It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday again!
Top Ten Tuesday is a Tag hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Check out their website to join the group and to see the list of topics!
This week’s topic is:
TOP TEN FAIRY TALE RETELLINGS
To change it up a bit I thought I would divide the topic in two. The first half of my list will be my favourite fairy tale retellings and the second half off the list will be the ones I want to read.
So without further ado:
WHAT I’VE READ
10. PRINCESS OF THORNS – STACEY JAY
This one made my list because it was different. Thorns followed Sleeping Beauty’s daughter Aurora on her quest to save her brother and rescue her kingdom. It wasn’t perfect but it was an entertaining read. There were a few things about this book that I adored, mostly to do with world building. There is a review coming soon.
9. SLEEPER AND THE SPINDLE – NEIL GAIMAN
One of the beast Sleeping Beauty retellings that I have ever come across. The first time I read it was in the collection Rags and Bones. If you have a chance to pick up the illustrated edition you totally should. Chris Riddell’s illustrations are beautiful.
8. THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS – JOHN CONNOLLY
I like to think that this book changed my life a little bit. The Book of Lost Things is a dark fairy tale mash ups with one of the best named villains I have ever come across in my life. The Crooked Man is a Rumplestiskin character who steals children’s souls. Some of the usual fairy tale suspects make appearances as David wanders through a menacing fantasy landscape.
7. SISTERS RED – JACKSON PIERCE
A Little Red Riding Hood story where she hunts werewolves. Is there really much more that needs to be said? Jackson Pierce has a series of fairy tale retellings and this one is probably my favourite. Go and check them out.
6. THROUGH THE WOODS – EMILY CARROLL
I have been in love with Emily Carroll’s webcomics for years now. When I was wandering around the Imagine Book Festival last November it was brought to my attention that she had released a collection in print. I bought it instantly. These stories are dark, short and twisted. Check out my favourites here and here.
WHAT I WANT TO READ
5. CONFESSIONS OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER – GREGORY MAGUIRE
I really really liked Wicked, and the rest of Gregory Maguire’s novels have been sitting on my to read list since high school. If you haven’t guessed from the title, this is Maguire’s take on Cinderella.
4. THE BLOODY CHAMBER AND OTHER STORIES – ANGELA CARTER
I’ve read Angela Carter’s spin on Little Red Riding Hood (like almost every english lit major out there) and really liked it. I’ve heard a lot of great things about this collection but I’ve just never gotten around to actually reading it. But I’m on the waiting list at the library now, so SOON!
3. FABLES – BILL WILLINGHAM
I’ve heard a lot of great things about Fables, and it sounds like it’s right up my alley. The popular and obscure fairy tales living in the modern world?
2. FAIRY TALES FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM: A NEW ENGLISH VERSION – PHILIP PULLMAN
For the last year Chelsey and I have been working on a fairy tale pick a path. This of course led to me doing a stupid amount of research and I eventually stumbled upon this book. It was an insta-buy. I haven’t picked it up yet, but it’s the first book I will read when we finish our Pick a Path. Philip Pullman plus fairy tales? Sounds like a match made in heaven!
1. CINDER – MELISSA MEYER
This book always seems to find it’s way onto my Top Ten Tuesday lists. Cinder is the first book in the Lunar Chronicles, each one of them a retelling of a different fairy tale. Cinder is of course Cinderlla, and she’s a cyborg. Science Fiction crossed with fairy tales? Sounds like so much fun!
There you have my list. This was a fun list to put together since I have such a deep love for fairy tales. What are your favourites?
Happy reading!
