Fairy Tale Retellings! discussion

Hope everyone had a great September! Ironically enough, we have a clean, sweet (and a bit dramatic) read for the spookiest month of the year. At least reading this book will help keep the spookiness at bay haha. Our book of the month is The Princess Companion: A Retelling of The Princess and the Pea! Please feel free to comment your thoughts, whether it be on this book or on any other that we have already read.

Just letting everyone know, this book is free on Hoopla if you live in the US and your local public library signed up. There's also an audiobook copy on Overdrive/Libby.

Here's some questions. Have fun with them!

Do you think this book was dramatic? Or do you think it built the tension nicely?

Who's your favorite character and why?

What do you like about Alicia or do you not like her?

Is there something you wish was added to this book? Or was it perfect just the way it is?

Is there anything you appreciate being included in the book?

Or maybe you just didn't read it at all? Why? (Not enough time, couldn't get the book, dnf, etc...Let us know! :) )

I'll go first. Lol, first the worst haha.

I think this book is a bit too dramatic for my tastes. When I first read it four years ago though, I loved the drama. I'm still not exactly sure if it's because I was reading it for the first time and didn't know what would happen or if my tastes changed. I'm pretty sure it's the former though.

My favorite character...this is a hard one. Why did I include this question haha. Shot myself in the foot. If I had to chose, I'd probably chose Alicia because of her fierce determination and how she's strong without needing to brow beat someone or swagger around in pants. She values intellect and isn't afraid to take action for what she believes to be the best which is brave (or stupid, but hey we've all been there before lol).

I believe I answered this in the previous question already. Oh, but just to add on, I love Mathilde and Sophie and Lily were so precious.

I'd like the drama scaled down towards the middle just a tad. (I appreciated that it was solved really quickly though.) There was a place where things were pretty quiet towards the beginning of the middle I think and it would've been nice if tension was more evened out.

One thing I really appreciated in this book was how Melanie Cellier included how Happily Ever Afters usually takes work, communication, even after marriage. It's rare to see conflict like this in a marriage, especially since it's in a Cinderella marriage and the parents of Max, the main male character.

I unfortunately have no means to get this book except paid for on Kindle, for whatever reason Melanie Cellier's books are hard come by in my country. :(

Oh that’s so sad. She is an indie writer so maybe that’s why?

Noonecansinkmyship wrote: "Oh that’s so sad. She is an indie writer so maybe that’s why?"

Not sure, there's quite a few retelling authors I've found whose books are hard to find around here. If I lived in the USA that would be different...

Ella, In general, US and UK always have a larger selection of stuff, or so it seems to me. I thought Canada would be the same (I think you said once that's where you reside). :)
I use to look at Canada as a European version of the US, lol! :)

Fridey wrote: "Ella, In general, US and UK always have a larger selection of stuff, or so it seems to me. I thought Canada would be the same (I think you said once that's where you reside). :)
I use to look at Ca..."

It depends which part of Canada. Eastern Canada, for sure, because that's where most of the population is. I'm on the west side. (the better side in my not-so-humble opinion...)

lol, got it :)

When you say east side, I'm thinking Montreal and the French language.

Completely irrelevant but I always wanted to go to Prince Edward Island, lol.

Fridey wrote: "Ella, In general, US and UK always have a larger selection of stuff, or so it seems to me. I thought Canada would be the same (I think you said once that's where you reside). :)
I use to look at Ca..."

Huh, I'm not sure why that is. Why do you guys think that is? Is it because we (US) have a higher ratio of people who know how to speak English?? (Just a random guess)

Ella wrote: "Fridey wrote: "Ella, In general, US and UK always have a larger selection of stuff, or so it seems to me. I thought Canada would be the same (I think you said once that's where you reside). :)
I us..."
Lol! Gotta have that patriotism haha

Fridey wrote: "lol, got it :)

When you say east side, I'm thinking Montreal and the French language.

Completely irrelevant but I always wanted to go to Prince Edward Island, lol."
Me too. Love Anne of Green Gables. I wonder if there really is a place called Avonela.

Update: Just googled it and Avonela is inspired by a place called Cavendish. They made a Green Gable Heritage Place which is a recreational park that has a recreation of Green Gables. The park along has the ruins of the house the author lived in. Fun facts :)

Oh I can't believe I never thought of googling to see if Avonlea was real. I've Googled other things but only found sad things about the author. :(

I knew though that they built a Green gables house. :)

In the Anne of Green Gables 85/87 movies the place looks so gorgeous and have wanted to see if it actually looks that way.

Anne of Green Gables is my favorite!! They filmed the movies in Prince Edward Island and I REALLY want to visit there!

Fridey wrote: "Oh I can't believe I never thought of googling to see if Avonlea was real. I've Googled other things but only found sad things about the author. :(

I knew though that they built a Green gables hou..."

Aww thanks for the warning. I'm not googling anything about the author now lol. I haven't watched that movie! I wonder if they'll be making a live action of it like they did with Little Women. If the do, hope they do a better job of it then they did with Little Women though.

Faith Anderson wrote: "Anne of Green Gables is my favorite!! They filmed the movies in Prince Edward Island and I REALLY want to visit there!"

Ohh cool! I always like it when they go to the actual place to make the movie. It feels more authentic and connected, but that could just be me.

Noonecansinkmyship

Yeah I wanted to tell you not to read about the author just in case. You might not react the way I did though. But I do now understand some stuff from the books, where it came from I mean. And a specific sentence/quote.

You mean you never saw Anne of Green Gables 85 and 87 (Megan Follows as Anne)? If so, I highly recommend them. They're beautifully done. I am ashamed to admit that I like those 2 movies more than the books. They took the best moments of book series and squeezed it together so there's more going on.

No other live movie adaptation is needed in my opinion.

There is another newer live version from 2016 which is cute, but it's nothing like the other two I mentioned. And a sequel from 2017 which I haven't seen.

The ones from 85 and 87 captures Anne's personality a whole lot better. Mathew, Marilla and Rachel as well.

Faith Anderson

My favourite too :)

Noonecansinkmyship

I missed a couple of your comments above.

Umm, why US has more "stuff"? I have no idea, I think there are number of reasons some I probably do not know of. But what comes to mind is that I think taxes are lower in UK and US, shipping, delivery is cheaper, laws might be different when it comes to having stuff shipped from other countries. It's less complicated and probably made it easier from companies to do business.

Also customer service is completely different in the US and UK. The customer has more "value" and can demand better service.

Not sure I'm correct though.

Fridey wrote: "Noonecansinkmyship

I missed a couple of your comments above.

Umm, why US has more "stuff"? I have no idea, I think there are number of reasons some I probably do not know of. But what comes to m..."

Not to mention the population. Canada only has about 34 million, the US has hundreds of millions.

Sweden has 9 million, lol!

Fridey wrote: "Sweden has 9 million, lol!"

That's quite a bit considering how big Sweden is...
Canada is the second biggest country in the world with only 34 million. We've got tons of space :)

Space, I like the sound of that. The city I'm has gotten overcrowded. Not as clean and cosy as it use to be.

Shopping still sucks over here in my opinion. Stuff I want is always in another country but shipping is ridiculously expensive.

Fridey wrote: "Space, I like the sound of that. The city I'm has gotten overcrowded. Not as clean and cosy as it use to be.

Shopping still sucks over here in my opinion. Stuff I want is always in another country..."

Oh yeah shipping is the worst here. It literally takes a month to ship something oversees. And it takes nearly two weeks for a letter to reach the province next to me. Fun times...

Fridey wrote: "Noonecansinkmyship

Yeah I wanted to tell you not to read about the author just in case. You might not react the way I did though. But I do now understand some stuff from the books, where it came ..."

The Anne of Green Gables movies with Megan Follows are the absolute best!!! I've watched the first and the second SO many times! (I did not like the third at all, don't even consider it as part of the series) If you like the books, YOU NEED TO WATCH THE MOVIES (except for the third, don't watch the third)

Fridey wrote: "Space, I like the sound of that. The city I'm has gotten overcrowded. Not as clean and cosy as it use to be.

Shopping still sucks over here in my opinion. Stuff I want is always in another country..."

Yeah, I kinda wish I lived surrounded by more nature. It'd be nice not to hear traffic 24/7 or be surrounded by cement. Cons of city life I suppose.

Ella wrote: "Fridey wrote: "Space, I like the sound of that. The city I'm has gotten overcrowded. Not as clean and cosy as it use to be.

Shopping still sucks over here in my opinion. Stuff I want is always in ..."

Ohh yikes. The shipping is like that in the US sometimes too. It depends, but from my experience, it usually only takes that long if it's being shipped from China.

Faith Anderson wrote: "Fridey wrote: "Noonecansinkmyship

Yeah I wanted to tell you not to read about the author just in case. You might not react the way I did though. But I do now understand some stuff from the books,..."

I'll be sure to watch the Anne of Green Gables movies as soon as I can! I love Anne of Green Gables. I honestly didn't see who she would marry, although I was rooting for them, and it was just so cute haha. And I really do hope they don't remake the movie to make it more "modern" and then ruin it. Fingers crossed.

Ella lol at fun times!

Faith Anderson
I Totally agree. I would watch 1st and 2nd but skip the 3rd. I've seen the first two so many times that I've lost count.

@Friday Same!!

@Noonecansinkmyship THEY ARE THE CUTEST COUPLE!!!!

Noonecansinkmyship
Yeah, I lived for years in the middle of a city in England and it was awful due to all the noise and traffic. So much traffic that keeping windows open was a no go.

It was custom in Sweden to always leave a patch of forest when building housing so growing up here I've always had either forest or both lakes and forest nearby. Walking distance. (And this is a big city for Sweden, not the country side).

Now they're building new apartments and houses right along the roads. I lived in one of those apartment buildings for two years (also noisy because of the traffic) but thankfully now I live close to 3 different lakes. It's a relief.

Fridey wrote: "Noonecansinkmyship
Yeah, I lived for years in the middle of a city in England and it was awful due to all the noise and traffic. So much traffic that keeping windows open was a no go.

It was cust..."

Omg I wish we had that tradition. It'd be so nice to have some nature around. And imagine having an actual lake✨ bliss ✨ I think I last saw a lake like seven years ago.

Sweden is full of lakes, kind of its thing, sort of speak.

Yeah it seems to be a luxury today in many places to have nature closeby. I'm glad I have that now (big city life wasn't for me).

Fridey wrote: "Sweden is full of lakes, kind of its thing, sort of speak.

Yeah it seems to be a luxury today in many places to have nature closeby. I'm glad I have that now (big city life wasn't for me)."

I'm glad you have that! I wish I lived in a more suburban place too. But the suburban around here's...desert and not much else so no lakes for me sadly.

Noonecansinkmyship:
Oh sorry, sounds rough :/

Maybe once corona is finally over yearly trips to National parks could be a solution. I have wanted to see Yellow stone park and Redwood forest but it's a litttlllee bit too far from where I live, lol. Those trees though, WOW! And the geysers. Haha initially I thought that only Iceland had geysers, (well only one left now since humans destroyed the other one). Yellow stone park has hundreds of them if my source was correct.

Fridey wrote: "Noonecansinkmyship:
Oh sorry, sounds rough :/

Maybe once corona is finally over yearly trips to National parks could be a solution. I have wanted to see Yellow stone park and Redwood forest but it..."

Haha yeah it's pretty far. I've been to Yellowstone, Yosemite and a number of national parks and I've seen a geyser years ago if I remember correctly. It was pretty cool. Yellowstone does have tons of gysers and we have President Teddy Roosevelt to thank for them. I hope you get to see them someday and hopefully I will be able to visit more nature after quarantine and Covid dies down.

Noonecansinkmyship

Yeah I hope so. Must have been amazing exploring those parks.
Can't wait for things to go back to normal again (who doesn't).