Title: The Changelings
Author: Melanie Tem
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Fae, Fairy tales
Dates read: 27th February 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: She ran a hand through her hair so that it fairly sparkled.

We’ve all heard story about changelings… but what happens when you think you’ve got one and can’t find a way to prove it?

I’ve read a lot of fae stories in my time. And a lot of them have had a changeling as the lead character. There is always a sense of sympathy invoked by their plight too. Often the mother they have been left with doesn’t accept them and leaves them feeling lost and forlorn. This is the first story that I’ve read which focuses on how horrible and terrifying this situation would be for the mother. And now some of my favourite characters have made me feel turned on my head too.

For some ridiculous reason, I was kind of expecting a happy ending to this tale. One for the children, the changelings and one for the mother. It didn’t end like that. And, since this is in a collection of very adult fairy tales, I really, really shouldn’t have been surprised. All of the fairy tales in this collection have made me feel uncomfortable in one way or another. This story was no different, and although I loved it, I still felt that I needed to walk away from the dark fairy tales for a little while.

<- Little Poucet Review

The Springfield Swans Review ->

Image source: Amazon