Ever since I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with fairy talesーfrom Disney films to the original Grimm Brothers’ tales to TV adaptations (we don’t talk about my Once Upon A Time phase, as formative as it might have been). With fairy tales ranging from Little Red Riding Hood’s cautionary tale to romantic stories like The Frog Prince to horrifying tales like Rapunzel, there’s a little something for everyone. Authors have been aware of this for years, and have taken it upon themselves to reimagine these classics in a way that is not limited by culture, gender, or sexuality. These 4 recommendations are perfect fall reads, or possible gifts for you fairy tale-loving friends!
- Malice & Misrule by Heather Walters
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I loved this duology so much, I wrote a whole review for it. This duology is inspired by Sleeping Beauty and is told from the evil fairy’s point of view. It features the main elements of the iconic fairy taleーi.e. a cursed princess and malevolent and benevolent magicーbut has a major plot twist: the Princess Aurora and Alyce, the book’s Maleficent, fall in love! The duology follows not only the romance between Aurora and Alyce, but also Alyce’s search for her heritage. It’s not a lighthearted read as there are many instances of verbal abuse and violence, but the general fantasy elements, such as its world-building and magic system, are easy to understand.
- Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas
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It’s no secret among my friends that Aiden Thomas is my favorite author. Having published books like Cemetery Boys and The Sunbearer Trials, there’s everything to love. Lost in the Never Woods is slightly different from his usual style, but not any less incredible. It is a relatively dark Peter Pan retelling, but still appropriate for the Young Adult category. This book follows Wendy as she attempts to unravel a mystery in the town she lives in. Featuring missing children, mysterious boys with no shadows, and wonky memories, Lost in the Never Woods is an un-put-down-able read.
- Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
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I have no idea where to start for this one. Girl, Serpent, Thorn is set in a world inspired by Persian culture, mythology, and fairy tales, while the story takes elements from Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and Arabian Nights. Soraya is a princess cursed with a poisonous touch and has lived her entire life hidden away, lest she accidentally cause someone else’s death. The Persian elements really make this story captivating and bring an incredible twist to the magic and worlds we are more used to reading about in fairy tale retellings.
These are books I have already read and feel comfortable recommending; however, there are many I have been recommended but haven’t read yet. For example, For the Wolf is a Beauty and the Beast retelling with some elements of Little Red Riding Hood, The Lunar Chronicles is a series that has a little bit of everything set in a dystopian, sci-fi world, and Little Thieves is a The Goose Girl retelling, which is a less common but no less appreciated fairy tale. Just like the original stories that inspired them, fairy tale reimaginings and retellings have something for everyone. It only takes a little bit of looking.