Seems like every year I learn about a new crop of fairytale adaptations, and 2012 is no exception. Each of these stories interprets a different fairytale. They’re all good reads, but they will appeal to very different readers. The stories are set in the past, present and future. Each plot has a romantic element, to varying degrees.
Which fairytale retelling are you interested in?
If you want to read about a dark dystopian future . . .
You should read . . . Cinder by Marissa Meyer, an interpretation of “Cinderella.” Cinder is a mechanic cyborg who is only 64% human. She enchants Prince Kai and must learn about her past to protect their world. If you like Cinder, keep an eye out for Meyer’s futuristic tales based on “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Rapunzel” and “Snow White.”
If you want to read a delicious Regency romance . . .
You should read . . . The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James, an interpretation of “The Ugly Duckling.” The heroine is Theodora Saxby and her hero is James Ryburn, an earl. Theo, known as “The Ugly Duchess,” throws him out after she learns their marriage was set up—and he becomes a pirate! Will they find love in the end? This one’s on sale August 28.
If you want to read about a monster under the sea . . .
You should read . . . Fathomless by Jackson Pearce, an interpretation of “The Little Mermaid.” In this clever story, a mermaid-like creature and a young woman save a drowning man, over whom they must compete. We loved Pearce’s Sisters Red, a retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” and Sweetly, based on “Hansel and Gretel.” Fathomless is on sale September 4.
If you want an X-rated story that is heavy on “adult content” . . .
You should read . . . The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by A.N. Roquelaure, aka Anne Rice. Originally published in 1983, Roquelaure/Rice’s The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy was re-released in June 2012 with a new introduction by the author. This erotic retelling has seen a resurgence thanks to Fifty Shades of Grey. Warning: Only buy if you are comfortable reading very sexually explicit scenes! (Think BDSM.)
Got any favorite fairy tale adaptations to add to our list?
