Francesca Forrest’s Reviews > Warts and All: A Fairy Tale Collection > Status Update

Was genuinely kept on tenterhooks about the villain in "On the Hunt"; very pleased & relieved that it ended up as I hoped--for a while there I wasn't sure! I liked the way the "wolf" in this retelling of Red Riding Hood preyed on his victims; it was a great translation to the present world.

Finished both "Bad Hair Day" (a Rapunzel retelling featuring Chloe's teen daughter--time marches on for this family!--& this great line: "Harrison was the color of a ripe tomato and as inarticulate") & "Cookies and Milk, Gristle and Fat," a Hansel and Gretel retelling (w/the witch as the good guy) that was a more stressful for me than was intended, I'm sure--entrapment's stressful! I'm still worried for Chloe!

Just finished "Run, Run, as Fast as You Can," which, as the author says, is much closer to its source material than the other stories have been. I liked that the reason for the gingerbread man's disobedience is likely "too much ginger"--that made me smile. And I like Arrowroot's clever disguise at the end of the story.

Just finished "Lost and Found," which was a touching story of finding just who you need, in a form you don't expect. I liked standoffish, prickly Arrowroot very much.

A line I liked: a description of a small poodle "yipping away like a battery-powered fur muff."

Just finished "Picture Perfect," which was surprisingly scary--the notion of getting caught in a close-to-but-not-your-own world, with no way of getting home or telling your loved ones what happened to you *gulp*

I liked that this story was from Ethan's point of view, and I liked how he did manage to find his way home--and I liked what ended up being his "treasure" (and the name for it--very clever).

"Homewrecker" is a riff on "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" which provides an all-too-possible scenario for a stranger to be in someone's house, eating their food, breaking their chairs, and sleeping in their beds. I can well imagine being in Chloe's shoes!

One thing I haven't said before but that's definitely a factor in my enjoyment of these stories is the author's note in front of each one. Very entertaining!

Just finished "With a Little Help from My Friends," which may be my favorite so far (but am I always saying that?) I really love the personalities of all the animals who help Ethan--they're all very distinctive, and I have a special fondness for Grace. When Chloe is trying to guess where Ethan is taking her, her guess about deep-sea fishing for the most dangerous game made me laugh out loud.

"If the Shoe Fits" is an amusing retelling of "Cinderella." I'm continuing to enjoy the collection's unifying through-line of plot and the fun mix of modern young teens with magic and a nearby castle and monarch. Chloe it lent a pair of mysterious shoes that gives palace security pause, but they let her in--and her flabbergasted reaction to her sudden status as a love magnet is perfect and very funny.

Couple of quotes I liked from "Baby Steps"

"Even my sister Delia liked [Ethan], and she didn't like anyone, not even her own friends" --laughed at that.

"My mom says it's different when [the babies] are your own. Those school projects can never really replicate the real thing, even when they don’t involve criminal homunculi. You can’t love a bag of flour, or a doll.” --Truth, both parts

Really enjoying these so far! The first story, "Warts and All," brought high-school protagonist Chloe her boyfriend Ethan, and the story I've just finished, "Baby Steps," was a hilarious take on those scenarios where high schoolers have to mind a (fake) baby for a number of days.