When I was younger, I used to devour fairytales, from the Disney movies, like Beauty and the Beast, which remains one of my all-time favourite movies, to the original Brothers Grimm collections. The original tales are often much darker than the Disney versions, but the contrast was always so exciting. It was the same basic story, but taken in two slightly (or wildly, depending on the story) different directions. Maybe that’s why I love reading fairytale retellings so much now. The basic story is familiar, but each writer takes it in their own direction, puts their own spin on it, and makes it unique. Last week I shared a list of five retellings for people who, like me, love a good fairytale. But there were so many to choose from that I decided this deserved a second list. Here then, for your reading pleasure, are five more fairytale retellings you should definitely give a read.
Wildwood Dancing
Juliet Marillier
High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It’s an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle’s hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom. There they dance through the night with the fey creatures of this magical realm.
But their peace is shattered when Father falls ill and must go to the southern parts to recover, for that is when cousin Cezar arrives. Though he’s there to help the girls survive the brutal winter, Jena suspects he has darker motives in store. Meanwhile, Jena’s sister has fallen in love with a dangerous creature of the Other Kingdom–an impossible union it’s up to Jena to stop.
When Cezar’s grip of power begins to tighten, at stake is everything Jena loves: her home, her family, and the Other Kingdom she has come to cherish. To save her world, Jena will be tested in ways she can’t imagine–tests of trust, strength, and true love.
This is a retelling of ‘The Twelve Dancing Princesses’. Though thankfully, the cast has less than twelve sisters, which makes for a much easier read, and believably close knit sisters. Juliet Marillier’s books are so beautiful. This was the first book of hers I picked up, and I quickly devoured every other book of hers the library had. It’s very fairytale-esque in the way it’s written, in oppose to transplanting the story to a completely different genre, or tone. It’s filled with magic, true love, sacrifice, and danger.
Ella Enchanted
Gail Carson Levine
At birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent young fairy named Lucinda, who bestows on her the “gift” of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to do, Ella must obey. Another girl might have been cowed by this affliction, but not feisty Ella: “Instead of making me docile, Lucinda’s curse made a rebel of me. Or perhaps I was that way naturally.” When her beloved mother dies, leaving her in the care of a mostly absent and avaricious father, and later, a loathsome stepmother and two treacherous stepsisters, Ella’s life and well-being seem to be in grave peril. But her intelligence and saucy nature keep her in good stead as she sets out on a quest for freedom and self-discovery as she tries to track down Lucinda to undo the curse, fending off ogres, befriending elves, and falling in love with a prince along the way. Yes, there is a pumpkin coach, a glass slipper, and a happily ever after, but this is the most remarkable, delightful, and profound version of Cinderella you’ll ever read.
I feel like this is probably one of the most well known ‘Cinderella’ retellings, but for a very good reason. This book is AMAZING. It adds the very unique twist of Ella herself being basically under a curse, fills the story with lashing of adventure, and adds in a prince worthy of true love. I love the fact that even under the curse of obedience, Ella isn’t cowed or docile, but fights back with everything she has. If there’s one thing I love it’s strong, spirited, brave female leads.
Hunted
Meagan Spooner
Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them.
So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance.
Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?
‘Beauty and the Beast’ is one of my all-time favourite fairytales, and I’m almost ashamed to admit that I haven’t read this retelling now. However, when one of my sisters heard that I was writing this post, she insisted that I needed to add ‘Hunted’ to the list. Maybe to force me to finally read it, haha. I’ve read a few of Meagan Spooner’s other books, and if this is half as good, then I’ll be very happy indeed.
Princess Ben
Catherine Gilbert Murdock
With her parents lost to assassins, Princess Ben ends up under the thumb of the conniving Queen Sophia. Starved and miserable, locked in the castle’s highest tower, Ben stumbles upon a mysterious enchanted room. So begins her secret education in the magical arts: mastering an obstinate flying broomstick, furtively emptying the castle’s pantries, setting her hair on fire… But Ben’s private adventures are soon overwhelmed by a mortal threat to her kingdom. Can Ben save the country and herself from tyranny?
‘Sleeping Beauty’ isn’t a fairytale I’ve seen retold very many times, which is a shame because, when done right, it can be amazing. I have a real soft spot for princesses who just weren’t born to be docile with tiny waists, waiting to be rescued. Princess Ben is about as far from the typical pretty princess as it gets. She might not be pretty, but she’s got a sharp mind, a knack for magic, and the courage needed to save her country, even when it means putting herself in mortal danger.
Spinning Silver
Naomi Novik
Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty–until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold.
When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk–grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh–Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.
But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.
I was pretty excited to discover this retelling of ‘Rumplstiltskin’. So far, it’s pretty much the only retelling of this fairytale I’ve found, though there has to be more of them out there somewhere. It adds in a whole bunch of interesting elements, like a cold, mysterious fae, other realms, Jewish families, and demons, which makes for a really interesting mix and a good read.
These are five more fairytale retellings you should definitely give a read. But I’d love to hear from you. What fairytales do you think ought to be retold more? Are there any fairytales that you’ve never seen retold, but deserve the love and attention? Have you read any of these books?
