Tag Archives: Snow White Blood Red

Little Poucet by Steve Rasnic Tem

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for snow white, blood red book cover

Title: Little Poucet
Author: Steve Rasnic Tem
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fairy tales
Dates read: 19th February 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: A bit of thick, flour-based sauce had settled into the bottom of each one.

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Synopsis

A retelling of a kind of twisted and weirdly sexualised fairy tale.

Thoughts

This was the least disturbing short story I’ve read in the Snow White, Blood Red collection in a while. Don’t get me wrong, it was still kind of sexualised and disturbing. But a lot less so than the past few stories that I’ve read. They were just downright, destroy my love of fairy tales disturbing. This was just a slightly uncomfortable feeling of disturbing.

Poucet was an engaging and interesting lead. But, I think he was also kind of stupid. He trusted his brothers. When they are clearly morons. And that got them all in a lot more trouble. This is why I often yell at fairy tales to be fair… they always go into the dark forests alone, trust the wrong person, think that their siblings are lovely… all sorts of stupidity that always, always, always leads to way more complications than necessary. So, it kind of worked perfectly as a fairy tale.

I liked that the sexuality in this short story was far more obvious than some stories. But not in a way that made you turn up your nose completely. Just enough to be slightly disturbing. Slightly annoying and make you think that Poucet is stupid. And smart.

 <- Persimmon ReviewThe Changelings Review ->
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Persimmon by Harvey Jacobs

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: Persimmon
Author: Harvey Jacobs
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fairy tales
Dates read: 13th February 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: Are you some angel?

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Synopsis

Elsie thought she was going to a small town to die quietly and alone. That was until she found Persimmon…

Thoughts

The entire time I was reading this short story, I was remembering watching the movie Thumbelina as a kid. And how much I truly loved it. And then, when the little film reel in my head stopped, I started thinking about the original Hans Christian Andersen tale that I read only a few months ago.

Some short story seem to be quite a long read, and even though they are a small number of pages, there is a lot of complex information squeezed into not much space. This isn’t really like this. Yes, a fair amount happens throughout the story, but it is simple and open. It’s honestly just a cute, modern retelling of an old classic. Not one that is twisted and turned beyond redemption (like many within this collection). There’s still a little adult content in this, but not enough to make it uncomfortable.

 <- The Princess in the Tower ReviewLittle Poucet Review ->
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The Princess in the Tower by Elizabeth A. Lynn

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: The Princess in the Tower
Author: Elizabeth A. Lynn
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fairy tales, Food
Date read: 28th January 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: After the examination, he told Margherita to go outside, where she was instantly encircled by a small crowd of delighted urchins, who speculated aloud about the fatal, wasting disease she had obviously contracted.

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Synopsis

Margherita can’t seem to put on the weight that characterises the rest of her family. So they decide to put her in a tower to save her from her madness. Luckily for her, a nice young gentleman comes along and loves her… just the way she is.

Thoughts

This is the second Rapunzel story in the Snow White, Blood Red collection. And it is far more light-hearted and entertaining than the first. Where the previous story was a little dark and twisted, this one was fun, happy and had me smiling throughout. It also made me a little hungry with the constant mentions of pasta and food.

This short story really turns the idea of beauty on its head. Instead of being beautiful for her slenderness, Margherita is thought to be sick and mad. It makes those who are large and curvy beautiful, and those who are slender somehow “wrong”. A great way to flip current societal norms on its head. I also love that in the happily-ever-after a gain in weight and a lot of food feature. Again, something that wouldn’t normally involve a happily-ever-after and one that I really loved.

 <- The Root of the Matter ReviewPersimmon Review ->
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The Root of the Matter by Gregory Frost

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: The Root of the Matter
Author: Gregory Frost
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales,
Villains
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: The Others had seen it coming much sooner.

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Synopsis

Mother Gothel and Rapunzel tell their stories in this slightly horrific and intense retelling of Rapunzel. Not for the young… or the faint of heart.

Thoughts

As with many of the retellings in Snow White, Blood Red, The Root of the Matter was filled with a sexuality that is almost missing from the traditional fairy tales. I say almost because it does kind of linger in the originals, but it’s possible to ignore and read in total innocence. You can’t read The Root of the Matter in total innocence. You can’t read it in any semblance of innocence for that matter.

Rapunzel has always been a fairy tale that I’ve enjoyed. And when I finally discovered the full version as an adult (the one with the blinding and wondering the desert), it made me love it all the more. There is just something about this story. And the fact that there is an eventual happy ending, even though there is a lot of suffering simply endears it to me all the more. After all, I tend to find that the happiest and sweetest of endings come from the sufferings. Can’t see the light without the dark and all of that nonsense. So it was really nice that although this was a very adult version of Rapunzel, it still had that happy ending. The living forever after together after both had faced their trials.

This is definitely a short story and retelling that is going to linger. It is almost the original, but with a much more adult spin on it that both disturbs and works beautifully.

 <- I Shall Do Thee Mischief in the Wood ReviewThe Princess in the Tower Review ->
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I Shall Do Thee Mischief in the Wood by Kathe Koja

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Image result for snow white, blood red book coverTitle: I Shall Do Thee Mischief in the Wood
Author: Kathe Koja
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Villains
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: The inn-tavern was hot, hot almost as the departed day, crowded with those with something to sell, vice or service, proferring to the retinue what did not first interest their lord.

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Synopsis

Red Riding Hood is poor, young and, too many, a little simple. So when a predator from another town fixates on her, and follows her into the woods, you think you know what’s going to happen. But you don’t. Because this is a very twisted fairy tale retelling.

Thoughts

In the collection, Snow White, Blood Red, I Shall Do Thee Mischief follows directly after Little Red. And I had to put this book down after Little Red because of the ick factor. So when I found out that there was a second story based on this fairy tale. Also with a sexual component… I’ll admit that I was kind of concerned. And uncomfortable. There is only so much ick I can read before I have to change over to the happy and carefree stories. Luckily for me, although the sexuality was still there, it wasn’t so intense. Or icky.

I did have to read the last page of this short story twice to feel like I fully understood what happened. And I’m still not entirely sure if my take is “correct”. But from what I absorbed… the young girl was completely able to turn the tables on her would-be predator. And, since that’s the kind of ending that I like… I’m going to stick with it.

 <- Little Red ReviewThe Root of the Matter Review ->
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Little Red by Wendy Wheeler

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: Little Red
Author: Wendy Wheeler
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales,
Villains
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: I wish you would buy me riding boots and dungarees.

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Synopsis

In this modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf is far more terrifying than the original. There is a far more modern setting. And the grandmother is just a lingering memory watching over the horrors of her granddaughters life.

Thoughts

This short retelling of Red Riding Hood lost half a point because of the creep factor. The creep factor still made the story thoroughly enjoyable and a perfect addition to a series of adult fairy tale retellings. But I didn’t like the feelings I got when I finished it. Hence the deduction of half a point.

I actually really enjoyed the shifting of a wolfish predator from traditional fairy-tale land to a modern day setting. Not only did it work immensely well, but it increased the sense of warning and horror that I’m sure the original story would have had. After all, the original fairy tales were not happily ever afters and nice. They were horrible, ended with some pretty intense torture and murder half the time and were mostly designed to show you how wrong your reality can go if you don’t heed the warnings.

And this story did exactly that. It showed the horrors of the modern world and what one person’s downfall can do to another. How predators and wolves lurk around every corner, and even with the thin veneer of civility, you can still be in a lot of danger. Did I mention that there was a pretty high creep factor in this story?

 <- Snow-Drop ReviewI Shall Do Thee Mischief in the Wood Review ->
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Snow-Drop by Tanith Lee

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: Snow-Drop
Author: Tanith Lee
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling) & Redder Than Blood (Tanith Lee)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales,
Villains
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: However.

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Synopsis

Tanith Lee provides an alternate (and slightly disturbed) take on Snow White that will leave you thinking about it, and feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

Thoughts

Not all fairy tales have a happy ending, and in the case of Snow Drop, there is most certainly not a happy ending. At least for Snow Drop… I’m still not sure whether the ending was happy or just twisted for Cristena…

I honestly thought by the name of this short story that there would be an innocent at some point throughout. Whether it was the reworked Snow White, the reworked step mother, or some vague bystander. I thought that in some way, there would be a purity and innocence to this story that would contrast with the darkness.

I was wrong.

So very, very wrong. There is no innocence in this story. There is no purity, and the depths of depravity throughout the story just kept on exceeding my expectations. Not that I minded… it was just enough “huh” to make this story impossible to put down and even more impossible to forget.

 <- Stalking Beans ReviewLittle Red Review ->
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Stalking Beans by Nancy Kress

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: Stalking Beans
Author: Nancy Kress
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Villains
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: The hay is thick and yellow in the fields of the manor house.

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Synopsis

Was Jack really the innocent that he seemed to be? Nancy Kress provides an incredibly different take on this traditional fairy tale, one that doesn’t shed the most flattering of lights on Jack’s adventures up the beanstalk.

Thoughts

It wasn’t until reading this story that made me seriously question the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. After all, it’s a great little fairy tale that we’ve all grown up with. Until you really start to think about the what he actually does. He breaks into a giant’s house, steals his belongings and kills the man. Alright, in the fairy tale he is trying to eat Jack, but what if that’s all a figment of his retelling? What if he was actually just a bit of a douche?

In this retelling, Jack is an adult, and he really doesn’t make any good life decisions. Slowly, but surely, he weaves himself a web of lies and deceit that entangles and ensnares. Leaving him not only the bad guy of the story, but sad, alone and really not in any position to judge others. Yet, there is still a sense of sympathy that you feel for Jack as he becomes the villain of his own story. An ability that I’ve only been able to find in the best of writers – feeling sympathy for the fool who is the creator of his own downfall.

 <- The Frog Prince ReviewSnow-Drop Review ->
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The Frog Prince by Gahan Wilson

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: The Frog Prince
Author: Gahan Wilson
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Comedy, Easy reading, Fairy tales
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: Sometimes, lying there, he wondered if he was making visible rivulets and pools beneath himself on the surface of the couch.

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Synopsis

Everyone needs a shrink sometimes… even a frog prince.

Thoughts

I really enjoyed this story – it took the well-known trope of a frog prince and turned it around a little. For starters… the frog is still a frog… for another thing, his entire story is told in a weird, dream-like state.

There’s something about therapy offices that have a very distinctive feel. The couch that the characters lie on (I never did this in therapy, but it always seems to be in the media…), the stress…. And in the case of the frog prince, the constant sweating. It added an extra sense of realism and an increase in the stakes of the storyline as the amphibian royalty unfolds his latest dream.

Originally I thought that this short story was about the frog prince’s happily ever after going a little skewy, but, as it turns out, it is more about a loss of hope and trying to find one’s dream…

 <- The Moon is Drowning While I Sleep ReviewStalking Beans Review ->
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The Moon is Drowning While I Sleep by Charles de Lint

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: The Moon is Drowning While I Sleep
Author: Charles de Lint
Series: Newford Companion
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Urban fantasy
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: What needs to be done.

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Synopsis

Sophie keeps having dreams that feature the moon and passion. But, are they real, or just a figment of her imagination?

Thoughts

I actually read this twice before writing this review, each reading about a week apart. I loved it when I first read it, but there was something haunting in the refrain, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. Almost like it haunted my dreams as in the story. So I read it again, which helped to dispel that lingering feeling of haunting and confusion that was lingering around.

One of the things that I often love about fairy tales is the surreal beauty that permeates them. And de Lint was able to enhance this to the extreme. Using the iconic thematic sense of the moon and mixing this with dreamscapes and a desire to know oneself, there is a beauty and completely unreal feeling to this story. I loved the imagery, and it was because of this that I found it so hard to put down. And so easy to read twice in a row.

 <- Like a Red, Red Rose ReviewThe Frog Prince Review ->
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