Top Three Fairy Tale Retellings (Lauricia)

For many of us, fairy tales supply our first taste of the fun of fantasy. At a young age we are introduced to magical adventures in which the good guy always wins, and we explore wondrous worlds with just enough danger to add a sense of urgency while assuring us that, as long as we keep our wits about us, we can overcome any threat.

As we grow older, many of us think back on those stories with fondness. We love to revisit them, but the sense of wonder is gone, replaced with the comfort of something so familiar that we have it memorized. We long to return to the original stories, but we wish they weren’t so well worn. It is this desire that makes fairy tale retellings so popular.

I have yet to write a fairy tale retelling. I worry that I will not do the original story justice, or that my version will come off as hackneyed and flat. However, every once in a while I come across a retelling that I am drawn to read, and I am happy to share my top three most recent discoveries with you.

 Masque by W. R. Gingell

This is a delightful retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" that takes the story in a way readers would never expect it to go. Think Disney’s Beauty and the Beast meets Sam Spade, private detective, set in Regency England. In this version, Isabella Farrah, the daughter of an ambassador, is more interested in getting her man than she is in being rescued. The only problem is Lord Pecus, Commander of the city’s Watch, keeps getting in the way. Well, Isabella actually keeps getting in his way, but if Pecus would just let Isabella have her way, she’s certain she could nab the murderer of one of her oldest friends.  A feisty heroine whose nobody’s fool and witty dialogue highlight this story’s unique blend of the fairy tale and murder mystery genres, making Masque a retelling must-read.

The Firethorn Crown (Firethorn Chronicles, Book 1) by Lea Doue

Before I knew this story was a retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses", I fell into it in a way that I hadn’t done with any story for a long time. I was pleased with the cast of characters, with the author’s attention to detail, with the way she managed to include all twelve girls without causing confusion, and—most of all—with the love triangle. While love triangles seem to be obligatory recently, Doue handled this one in a gracefully realistic way. As I finished the book, I was already looking forward to the second book in the series.

Waking Beauty by Sarah E. Morin

This is an excellent retelling of "Sleeping Beauty". However, this version examines the story from a unique angle, asking: What happens if, every time Beauty thought she woke up, she found out that she was truly still asleep? Once Prince Charming rescued her, how could he convince her she was truly awake? This story is a cleverly thought out variation of the original with slightly allegoric overtones. The author cleverly challenges the assumptions readers naturally make when thinking of the story and does so with developed wit and poignancy.

Do you enjoy fairy tale retellings? Why or why not? If so, which ones are your favorites?

Top 3 Reasons To Read The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (Julie)

While I was in the states over the summer, I went to a book store to browse around for some interesting looking fantasy books to bring back with me. One I chose was The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. It promised action, adventure, comedy, and a slightly different version of the fairy tales we all know and love.

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to continuing the adventure with the characters in their next two books.

So here's my top 3 guide as to why you should read this book:

1) Expect the unexpected. We have four Princes Charming and the four princesses that go with those stories: Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. No one is truly who you imagine from the stories/Disney versions. Which gives a fresh slant. The one thing I didn't like about these characters was Sleeping Beauty's portrayal. She's one of my favorites, but here she is a spoiled BRAT. However, having read book one, I'm of the opinion that she may go through a personality change as the series continues.

2) Only one of the four princes is an actual hero. Rapunzel ended up saving her "hero" after he got tossed out of the tower by the witch. Cinderella's "hero" never even left the castle to find her, just sent his servants. Snow White's "hero" had gotten lost in the woods when he came upon the dwarves who insisted he kiss Snow White. Then there's Sleeping Beauty's hero. He did battle the witch and save the day, only to discover Sleeping Beauty wasn't the charming princess he thought she'd be.

3) Improbability at its finest. This is truly a fairy tale, by which I mean, it in no way resembles real life. For example, Gustav, one of the princes, gets in the way of a fire-breathing dragon. Does he get burned to a crisp? Nope. He just loses his hair. Another is a ten year-old bandit king who is the terror of the kingdoms. His favorite punishment is his spitball wars, which his men are deathly afraid of. All these improbabilities add to the charm and humor of

the story.

Lastly, being an incurable romantic, I'm curious to see how the romance plays out among the princes and princesses. It's possible that all the princesses get a Prince Charming, but which one?

Top 3 Favorite Villainous Magical Creatures (Julie)

The last several Top 3 posts have been a really fun romp into the world of fantasy consisting of things like wands, modes of transportation, and weapons. We do love fantasy after all. For this Top 3 post, I'm going back to my last one on magical creatures (of the mostly good variety), but switching from mostly good to mostly evil beings! 

What makes fantasy so fascinating is that you can do pretty much whatever you want. One author can make a creature good, while another author can make the same creature evil. And then of course you have magical races who can be good and evil. Think Harry Potter vs Voldemort or Gandolf vs Saruman, etc... 

With that being said, here's my top 3 general magical creatures who I think make excellent villains!

1) Wizards and witches. What makes wizards and witches great mischief-makers is the amount of raw power they posses. They can cause all kinds of dastardly trouble for the heroes by a mere flick of a wand or staff. But I think why I like them the most is the uniqueness and variety that we find in stories and movies. They range from Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty to Voldemort in Harry Potter to Sauron in LOTR. All evil but their powers make each unique. 

2) Dragons. Depending on what story you read of course, but dragons are often portrayed as fearsome creatures full of magic and mischief. And they're really hot... literally. What a breath! Dragons aren't dense and mindless like some evil creatures, like trolls for example.They're smart and cunning and make an admiral adversary for any hero. I do feel, however, that in recent years, the trend has moved toward characterizing dragons more on the friendly side. 

3) Shapeshifters. These shiftless creatures present a wide array of intriguing villainy. One of my favorites are the boggarts from Harry Potter's world. Unlike other shapeshifters, they don't have a defined shape until they come upon a person, and then they are that person's worst nightmare. I'll be honest, whenever I watch the boggart scenes in Harry Potter, my brain wonders what might happen if I encountered one. What is my worst fear? These villains can help the hero face their fears and overcome them! But terrifying nonetheless!

What do you think, readers? Do you agree or do you have another particular favorite villain?

  

Top 3 Favorite Magical Beings (Julie)

I’m one of those people who like having background noise while I’m at home. It varies between music to movies to tv shows. Lately, I’ve gotten into watching I Dream of Jeannie. It’s so much fun watching Jeannie trying to be helpful with her magical powers except something always goes wrong. Poor Major Nelson. Jeannie isn’t the only genie out there, there’s the Genie in Aladdin, and then there John and Phillipa from the Children of the Lamp series (a great series by the way). As cool as their powers are, I’m not sure I’d classify them as my most favorite magical beings, although they’d be in my top ten for sure.  So what would be my top 3 favorite, fairly good, magical beings?

1) I debated with my top choice and wasn’t sure I was even going to include it on the list, but I decided that they truly are my favorites. And the winner is... fairies! The reason I vacillated with these intriguing creatures is because most fairies are known for being small, winged creatures who are vain tricksters. Except maybe the Sleeping Beauty fairies?  Unless you count the ordeal over the dress. But I’m a bit biased on my opinion of fairies because my book series is based on fairies, which are a bit different from the norm. I tend to associate fairies with nature. I didn't inherit my family's green thumb, but I like the beauty of nature and the ability to make things grow and flourish.

2) My next favorite magical beings are witches and wizards. Harry? Hermione? Ron? Gandalf? Need I say more? I think I like the idea of having something tangible, in my hand, to work the magic. Harry and the others have wands that they swish and flick to make magic happen. Gandalf doesn’t have a wand, but he passes by having an awesome staff. The downside of course is without the wand or staff, life gets a bit tougher.  

3) Finally, my third top favorite are elves...of the Middle Earth variety. They exude grace and beauty, yet are strong and fierce too. Bilbo Baggins couldn’t wait to see the elves again in Lord of the Rings. You just can’t help be drawn in by their ethereal presence, unless you are a dwarf.

What about you? What is your favorite magical being? It's okay if it takes you a minute to decide. It's a touch choice!  

Top 3 Lessons from Fairy Tales (Lizzie)

Earlier this year, I had the chance to write an introduction to G. K. Chesterton's classic book Orthodoxy, which was being re-published as part of a collection of Christian classics. Chesterton (1874-1936), a brilliant, witty Englishman beloved as a novelist, newspaperman, and Christian apologist writer and speaker, loved fairy tales and viewed them as much more than simple, entertaining stories for children. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Orthodoxy (as well as Chesterton's famous Father Brown mystery series and his play Magic) and wanted to share some of his comments on fairy tales. I've chosen this passage from chapter 4 "The Ethics of Elfland." He actually gives four lessons, to be taken from four fairy tales, but since this is a Top 3 post, consider one a bonus.

Walter Crane's 1874 edition of Beauty and the Beast presenting the Beast as a boar

"But I deal here with what ethic and philosophy come from being fed on fairy tales. If I were describing them in detail I could note many noble and healthy principles that arise form them. There is the chivalrous lesson of “Jack the Giant Killer”; that giants should be killed because they are gigantic. It is a manly mutiny against pride as such. For the rebel is older than all the kingdoms, and the Jacobin has more tradition than the Jacobite. There is the lesson of “Cinderella,” that which is the same as that of the Magnificat—exaltavit humiles [exalt the humble]. There is the great lesson of “Beauty and the Beast”; that a thing must be loved before it is lovable. There is the terrible allegory of the “Sleeping Beauty,” which tells how the human creature was blessed with all birthday gifts, yet cursed with death; and how death also may perhaps be softened to a sleep. But I am not concerned with any of the separate statues of elfland, but with the whole spirit of its law, which I learnt before I could speak, and shall retain when I cannot write. I am concerned with a certain way of looking at life, which was created in me by the fairy tales, but has since been meekly ratified by the mere facts."

Chesterton is also famous for (supposedly) saying this about what he learned from fairy tales:

“Fairy tales are more than true — not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.”

But that is actually a paraphrase by Neil Gaiman. The actual quote is this (with extra lines for context) and from "The Red Angel" in Tremendous Trifles.

"The timidity of the child or the savage is entirely reasonable; they are alarmed at this world, because this world is a very alarming place. They dislike being alone because it is verily and indeed an awful idea to be alone. Barbarians fear the unknown for the same reason that Agnostics worship it– because it is a fact. Fairy tales, then, are not responsible for producing in children fear, or any of the shapes of fear; fairy tales do not give the child the idea of the evil or the ugly; that is in the child already, because it is in the world already. Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon."

Do you have any favorite lessons from fairy tales or quotes on fairy tales?