Nothing gets me more excited for a book than hearing that it is a fairytale retold. I love fairy tales, I love the whimsical worlds, the fantastical stories, the love and the friendship and the lengths the characters go to survive, and mostly, I love how original fairy tales hardly ever ended up perfect at the end. Nothing gets me going more than a realistic story where happiness isn't always found at the end of the dark tunnel. Which, I think, is why I'm so into fairytale retellings. Especially ones written for the not so innocent. Give me post-apocalyptic Oz, war torn Neverland. (Of course, neither of these are stories I have read yet, so get on it). When other authors take worlds I grew up on, stories I fell in love with, and mold them into something new and real and refreshing, I'm ready to take on the world. So, here are four fairy tales retold, reshaped, reimagined (and one classic that I can't help but love).
"Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie
A classic. (I know, not a retelling but a classic). I’m not talking Disney Peter Pan, that, following every other fairytale retold by Disney, is recreated in an innocent light. I’m talking original "Peter Pan" with a Tinkerbell who tries to kill Wendy, a diabolical Peter Pan, and the beautiful, intricate, whimsical world created by the one and only J.M. Barrie. There isn’t much explaining to do, since much of the world knows that Peter Pan is the boy who never ages, who steals away with Wendy and her brothers to the fantastical world of Neverland where time seems to stand still. It is this book that we’re introduced to entrancing characters like the one and only Tinkerbell (who is much more interesting in Barrie terms rather than Disney terms), the Lost Boys, and that dastardly Captain Hook. Any kid, and many adults, probably wish they could still find their way to Neverland, with its mermaids (dangerous mermaids) and Indians (Native Neverland-ers?) and fairies and all kinds of beautiful fauna and flora that our minds couldn’t possibly conjure. This book is one of my favorite classic fairy tales that I have read yet, and honestly, J.M. Barrie hit something on the head with it.
"Wicked" by Gregory Maguire
Everyone knows the musical—now it’s time that you get to know the book. Sometimes, some of Broadway is like Disney, they recreate a world into something that you’re able to digest better (not all, just some). The biggest example of this by far is "Wicked". The Broadway show and the book keep many of the same characters, Galinda (later, Glinda), Elphaba, Fiyero, and many more, yet it strays from what much of the book is about. Gregory Maguire is a big fan of writing politics into his work, from what I’ve read so far. Oz is the melting pot for all kinds of political turmoil, and Elphie and Glinda are right in the middle of it. From the dissection of rights to Animals (unlike animals, Animals are able to talk, create thoughts, and basically act like humans) to the fight for the seat of the emperor, Oz is not the colorful place seen in the movies. The yellow brick road itself was a political maneuver. "Wicked" is the story of Elphaba, giving her life a spin on what we’ve originally known as the story of the Wicked Witch of the West. Instead of the one-sided angry green lady, we are thrown into a story crossed with family hatred, friendship, the struggle to accept one’s true self, and above all, love and the dangers that come with it. It gives a many layered look into the lives of those we have come to know as Wicked and Good. A favorite thing about Maguire’s writing is his way of shedding some like on the villains, showing that they look bad from one angle, but you just have to look at the other angles to understand. "Wicked" is one of my most favorite books, Maguire one of my most favorite writers, and I couldn’t recommend it more.
[There are three other books in the "Wicked" series, including “Son of a Witch”, “A Lion Among Men”, and “Out of Oz”. I’ve read all three of them, and if you really want to embrace the Oz created by Maguire, I recommend the entire series. As you read, you are given more and more information and surprises that all come together in the end and it’s all just so…magical.]
"Confessions of an Ugly Step-Sister" by Gregory Maguire
Because I can’t get enough of him and just love to gush about his books, have another title by Gregory Maguire. I know it’s beating a dead horse to repeat this, and to say I have so many favorites, but this is definitely at the top of my favorites list. Ever read a version of "Cinderella" that makes you feel bad for the step-sisters? Well, here it is. Best of all, similar to "Wicked", your feelings for Cinderella quickly disintegrate as the time goes on. This time, the protagonist is Iris Fisher, a plain yet intelligent young woman who lives with her mother Magarethe and her mentally challenged sister, Ruth. After the death of her father, her family flees to Netherlands, where they live with a painter till they meet Conelius van den Meer, the father of Clara, Maguire’s “Cinderella”. After the suspicious death of his wife, van den Meer marries Magarethe. Iris, the second eldest of the three children, takes care of both of her sisters. Clara is the one who eventually dubs herself as “ashgirl”, “cinderling”, aka “Cinderella”. It’s a fantastically written story, that though it may deal with politics and religion, is still ripe with mystical events and writing. Always touching on the difference between beauty and ugliness, Maguire pens an enriching tale for those who love retellings of fairy tales for the adults.
"Tiger Lily" by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Another one of my favorites. Tiger Lily is a retelling of "Peter Pan" that focuses more on his relationship with Tiger Lilly, rather than Wendy. Tiger Lily who is desperately in love with Peter Pan, the boy who will never grow up, and who lets his attraction latch onto the newest thing he can find, which one day ends up being Wendy Darling. The story tells of the risks Tiger Lily makes for herself, for her love, and for her future. The book is narrated by Tinkerbell, who everyone and their mom knows is in love with Peter Pan too, so it’s an interesting twist on the story so many love. With the Tinkerbell narration, Anderson creates a world like we’ve never seen it, so ripe with emotion, desperation, and love. The writing is spectacular, Anderson herself knows how to write with such melody, with such poetry and imagery, and I have loved this book since the first time I finished it in high school. 11/10 would recommend.
"The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell" by Chris Colfer
Alright, now let’s talk guilty pleasures. I first began reading the “Land of Stories” series when I was still a fan of “Glee” and Chris Colfer and his character on the show. At this writing, my adoration has depleted 10-fold, yet I have still been collecting the novels every time I can. “The Land of Stories” centers on twins Alex and Conner Bailey who receive a book of fairy tales from their childhood from their grandmother on their 12th birthday, of course, titled, “The Land of Stories”. They soon find out that the book is a portal between the fairytale world and the real world. It’s while exploring this book that they meet such familiar faces like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, and more. But what’s so interesting is they’re not like the images children first see when reading fairy tales. The Land of Stories has been spiraling into danger, and to handle it, many of the characters have reverted into badass characters who are ready to kill or be killed for the people they love. It’s an interesting and fun spin on fairy tales, and also, a quick read. Of course, it’s technically fiction for children, but even as a young adult, or even an adult, it’s sometimes nice to sit back and return to your childhood for a couple hours.
