Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon

Mermaid, by Carolyn Turgeon, is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. It's often labeled as "a twist on the classic tale" but I felt it was more of an expansion with a little bit of a twist at the end. It considers both princesses -- the mermaid princess, and the other princess whom the prince falls in love with -- and tells the story through them. It sticks closely to the bones of the Andersen tale through most of the story and only diverges in the last quarter or so, once the human princess (Margrethe, in this version) reaches the prince.

The value in this story comes from the fact that there is no real "bad guy" in play -- both princesses love the prince, and he's conflicted for both personal and political reasons, making this one of the more complex retellings of the story. Even the sea witch is not evil or motivated by greed or malice: she warns Lenia (the young mermaid) that it is a terrible thing to lose a part of oneself, but leaves the choice ultimately up to the mermaid princess.

The book was shorter than I expected, given the complexity of the situation, and I found the writing to be overly formal. On the other hand, since it was adapted from Andersen's story, it makes sense that Turgeon would use similar language. Turgeon does give the main characters complexity and depth, but I would have liked to see that from a few of the other characters, and would have appreciated a little more world-building. There are hints of it within the undersea kingdom, but it's never filled out in the story.

It has the same problem that all versions of this story have to a modern audience: a young woman giving up her life, family, and greatest asset to be with a man (who doesn't even know she exists). Turgeon does manage to give Lenia something else to live for in the end, and this becomes more of a story about two women saving each other than a romance or a story of a heroic prince or tragic princess.

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Entwined just may be my favorite new retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

Princess Azalea is the eldest of 11 sisters, and she loves to dance. But on the night of the Yule ball, her mother goes into labor early, and passes away giving birth to baby Lily. Now she and her sisters are cast into mourning, and pushed away by their father, the king, as he grieves for his lost wife--until they find a magical passage, and a way of dancing in secret. But their defiant dancing comes with a price, and they find they may be in deeper than they bargained for.

I've got to say, just first of all -- it's no little feat to make 12 princesses all distinctive characters, and Heather Dixon does it really well. Reading this, I felt like I knew all the girls. Sure, some of them stood out more than others, but none of them faded into the background so much that the rare mention brought a "who?" to my mind.

I didn't feel like the world-building was completely filled out in this book. It's a fictional kingdom, surrounded by other fictional lands, but they celebrate Christmas, and many of the cultural details that get mentioned are very non-fictional. However, it wasn't so distracting that I couldn't finish the book --

-- in fact I'd say it makes me speak more highly of the plot and characters, that the minor irritation of world-building did not stop me from devouring this book in delight. More than that, when I was done with the book, I wanted to go back again, and visit the sisters and their home.

It really is an enjoyable read, and I recommend it for fans of this particular story, or just fairy tale lovers in general. Also a good one to recommend to teens or reluctant readers because it's very engrossing.

Falling for Hamlet by Michelle Ray

Falling for Hamlet is, as you can probably tell from the cover, a modernization of Hamlet. It takes place in a modern Denmark, with a modern castle full of cell phones and security cameras. Ophelia is in high school, Hamlet has just graduated and is off to college when the familiar events start to fall into place.

Michelle Ray tells the story entirely from Ophelia's viewpoint, and deviates from the play only in minor plot details, with the notable exception that Ophelia fakes her death because she fears for her life. (And so is still around to observe the fallout at the end of the story.)

As much as I liked the concept, the execution was lacking. I found myself skimming over numerous sections of Ophelia's drawn out contemplation of what was going on and what was Hamlet thinking and oh my Hamlet is just so sexy. Perhaps the teenage/high school mentality is not one that I can particular relate to at this stage in my life; it tended to bog down the book for me.

If you're a die hard Hamlet fan, I'd say give this one a try. Or if you're looking for a book that's a good, teen-level introduction to Shakespeare, this one is certainly worth a shot.

Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Now here is a retelling that I can appreciate. You might guess from the cover what this story ties into... or you might not. And the retelling itself is much more subtle than most of the ones I cover here (which I certainly enjoy). So here we have Puss in Boots.

What I didn't realize when I started this is that it ties to Murdock's other book, Princess Ben, which I still haven't read. In this book, Princess Ben is the dowager queen, guiding her granddaughters as best she can, so the only spoiler for the previous book is: yes, she lives through it. And I did not have any trouble following this story or jumping into the world even though I missed the first book. It did make me want to go back and read the first book, so I'll be looking to get my hands on that one soon.

The story is told almost entirely through letters, diary entries, and a play written by "anonymous." (By the end of the story I think you'll have a good guess as to who the anonymous writer is.) There is both a clever cat and a man who is remarkably proud of both his boots and his wits. And there is something of an Ogre(ss) as well, although not in the shape you would expect.

I loved the way this was adapted. It was unexpected, yet as the pieces fell into place, it was clear to see that the elements of Puss in Boots were all present. I won't say too much about who did what and how it was reflective, but I will say that I loved it and I recommend this one for fans of Puss in Boots, more creative adaptations, or unique YA fiction.

Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones

Enchanted Glass is the story of Andrew Hope, a young professor who's just inherited more than he realizes from his grandfather, and Aidan Cain, a boy who has just lost his grandmother and his home, and is on the run though he doesn't know what he's running from.

With her customary skill, Jones draws the reader in to the story of a magical estate, a "field of care," in which the mundane meets the mythical. Creatures of fairy lore live all around Andrew's home, and it's his job to walk the boundaries and see that all is well.

This book is mostly brilliant for the setting and characters. The plot is good, too, but it's the people that really shine--like a lot of British comedy, once the situation is set up, the characters run away with it. My main issue with this was that just as I was getting into it, the plot was tied up and the book ended. Which isn't a BAD thing, per se, but perhaps it was geared more towards children and I got hooked and wanted something a bit deeper and more grown up.

In either case, I recommend it for a different twist on the Underhill type stories of fairy and folklore, or if you like a dose of British humor with your fantasy.

Red Riding Hood, 2011

I starting watching this, not expecting much after the other reviews I have seen and heard. And, well, I can't say I entirely disagree with them. This is a pretty film, no doubt, but it had some of the most stilted dialog and wooden acting I've seen outside of a Mystery Science Theatre episode.

And a lot of Amanda Seyfried looking lost, confused, concerned, or bewildered:

As far as the story, though, I was actually okay with this retelling. It uses the elements of the old story, including some of the lesser known details like eating grandma. Well sort of. And there's lots of werewolf mythology thrown in: blood moons and silver swords and holy ground. Oh, and a weird elephant torture device from Rome.

Man, I want a weird elephant torture device from Rome.

Gary Oldman plays the slightly insane priest who lost his wife to werewolves, Shiloh Fernandez and Max Irons face off as the love interests, and Billy Burke reprises his role as the Dad in Twilight. (har)

I am really not sure why this movie didn't work. It really isn't good, but sometimes I can get past that, and just tell myself, "Okay, this is going to be silly, but just enjoy it!" and this was one of those cases. The elements seem like they should work: decent story, decent actors, but they don't add up to a good movie in this case.

In spite of that, I think if you're a fairy tale lover, you will find some things to like about this. The three little pigs have a moment, there are subtle and direct references to old, old versions of LRRH, and, well, it is a darn PRETTY movie:

So if you've been afraid to give this one a chance, I say go for it. It's not going to be your new favorite movie, I don't think, but it definitely has its moments and I don't feel like I need my two hours back.

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

I really enjoy Underhill-type stories: a faerie world alongside normal earth, crossing over and through "our" world, bringing magic and strangeness into everyday life. A lot of urban fantasy seems to be going that way, and I approve. The problem has become, however, that I GET it (and I'm sure many of the readers of this particular blog are on the same page with me) and I don't need pages of explanation of what's going on to understand the concept.

So keep that in mind as you read this review.

The Iron Witch is about Donna Underwood, a 17-year-old who has been raised by her aunt since her father died ten years ago. Her mother is in a care home, not quite insane but certainly not "right." Their whole family belongs to a society of alchemists who are responsible for protecting humanity from the faery creatures who cross over to Donna's world.

Although I liked the book more than I disliked it, the pacing is slow, with long passages of exposition slowing it down even more. The characters are almost compelling; they are interesting, but there's not quite enough urgency even in the midst of kidnapping and rescue mission to really be gripping.

I think this is best as an introduction to the type of urban fantasy it represents, with enough explanation that even someone who's never picked up a fantasy book will understand everything without any problem. This is the first book in a trilogy, and the unresolved plot threads (Donna's mother's cure, and her upcoming initiation at age 18 into the alchemists' society) promise intriguing developments in books 2 and 3.

If you are looking for more mature or in-depth fantasy, I'd skip this one.

Karen Mahoney's website is here.

Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

Here Lies Arthur tells the story of Gwyna, a young girl cast out of her home when King Arthur's raiding party destroys her village. When she swims to safety, she's noticed by Myrddin, who enlists her to deliver the sword Caliburn to Arthur as the Lady of the Lake. Then Myrddin takes her in, but disguises her as a boy to allay suspicion.

The narrative follows the bare bones of Arthurian Legend, stripped of magic but with trickery and storytelling aplenty. Gwyna/Gwyn (her male self) is thick in the midst of the story, giving a new perspective to the characters and shedding light on the fact that the Arthur of Myrddin's stories is a far cry from the actual Arthur.

I had trouble getting into this, although it's a fairly quick read, aimed at middle schoolers. It was hard to find a sympathetic character; nobody fell into a particularly flattering light in this version of the story. However, that's also part of what made it interesting. The best thing about this book is the way it explores the birth and growth of myths and legends, and how sometimes you just can't let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Overall I enjoyed this, but it was far from my favorite reimagining of the Arthurian mythos. I'm not sure how I feel about it as an introductory story for this legend; it's rather depressing although the ending is not a total downer. It's worth checking out if you want a unique perspective on the stories.

Philip Reeve's website is here.

The Wide-Awake Princess by E. D. Baker

The Wide-Awake Princess is just so fun. I don't even know another word for it. Well, "good" is another word that describes it pretty well, but it doesn't really tell you anything.

Princess Gwendolyn is, as we all know, cursed to prick her finger and die on her sixteenth birthday. And of course, the curse is modified, so the story goes. But when her parents have a second child, their attempt to prevent any more curses has an unexpected result: Annie's fairy gift is that NO magic can touch her, good or bad.

So when the castle population does succumb to the curse, Annie is left, wide-awake, with the threat of 100 years of sleep not sounding too good, if she wants to spend any more time with her family. Instead of waiting around for a prince to show up and kiss her sister, Annie sets out on a quest through the neighboring kingdoms, with the help of a guard who was running errands when the fateful finger-pricking occurred.

I loved the magical-gifts-run-amok in Ms. Baker's world: all the nobility in the land was so fairy-blessed they couldn't do a thing without their magic. Annie's view of the world without magic was startling and funny, as she saw things that others had hidden by means of magic. The collection and variety of princes she collected was entertaining, as well.

This was a quick and, dare I say it again, fun read, aimed at middle-grade readers, but with enough references and humor to be amusing to fairy tale lovers of any age. I will definitely be checking out Ms. Baker's other books.

Check out E. D. Baker's site and other works here.

The Wager by Donna Jo Napoli

This might be my new favorite book by Donna Jo Napoli. (Although Crazy Jack still holds a dear place in my heart.) This is the retelling of a Sicilian version of Bearskin, which is also somewhat obscure though at least familiar to those of us who have a solid handle on The Complete Brothers Grimm.

Don Giovanni loses his home and his possessions after a massive wave destroys the city he grew up in. He wanders about for a bit before a run-in with a demon or devil, in which the dark creature offers him a wager: an endless purse, all the money he could desire, but in return, he must not bath, change clothes, or clean himself in any way, for three years, three months, and three days. At the end of his rope, Giovanni accepts, hardly understanding what he is getting himself in for.

With thought-provoking philosophy on loyalty, persistence, and the value of wealth, and a nice dose of history, I'd call this one of Napoli's most successful retellings. Well worth reading, especially if you've enjoyed her other work.

Beastly Movie review

So I've had some time to mull over Beastly, and I figure you've either seen it by now or you're still trying to decide if it's worth seeing in theaters. And my thought on that is... meh. Aside from the rather remarkable makeup job (not necessarily as grotesque as they'd like to think, perhaps, but certainly impressive) there isn't a lot about this movie that screams "must see on big screen!" to me. It's a fairly typical paranormal romance, some of the sharper points in the book dulled down a bit.

Your story, of course, is Beauty and the Beast from Beast's perspective. He's a jerk, but we feel sorry for him because his father is even more of a jerk. He tries to pull one over on Kendra, but surprise! Those rumors about her being a witch: totally true. (It wasn't just a euphemism for a word that rhymed! Who knew?)

So suddenly he's all icky. He has a couple run-ins with Lindy both pre- and post-uglification, and the camera is definitely zoomed in on his affection for her. (HE IS ADMIRING HER AND SHE DOESN'T EVEN NOTICE! HOW ROMANTIC!)

Then, and here's where you can tell the marketing went "Well, what worked in Twilight?" he stalks her a bit, following her around town and watching her read at her window. Through his stalking, he is able to intervene when her father gets tangled with some drug-dealers, taking her away to his outside-the-city house for her protection. (I believe in the book, he had the traditional magic mirror on his side, making his stalking more of a mystical nature. I'm not sure that's better, but I had more trouble believing the chain of events in the movie than I did when I read the book.)

Neil Patrick Harris is definitely the highlight of the film. Every time he was on screen there was something to laugh about. From a blind guy throwing darts to he's caustic but useful advice, as far as I'm concerned, he was the star of the show.

The rest of the acting didn't hold up so well, and though it's always hard to say what's the acting and what's the directing, none of the three main characters (Mary-Kate Olsen, Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Pettyfer) pulled off anything spectacular or... believable.

For my money, if you want a supernatural romance, I'd check out I Am Number Four at the theater, which at least has the special effects to be worth the big-screen ticket (and I liked it a lot better in the end--it caters much more to the sci-fi/action crowd than the Twilight crowd), and save Beastly for your home system. And as for this story, if I care to revisit it, I will go by way of book, and not the movie.

Edit: Here is a really nice blog entry by Alex Flinn, with thoughts about the movie vs the book, and her excitement at the premier. Well worth reading!

Calamity Jack by Hale, Hale, and unrelated Hale

It's been a loooong time since I read Rapunzel's Revenge, written by Shannon and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale, so I was hoping I could pick up Calamity Jack without needing to remember too much of the first book. And it was fine; Calamity Jack is a complete story with just enough background thrown in to remind you that Jack was Rapunzel's sidekick in the first book, and then it takes off on a new and unrelated adventure.

Jack is bringing Rapunzel back to his home in the city, hoping to show her a good time with his city manners and street know-how. But his past catches up with him quickly, and Rapunzel is bound to find out that he wasn't always the heroic fellow she knows today....

I will say, if you liked the first one, the writing is just as strong, there's a dash of humor, and it's fun to watch the relationship between Punzy and Jack bloom into something a little stronger and deeper. The artwork is colorful and gorgeous--whether or not you've delved into graphic novels, this pair is a good set to try, and you can pretty much start with either one (I'd recommend reading them in order, but if you can't get your hands on RR first, it doesn't hurt to start with the second one.)

Red Riding Hood, 2011 Released Today

Don't forget, Red Riding Hood is in theaters today! Go see it and support Fairy Tale movies!

Beastly by Alex Flinn Movie

Beastly is out today!

In her retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Flinn retells the story from the Beast's perspective, in a decidedly modern setting. I think this is a lot like the way that Shakespeare's stories can be so effectively set in high schools -- emotions run high, everything that happens feels vital and -- whatever the reason, the setting and point of view are very effective in this retelling.

As I recall, this was a quick and engaging read. Not too complex, being aimed at high schoolers, and after all, we already know the bones of the story. Flinn did a nice job of fleshing out the characters believably, with a few twists to keep things interesting.

There's an excerpt and more reviews for Beastly here:

http://www.alexflinn.com/html/beastly.html

And of course, the film is out in theatres today. Remember, the best way to make sure we have more fairy tale movies on the horizon is to support them as they come out!

Snow by Tracy Lynn

Another installment in the Simon Pulse "Once Upon a Time" series, Snow is Tracy Lynn's retelling of Snow White. It's also one of my favorites of the series, of the ones I've read, with a little more complexity and steadiness of character than I've seen in some of the others.

After the death of her mother, Jessica is largely ignored by her father, so spends her childhood mostly running loose on their estate. Until, of course, her father marries again. As Jessica grows older, her stepmother's jealousy grows stronger, finally putting Jessica in mortal danger.

Lynn has some creative changes to the story, such as Jessica running away to the city instead of the forest, and her alteration of the dwarves, and ideas about the mirror and the other magic are transformed into more of a science-fantasy than a purely magical story.

This, like the other books in the series, is a very quick read, and definitely enjoyable for a fairy tale afternoon.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

In the follow-up to her Dancing Princesses novel, Princess of the Midnight Ball, Jessica Day George once again takes readers into her magical, alternate-Europe setting, this time focusing on one of the younger princesses of tattered slipper fame. Princess Poppy has vowed never to dance again, but she'll be put to the test in a visit to a neighboring kingdom where balls are still in fashion.

Another sinister fairy, a poor servant girl, and a visiting prince combine to make Poppy's visit far more interesting than she had expected, and Ms. George puts a new spin on Cinderella's dance.

If you liked the first book, you'll like this one. I wouldn't recommend reading them out of order; although the story stands on its own, it's nice to have Poppy's background in your reading history.

I've enjoyed both books in the series, and I hope Ms. George will continue the series. I've been pondering other fairy tales with a dancing motif -- Swan Lake? The Red Shoes? After that I'm stumped. Anyone else have ideas?

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

While Reckless is not a direct adaptation of any story I know, Cornelia Funke does borrow often and heavily from fairy tale lore to create the world behind the mirror, from gingerbread houses to fairy spells and curses.

If you liked Inkspell I think you'll be well pleased with Reckless. My problem with Inkspell was all the capture/escape scenarios, but I feel like Funke has gotten away from that with this newest book, drawing the reader into her mirrorworld and her character's dilemma with insistence.

I found the premise and the setting to be more intriguing than the characters. There is a level of assumption, that we will understand that these two are brothers, so even though they aren't close they are bonded, and these two are engaged, so their love and relationship must be deep. I would have liked to see more character development in the story; however, I enjoyed the plot and waiting to spot the next fairy tale reference.

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Isn't that ballgown just scrumptious? Couldn't you just... wear it? I could. Of course, the primary princess of the story is noted as wearing a red gown, so that just goes to show, you can't judge a book by its cover.

On the other hand, if this cover makes you want to pick this book up and fly through it, unable to put it down except by absolute necessity, and stay up until 2 in the morning to finish it... you'll have an experience close to mine. By the end of chapter one I was completely captivated: Ms. George draws the reader quickly and completely into her world and her story, a very successful retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses.

The two main characters are Princess Rose (with an entourage of sisters, of course) and Galen, a soldier who has just returned to the city from the front lines of the war that has gone on for 12 years. Rose and Galen are inevitably drawn to one another as they work to untangle the mystery and the curse surrounding the sisters and their worn out dancing shoes.

I won't give away anything more, but please, fairy tale lovers, do yourselves a favor and bump this to the top of your reading list!

Jessica Day George has a website with book information and news.

Marly's Ghost by David Levithan

The title caught my attention. "Marly's Ghost? Sounds like a reference to A Christmas Carol." It surely is. Marly's Ghost, by David Levithan, is A Christmas Carol reimagined for Valentine's Day. Sometimes directly from the original text, and sometimes morphed into modern language patterns, this poignant story tells of a heartbroken teen rediscovering the meaning of love on a special Valentine Eve.

At amazon.com:

I can't say it was the best story adaptation I ever read, but it was a fresh and interesting take on a story that's been done many times around the Christmas holiday. At times the classic writing style and the modernizations seemed to clash. It's worth checking out if you like the original tale or if you love Valentine's Day. Or hate Valentine's Day. Have strong feelings about Valentine's Day, either way.

A Curse Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Charlotte Miller is stubborn, a family trait. So when the mill is left to her, instead of giving it up, she continues to run it, in spite of the doubts of her family and neighbors, in spite of the fact that she's a woman.

Fighting debt and a strangely unlucky mill, a sweet, subtle love story, and a family bond weave together in this skillful reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin (or Jack Spinner, here). This is one of my favorite retellings, rich and deeply layered, with more nuance than many of the books aimed at the same age group.

It won a number of awards, and having read it, I can see why. If you haven't read this one yet, you're in for a treat.

Also check out Ms. Bunce's website for more information on this and her newest book, Star-Crossed.