to both Goodreads and Joanna for the copy! (won on Goodreads)
Fractured is a collection of three modern day retellings of fairytales. The first is called Snow White and the Seven Dorks, where the main character is an outcast at a small school and she falls in with the “dork” crowd. The second is Cyberella, which is told entirely in blog posts, chat messages, and text messages. Lastly is Swan Song, a retelling of The Little Mermaid about a girl trying to kick start a singing career, but who keeps hitting roadblocks.
The thing about these stories is that the themes are ones that everyday high school students might meet daily: crushes, reality shows, big career dreams, drugs, self-consciousness, and more. Joanna really captured teenage life and made her novel very relatable and realistic. In that same vein, this means that not all stories have a “happily ever after.” Here’s more of a mini review of each story:
Snow White and the Seven Dorks:
What I liked about this one was the ways in which Joanna incorporated the original fairytale. One example was showcased in my teaser last week. She also found a creative way to keep the main character’s name as “Snow White.” The story itself flips back and forth between when Snow first moved to this little town, and a school dance that she is attending with the most popular guy in school. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to Snow and her situation: not making a lot of friends in school and thus wanting to be accepted even more, attracted to the most popular guy in school, and the pressure of using drugs. It made me think about how this is a real life situation for some, and I like that Joanna isn’t afraid to address it in her novel.
Cyberella:
This one was a really quick read because of the way it was written in blog posts and text/chat messages. The one thing I had to remember to do when reading is checking the time stamps on each entry, because the story is slightly time sensitive. The story is about Cindy and her friend Matt who get tickets to an exclusive Halloween party where their favourite reality TV stars will be in attendance. Cindy meets her favourite star, but doesn’t know it because the stars, as well as body doubles, are all masked so that attendants can guess who the real stars are. It follows the fairytale in that the reality star doesn’t know Cindy’s name and then tries to find her the next day. Like I said, it’s a quick read and also really cute.
Swan Song:
This story was by far my favourite. It was the longest of the three and I think it really evoked the strongest emotions in me, and potentially others as well. The story is about Adriana, a hopeful singer who is unhappy with her physical appearance and feels that it gets in the way of her chances of becoming a star. She is even willing to go through plastic surgery to fix it. I really liked her best friend, Fiona, who was always supportive of her, but at the same time tried to help Adi see that she didn’t need plastic surgery to be great. She was truly what a best friend should be like. I found this story to be least like the original fairytale. It took me a little bit of thinking about the story to find parallels. I think I was just so encompassed in the story itself that I didn’t have time to think about how it compared to The Little Mermaid. I have to warn you, this one really pulled at my heartstrings and I almost cried. I won’t tell you whether it was out of joy or sadness, but remember you were warned.
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes reading fairytales or fracture fairytales, or stories that are really relatable. Joanna was really able to centre this novel in the everyday teenager’s life, which I think is great. It’s a quick read no matter what your reading pace, considering it’s only 119 pages. I definitely recommend picking it up!
Thanks to both Goodreads and Joanna for the copy! (won on Goodreads)
November 22, 2010
Original post here at
Amaterasu Reads
I've always admired authors who can re-invent fairytales we grew up reading. I love fairytales, especially the Disney Princesses. Little girls, at one point, dreamt of being swept off their feet by Prince Charming and taken to their castles in a faraway land, like I did.
It's very challenging to put a different spin into familiar stories we've come to love, and I have great respect for authors who can extend their imagination further and write about the same story in a different way, like Joanna did.
Snow White and the Seven Dorks:
Yuki "Snow" White and her father moved to a small town following her mother's death. Trying to recover from losing her mother abruptly and adjusting to a new school, finding new friends, Yuki struggled with everything, never quite belonging in a school where everyone is either blonde and blue eyed or brunette, being half-Asian, Yuki found friendship with the geeks who spends almost all their time in the library. Yuki only wants to feel "normal" again, and she thought she was going to be when she caught the eye of the most popular guy in school, Jason. But is Jason really the Prince Charming Yuki was waiting for?
I felt like I was a bit off-track since I was trying to figure out who symbolizes which characters in the original Snow White story while reading this, but over-all I enjoyed it. Joanna was able to re-write the story and brought a fresh, modern twist to a classic tale. Although I was a bit confused with how it ended, maybe because of the additional "love angle" added before it ends, I enjoyed reading it nonetheless.
Cyberella:
A gay fairy godmother, a teenage girl named Cindy who is addicted to a popular reality show and its main guy. Is this really a tale of Cinderella or not? It is! I wasn't expecting the fairy godmother to be like Matt, but having a fun, more perky gay bestfriend as your godmother is an interesting concept! Cyberella is a tale of a timeless Princess in a modern setting, complete with modern technology, blogs and chats.
This short story reminded me a lot of Selena Gomez' Cinderella Story. Short, sweet and fun, Cyberella is a version of a classic tale that teens would be able to relate to!
Swan Song:
Out of all three, this is my favorite, and probably the saddest one.
Adriana wants to sing, and she has the voice. If only she has the looks too. Obsessed with getting rid of her big nose, she was willing to go under the knife to get what she's lacking, sure that her ticket to fame is a change on her appearance. But would striving to look better bring the success and fame Adriana is seeking?
It's sad how Adriana felt like changing her face was the only way for her to achieve her dream. Her schoolmates sure aren't helping her change her mind. Looking deeper into the story, Swan Song is not just a re-invention of the Little Mermaid (in fact, I think its also part "The Ugly Duckling" but with a sadder ending) but tackles important issues as well. Bullying, for one. Loving yourself, being comfortable with who you are, what you look like and appreciating what God has given you.
Teens will learn a lot in this short but very insightful read. Of all three, this, for me, is the story with most substance, and will teach a lot to teens who will read it.
Overall, the book is a good read. It lived up to the pitch of being "Happily Never After", and is a worthwhile read for everyone who wants to sit down and browse through a good collection of fairytale retellings!
I've always admired authors who can re-invent fairytales we grew up reading. I love fairytales, especially the Disney Princesses. Little girls, at one point, dreamt of being swept off their feet by Prince Charming and taken to their castles in a faraway land, like I did.
It's very challenging to put a different spin into familiar stories we've come to love, and I have great respect for authors who can extend their imagination further and write about the same story in a different way, like Joanna did.
Snow White and the Seven Dorks:
Yuki "Snow" White and her father moved to a small town following her mother's death. Trying to recover from losing her mother abruptly and adjusting to a new school, finding new friends, Yuki struggled with everything, never quite belonging in a school where everyone is either blonde and blue eyed or brunette, being half-Asian, Yuki found friendship with the geeks who spends almost all their time in the library. Yuki only wants to feel "normal" again, and she thought she was going to be when she caught the eye of the most popular guy in school, Jason. But is Jason really the Prince Charming Yuki was waiting for?
I felt like I was a bit off-track since I was trying to figure out who symbolizes which characters in the original Snow White story while reading this, but over-all I enjoyed it. Joanna was able to re-write the story and brought a fresh, modern twist to a classic tale. Although I was a bit confused with how it ended, maybe because of the additional "love angle" added before it ends, I enjoyed reading it nonetheless.
Cyberella:
A gay fairy godmother, a teenage girl named Cindy who is addicted to a popular reality show and its main guy. Is this really a tale of Cinderella or not? It is! I wasn't expecting the fairy godmother to be like Matt, but having a fun, more perky gay bestfriend as your godmother is an interesting concept! Cyberella is a tale of a timeless Princess in a modern setting, complete with modern technology, blogs and chats.
This short story reminded me a lot of Selena Gomez' Cinderella Story. Short, sweet and fun, Cyberella is a version of a classic tale that teens would be able to relate to!
Swan Song:
Out of all three, this is my favorite, and probably the saddest one.
Adriana wants to sing, and she has the voice. If only she has the looks too. Obsessed with getting rid of her big nose, she was willing to go under the knife to get what she's lacking, sure that her ticket to fame is a change on her appearance. But would striving to look better bring the success and fame Adriana is seeking?
It's sad how Adriana felt like changing her face was the only way for her to achieve her dream. Her schoolmates sure aren't helping her change her mind. Looking deeper into the story, Swan Song is not just a re-invention of the Little Mermaid (in fact, I think its also part "The Ugly Duckling" but with a sadder ending) but tackles important issues as well. Bullying, for one. Loving yourself, being comfortable with who you are, what you look like and appreciating what God has given you.
Teens will learn a lot in this short but very insightful read. Of all three, this, for me, is the story with most substance, and will teach a lot to teens who will read it.
Overall, the book is a good read. It lived up to the pitch of being "Happily Never After", and is a worthwhile read for everyone who wants to sit down and browse through a good collection of fairytale retellings!
July 23, 2011
I am in love with any and all retold fairy tales. I'd give any of them a try. Thankfully this very quick read was not a waste of time, but rather a delightful way to revisit three well-known tales (Snow White, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid) in new and different ways.
The first story in the book is "Snow White and the Seven Dorks", and I think you can figure out what tale that is based on. This was quick and smart. I loved reading about Yuki, how she was trying to figure out her life and find where she fit in. The seven dorks were adorably geeky, Kevin most of all. And while the new 'Evil Queen' wasn't as impressive as they could have been, it all worked. I really liked this version of Snow White.
Second came "Cyberella", which has to be my favorite of the three. It's written completely in blog posts and instant messaging. At first I assumed the story would be a train wreck because of this, but it actually worked, and made it better. The entire thing was hilarious, had me laughing to myself, and wondering what could happen next. Very well done!
The final story was "Swan Song". I've no idea why it was called that-it doesn't make me think of mermaids at all. Nevertheless, the story was good enough, until the end. It held great impact, was jarring, but seemed rushed. Perhaps a few more pages would have smoothed it out and done some good.
Overall, I loved Fractured. It's a very fast read that I'll turn back to again and again, if I'm looking for something to pass the time. I give it 4/5 stars, and really recommend it to those looking for something short to blaze through or who love fairy tales.
The first story in the book is "Snow White and the Seven Dorks", and I think you can figure out what tale that is based on. This was quick and smart. I loved reading about Yuki, how she was trying to figure out her life and find where she fit in. The seven dorks were adorably geeky, Kevin most of all. And while the new 'Evil Queen' wasn't as impressive as they could have been, it all worked. I really liked this version of Snow White.
Second came "Cyberella", which has to be my favorite of the three. It's written completely in blog posts and instant messaging. At first I assumed the story would be a train wreck because of this, but it actually worked, and made it better. The entire thing was hilarious, had me laughing to myself, and wondering what could happen next. Very well done!
The final story was "Swan Song". I've no idea why it was called that-it doesn't make me think of mermaids at all. Nevertheless, the story was good enough, until the end. It held great impact, was jarring, but seemed rushed. Perhaps a few more pages would have smoothed it out and done some good.
Overall, I loved Fractured. It's a very fast read that I'll turn back to again and again, if I'm looking for something to pass the time. I give it 4/5 stars, and really recommend it to those looking for something short to blaze through or who love fairy tales.
October 15, 2010
I love fairytale retellings! Maybe it's the fact that I grew up--nay, thrived on!--those Disney Princess movies when I was little, or that I've always secretly aspired to become a princess. Whatever the case, I really enjoyed reading Fractured. It was something fresh and new from a lot of the things I've seen in YA right now. It was nearly impossible to stop reading once I had begun. All the different stories were brilliantly different from each other. I actually stayed up really late at night reading it because it was so addicting to read, even when I had finished one of the stories I couldn't go long without reading because I was curious about what would be next.
I actually thought that all the stories would have the same layout, so I was surprised when it changed from classical narrative, into, say, a text-like layout. I liked it, though. Like I said before, it was a fresh way to read, and it kept my interest up the entire time.
There's also something amazing to be said about all the protagonists in the different tales. Firstly, they are all diverse and not like barbie dolls with magical lives. They were real girls with real struggles and real dreams. It was easier to relate to them than I had thought.
Originally posted on my blog
http://savvythewritergirl.blogspot.co...
I actually thought that all the stories would have the same layout, so I was surprised when it changed from classical narrative, into, say, a text-like layout. I liked it, though. Like I said before, it was a fresh way to read, and it kept my interest up the entire time.
There's also something amazing to be said about all the protagonists in the different tales. Firstly, they are all diverse and not like barbie dolls with magical lives. They were real girls with real struggles and real dreams. It was easier to relate to them than I had thought.
Originally posted on my blog
http://savvythewritergirl.blogspot.co...
January 4, 2011
Fractured features three short stories, each a retelling of a famous fairy tale. Here’s my opinion on each of the stories:
Snow White and the Seven Dorks: This story reminded me a bit of Sydney White, that movie starring Amanda Bynes, but it has an interesting twist involving roofies. I enjoyed this story, but I felt it was a tad predictable (the ending was super sweet, though!).
Cyberella: I really liked how this story was told via text messages and blog posts. Super fun! The ending was kind of cheesy, but I still really enjoyed it. I liked this story the best.
Swan Song: I found this story a bit difficult to relate to, since the main character was so obsessed with getting a nose job (something I’d never be interested in, let alone able to get on a whim). However, the parallels to the fairy tale (The Little Mermaid) are hidden best in this story, which I liked. Plus, the ending blew me away! Total shocker!
Fractured is a super-quick read at just under 130 pages, and the stories kept me hooked enough to read it all in one sitting. The stories aren’t particularly deep (except for Swan Song), but they are certainly a ton of fun. If you’re into retellings, definitely give Fractured a read.
Snow White and the Seven Dorks: This story reminded me a bit of Sydney White, that movie starring Amanda Bynes, but it has an interesting twist involving roofies. I enjoyed this story, but I felt it was a tad predictable (the ending was super sweet, though!).
Cyberella: I really liked how this story was told via text messages and blog posts. Super fun! The ending was kind of cheesy, but I still really enjoyed it. I liked this story the best.
Swan Song: I found this story a bit difficult to relate to, since the main character was so obsessed with getting a nose job (something I’d never be interested in, let alone able to get on a whim). However, the parallels to the fairy tale (The Little Mermaid) are hidden best in this story, which I liked. Plus, the ending blew me away! Total shocker!
Fractured is a super-quick read at just under 130 pages, and the stories kept me hooked enough to read it all in one sitting. The stories aren’t particularly deep (except for Swan Song), but they are certainly a ton of fun. If you’re into retellings, definitely give Fractured a read.
April 24, 2011
Let's just get things straighten out.
I have 3 separate ratings for each tale:
"Snow White and the Seven Dorks" (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves) = 2.75 stars
"Cyberella" (Cinderella) = 3 stars
"Swan Song" (The Little Mermaid) = 2 stars
Snow White - pretty good retelling. I really like Kevin, and is Jason supposed to be the Evil Queen?? :/
Cyberella - I gave it 3 stars because I like how the whole retelling was done in the form of a MSN convo, plus this story was pretty close to the original Cinderella.
Swan Song - Ok first of all, Swan Song? Ya had me thinking this was the fairytale of "The Seven Swans" or something. Yeah whatever. Although I really liked the idea of how the girl wanted to change her nose, (as opposed to her legs). BUT (yes, there is always normally usually a BUT), I didn't like how she ended up dead. I was like "Say WHAT?!" Ya got me reading til the end of all 3 tales and the last one ends like THIS??
Yeah well, these WERE retellings so who am I to say the death was unexpected?
I have 3 separate ratings for each tale:
"Snow White and the Seven Dorks" (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves) = 2.75 stars
"Cyberella" (Cinderella) = 3 stars
"Swan Song" (The Little Mermaid) = 2 stars
Snow White - pretty good retelling. I really like Kevin, and is Jason supposed to be the Evil Queen?? :/
Cyberella - I gave it 3 stars because I like how the whole retelling was done in the form of a MSN convo, plus this story was pretty close to the original Cinderella.
Swan Song - Ok first of all, Swan Song? Ya had me thinking this was the fairytale of "The Seven Swans" or something. Yeah whatever. Although I really liked the idea of how the girl wanted to change her nose, (as opposed to her legs). BUT (yes, there is always normally usually a BUT), I didn't like how she ended up dead. I was like "Say WHAT?!" Ya got me reading til the end of all 3 tales and the last one ends like THIS??
Yeah well, these WERE retellings so who am I to say the death was unexpected?
September 26, 2011
I was really excited about it because I love fairy tales. I knew that it would be different from the original stories but it was complete different from what I imagined.
The stories were written very much to the current era, using current technologies and lingo. I think that the author did a great job of modernizing the stories. I felt that there were some real lessons and experiences in the stories that teenagers can really relate to.
I guess I was expecting it to still have a fairy tale sort of feel to it, and was somewhat disappointed that it didn't. Oh well. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours.
The stories were written very much to the current era, using current technologies and lingo. I think that the author did a great job of modernizing the stories. I felt that there were some real lessons and experiences in the stories that teenagers can really relate to.
I guess I was expecting it to still have a fairy tale sort of feel to it, and was somewhat disappointed that it didn't. Oh well. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours.
February 18, 2014
I do feel like giving only one star is a bit unfair, however I was so left wanting more of these 3 short stories. I was super excited that the "Snow White and the seven dorks" was going to deal with date rape which is a real issue but it was over before it began. With Cyberbella and Swan song it was the same thing. They started out dealing with real topics and then BOOM they were over. WTF???
I definitely think all of them could have been extended into a full-length novel, and I'm a little irritated with Karaplis for not considering it. I hope I can find some similar books that will leave me more satisfied.
I definitely think all of them could have been extended into a full-length novel, and I'm a little irritated with Karaplis for not considering it. I hope I can find some similar books that will leave me more satisfied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2013
I liked it! I'm a sucker for retold fairy tales (who isn't?) so I was prepared to enjoy this even if it was terrible, but fortunately it was not terrible at all! The three stories are written in a charming, breezy style that fits them perfectly, and the modernization is quite well done. It takes a talented writer to convincingly feature a reality TV show in a retelling of Cinderella. And I must say, Ms. Karaplis's ending of The Little Mermaid is MUCH nicer than Hans Christian Andersen's. The only reason I'm knocking off a star is because it needed more stories. :)
December 8, 2010
This modern reinterpretation of three classic fairy-tales was a fun read. All three stories were both funny and compelling, though my favorite is definitely the first one (Snow White and the Seven Dorks). The description of the dorks made me laugh out loud... I felt like I have probably met several of those dorks in my real life. I also really enjoyed the clever IM/blog format of the second story. Very entertaining. Great book!
December 2, 2010
This book was a quick read. Three familiar children's fairy tale stories made modern in a voice easily understood by the YA audience (in my opinion, being a teenager trapped in a 40-something year old body) I didn't like the first story very much, but enjoyed the last 2 finding them both imaginative and entertaining. I'm going to save this book to give to my 9 year-old twin girls when they get older!
December 11, 2010
This book was so much fun to read. Wonderful modern takes on classic fairy tales. I especially loved the second story that was based on Cinderella and was written entirely in text messages and blog posts.
Joanna please write a sequel! I want to see how you would interpret more of my favorite stories! :)
Joanna please write a sequel! I want to see how you would interpret more of my favorite stories! :)
January 20, 2011
This book has three small short stories in it...Each story is typically based on a fairtale, but written with modern themes. I enjoyed each story very much. But, Not each story has a happy ending. Joanna shows this in her stories. The stories make you think, make you wonder on what would have been if a different decision was made...So true to real life.
April 26, 2011
I like this modern twist on classic fairy tales. I haven't read a young adult novel since I was a young adult myself, so it was interesting to see how the genre has evolved to incorporate the social media that plays a larger and larger role in our lives. Cyberella, a story that uses text messages and blog posts in its telling, is really clever.
March 10, 2014
The stories were fine. If you're into fairy tale adaptations, it's a nice quick read, but given how hard it is to find the book, I wouldn't say it's something to go out of your way to get. Pretty impressed about the end of the Little Mermaid adaptation, and as always, weirded out by adult interpretations of how teens overuse chatspeak.
February 2, 2013
This was a collection of fractured fairy tales- Snow White, Cinderella and the Little Mermaid. I enjoyed the Cinderella one, told through texts and blogs, the most but they all had unique takes on the fairy tales, all without magic.
August 27, 2011
Very interesting twists on the 3 fairy tales. Took me a couple pages to get into them, but once I did it was fairly good. Read it in like an hour. Good job though.
October 26, 2010
review will be up soon
November 8, 2010
Review to come soon! Plus, I host the author, Joanna Karaplis, on November 16th on my blog!
January 11, 2011
Very insightful modern take on three fairy tales: Snow White, Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. Loved second story the best.
December 2, 2011
The last story has such a sad ending!!!
Want to read
February 28, 2013The cover is creepy but it sounds good.
September 1, 2012
The more I think about it, the more I dislike it.
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