Graham Joyce, Some Kind of Fairy Tale

The blurb of Some Kind of Fairy Tale doesn't give a lot of info, so I wouldn't be surprised if people picked this up in a book shop then put it back.

The Plot:  After an argument with her boyfriend fifteen-year-old Tara Martin disappears, she was last seen in the woods near to her parents house.  20 years later a woman claiming to Tara returns, insisting that she has only been gone for 6 months and that she was taken by fairies. Her parents, her brother Peter, and her former boyfriend, Richie, are initially sceptical, but her unaltered appearance and steadfast believe in her story begins to persuade them that Tara's fairy tale is real.  

Rating: «««¶¶ (3/5)

Full review after the cut:-

Baba Yaga

"Baba Yaga lives in a forest [...] in a cramped little hut that stands on hen's legs and turns around on the spot. She has one skeleton-leg [...] dangling breasts that she dumps on the stove or hangs over a pole, a long sharp nose that knock against the celling [...] and she flies around in a mortar, rowing her self through the air with a pestle, wiping away her traces with a broom."  

- Dubravka Ugresic, Baba Yaga Laid an Egg

The worn out dancing shoes

Book: Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales
picture taken by me

Once upon a time there lived a girl who liked to write lists...

Following on from my previous post, I've got some suggestions of fairy-stories for adults, some are traditional and others are reworking of classics. So in no particular order:-

1. Brother's Grimm, Selected Tales

ISBAN: 9780140444018

Well no fairy-tale list would be complete with out the Brother's Grimm, so I thought I'd get it out the way first. There are several editions out there from child-friendly picture books to collector's editions to a free kindle version.  I have the penguin classic, which includes over 65 stories, notes and a through introduction.

2. Philip Pullman, Grimm Tales: For Young and Old

My second selection is obviously very connected to my first choice, as it Philip Pullman's retelling of the Grimm brothers classics. I haven't read this yet but I really really want to. I think Pullman is a fantastically talented author, his Dark Materials trilogy is amazingly inventive.

3. Moss Roberts, Chinese Fairy Tales & Fantasies 

ISBAN: 9780394739946

 A collection of Chinese fables, myths and fairy-tales. There are many similarities with European fairy tales, but are also uniquely influenced by Taoist and Confucian philosophy.

More pictures and recommendations are the cut:-

fairy-tales

I'm a massive fan of fairy-tales. I've liked them since I was little, but my appreciation has grown since I've gotten older. It's the history of them that appeals to me, the tradition of oral storytelling and the common themes that appear across cultures and countries are really fascinating. For example, human to animal transformation is common in folk-stories throughout the world.

Fairy-tales can revel a lot about a society, they are rich with symbolism and often give warnings or have a moral message. Written primarily for children, fairy-tales instructed children how to behave, to respect their elders and stay out of the woods.

As well as representing idealised moral behaviour, traditional  fairy-tales can also subvert social norms and challenge expectations, the prince doesn't always get the girl. The tales aren't always the happy-ever-after Disney version. Women are not just damsels in distress, but are also ruthless, cunning and more that capable of rescuing themselves.

Another aspect I love about fairy-tales is how the supernatural and uncanny effortlessly intertwine with the mundane and human. There is magic all around, a walk in the woods can lead to adventure, or a chance encounter with an elderly lady could result in all your wishes been fulfilled. I like how in fairy-tales the world is brimming with potential.

fairy-tale charm bracelet, from Accessorize (old)