There’s something so alluring about a retelling. On the one hand, you’re presented with a story that you might know very well. On the other, it’s all remixed and reimagined and unique and fresh and exciting. I love a good retelling myself. You’re never quite sure what the author has done with the story, but usually it’s something rather amazing. Fairytales definitely get retold more than any other type of story, but there are also some amazing reimagining of other stories, from folktales, to more classic books. Today, I thought I would share four retellings that are well worth your time reading, but which aren’t based on fairytales.
Sherwood
Meaghan Spooner
Robin of Locksley is dead.
Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll go on, but the people of Locksley town, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, need a protector. And the dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sheriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of Locksley andMarian’s fiancé.
Who is there to stop them?
Marian never meant to tread in Robin’s footsteps—never intended to stand as a beacon of hope to those awaiting his triumphant return. But with a sweep of his green cloak and the flash of her sword, Marian makes the choice to become her own hero: Robin Hood.
‘Sherwood’ is an awesome reimagining of Robin Hood with one very important twist. Robin himself is dead to begin with. The mantle now falls to Maid Marion, who has to carry on in his footsteps. I haven’t yet read this book myself, but one of my sisters has, multiple times, and she insists that it needs to be on this list. Having read some of Meagan Spooner’s other books, I have complete faith that this book is amazing, and it’s high on my own list of books to read in the near future.
Peter And The Starcatchers
Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson, Greg Call
Don’t even think of starting this book unless you’re sitting in a comfortable chair and have lots of time. A fast-paced, impossible-to-put-down adventure awaits as the young orphan Peter and his mates are dispatched to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff.
They set sail aboard the Never Land, a ship carrying a precious and mysterious trunk in its cargo hold-and the journey quickly becomes fraught with excitement and danger.
Discover richly developed characters in the sweet but sophisticated Molly, the scary but familiar Black Stache, and the fearless Peter. Treacherous battles with pirates, foreboding thunderstorms at sea, and evocative writing immerse the reader in a story that slowly and finally reveals the secrets and mysteries of the beloved Peter Pan.
This is a fun origin story for ‘Peter Pan’. Before he was the boy who never aged, he was an orphan who ended up on a big adventure. There’s plenty of magic, some rather interesting characters, and it takes you on a wild ride before Peter ends up as the Peter Pan we know and love. ‘Peter and the Starcatchers is the first in a series of books based around the story of Peter Pan, and it’s a really fun take on the story. Aimed for slightly younger readers, but it’s still a good read nonetheless.
The Looking Glass Wars
Frank Beddor
When Alyss Heart, newly orphaned heir to the Wonderland throne, flees through the Pool of Tears to escape her murderous Aunt Redd, she finds herself lost and alone in Victorian London. Befriended by an aspiring author named Lewis Carrol, Alyss tells the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Alyss trusts this author to tell the truth so that someone, somewhere will find her and bring her home. But he gets the story all wrong. He even spells her name incorrectly!
Fortunately, Royal Bodyguard Hatter Madigan knows all too well the awful truth of Alyss’ story – and he’s searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland, to battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.
The Looking Glass Wars unabashedly challenges our Wonderland assumptions of mad tea parties, grinning Cheshire cats, and a curious little blond girl to reveal an epic battle in the endless war for Imagination.
‘Alice in Wonderland’ is a story that has always stayed very popular. I’ve see a couple of other retellings of this story, but one of my personal favourites is definitely ‘The Looking Glass Wars’. Lewis Carroll himself becomes a character in the story, which is a meta addition I rather like. I’m especially fond of the Mad Hatter in this book. I rather like the brooding bodyguard type, and his hat, as well as being a fashion statement, is a rather effective weapon. It’s the first in a trilogy of books, and they’re well worth checking out if you’re a fan of Alice in Wonderland and want a bit of a darker tale on the story.
Dorothy Must Die
Danielle Page
I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn’t ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?
Sure, I’ve read the books. I’ve seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can’t be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There’s still a yellow brick road—but even that’s crumbling.
What happened? Dorothy.
They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.
My name is Amy Gumm—and I’m the other girl from Kansas.
I’ve been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I’ve been trained to fight.
And I have a mission.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if, after rescuing Oz from the Wicked Witch, Dorothy herself went bad and took power for herself? That’s the awesome twist in this reimagining of ‘The Wizard of Oz’. It expands our knowledge of the world of Oz, and takes you on a wild journey to kill Dorothy with a central cast of all original characters. This is the first book in a series, which is fun. If you love the Wizard of Oz, you might enjoy this fresh new take on the original story.
Those are my four recommendations for retellings you should check out that aren’t from fairytales. If you’re interested in my recommendations for fairytale retellings, I’ve written two posts on that subject already! You can find PART ONE and PART TWO. Now I’d love to hear from you. Have you read any of these before? Do you have any books you’d recommend I check out?
