"House of Mystery" - Review by Carina Bissett

"House of Mystery"

(A collection of fairy tale poems)

by Courtney Bates-Hardy

Review by Carina Bissett

Jacket description: 

House of Mystery is a beautifully dark and vivid collection of poems that tears down our familiar ideas about fairy tales. These are not poems about privileged princesses who live happily ever after; these are poems about monsters, mothers, witches and mermaids. They explore the pain of change and womanhood, and transform the way we think about fairy tales.

Fairy tales are full of ivory towers, woodland huts, and stately castles. Behind the doors, you’ll find mothers and witches and monsters. Some doors lead to sorrow, others to safety. Poet Courtney Bates-Hardy explores the world through the eyes of mermaids and princesses, witches and wolves in her debut poetry collection House of Mystery.

The collection opens with a trip under the sea... Undines haunt the shallows and sirens beckon, but at the same time, these water women subvert their stories. They slip their bonds, revise expectations. When these mermaids smile, they expose sharp teeth. Modern issues of silenced women are hinted at throughout, but never directly addressed.

In the second section "Hating Cinderella", the poet continues the fairy tale theme yet continues to give her characters even more agency Whereas the sirens and mermaids stay confined to the role of victims, the fairy tale heroines in the second section reshape traditional roles. Defiance and power are no longer hinted at but take physical form. These women literally slip their captors’ knots, wear glass ceilings on their feet, and birth their monsters with savage glee. Bates-Hardy reminds her readers that the only Happily Ever Afters out there are the ones we choose for ourselves.

In the titular final chapter of House of Mystery, Bates-Hardy finally hits her stride by crossing into the modern world. Titles such as “Office Girl” and “Dishes” reveal the mundane amidst the magical. However, when the fairy tale tropes are revisited, they are done so without the familiar sugar coating found in the sanitized tales. In “Donkeyskin” the narrator is trapped in a feminine role despite her tomboy nature. Her dresses smother and her shoes pinch. Only at night is she able to strip down to the raw core of who she really is. In the original fairy tale, the disguised princess has to hide her royalty beneath the donkey skin, only allowing herself to embrace her beauty in isolation. In Bates-Hardy’s version, the narrator struggles against the concepts of conventional femininity, only feeling that she can embrace her wild nature at night.

In the end, "Sirens" sets a tone that isn’t carried throughout the rest of the chapbook.  After moving through the entire collection, it becomes apparent that this selection of nine poems was previously published separately, a stand-alone chapbook titled Sea Foam. While the moody, melancholy tone of this section stands on its own, it doesn’t mesh with the other poems.

Overall, Bates-Hardy is at her best when revealing fairy tale themes in a modern-day setting. The accessible language and contemporary characters make this poetry relatable to everyone struggling for individuality in a cookie cutter world.  

This review was written voluntarily, without any compensation or affiliation with any of the authors or editors for business purposes. A review copy was provided without obligation.

Carina Bissett is the Social Media Manager of Timeless Tales Magazine, an official partner of Once Upon A Blog. Her website is  http://carinabissett.com.

"The Northlore Series: Volume One - Folklore" - Review by Leena Naidoo

"The Northlore Series: Volume One - Folklore" 

Stories edited by MJ Kobernus, Poetry edited by Katie Metcalfe

Review by Leena Naidoo

Editor's Note: I wasn't quite sure what to expect when Once Upon A Blog was offered a review copy of this book, but I have to say I found this anthology of short stories and poetry to be right up my alley and very much worth my time. I'll leave it to Leena to give you the lowdown, but suffice it to say, I personally recommend this book for people interested in Nordic folklore and fairy tales and will be on the lookout for upcoming books in the series. (Stay tuned for opportunities to contribute to upcoming volumes!)

Jacket description: 

Volume One of the Northlore Series is a modern collection of Scandinavian Folktales, told in new and often surprising ways. With humour, drama and and more than a little tension, you will be drawn into a world of Trolls and Huldr, Elves and Mara. We live in a world full of hidden creatures, if you have the eye to see them. And if you don't, the wonderful illustrations contained in the book should help! The book itself has mystical significance as 33 is a magic number. Is it a coincidence that there are 33 inspired contributions? Well, yes, actually, it probably is. Welcome to the Northlore series. Poetry and prose inspired by Scandinavian Folklore. In turns funny, horrifying, sexy and sad, what you seek is within. Warning! Do NOT feed the animals.

Mention Scandinavian folklore and I think of snow, Vikings, trolls, magic, and Norse gods. They have a distinct sense of humor, a certain amount of gore, and offer a glimpse into the human condition. Northlore, an unusual anthology of short stories and poems, delivers on all these points—except for the gods. Don't expect dragons, trips to Valhalla, or rescues of those under enchantment or stolen by elves. Instead, you might find the reason Grandma warned you about that, or why Mother might have acted so. Or the possible fate of an ill-informed tourist…

Here are just a few highlights of this collection:

Hold the Door, by Sarah Lyn Eaton, makes for an excellent beginning. With a strong voice, we are introduced to images of the terrors and cold of the Northern darkness, and the magic just beyond the threshold. Here we learn of the practicalities of Norse winters, where safety, food and warmth come first. It's a wonderful story of a new shield maiden's bravery when facing a magical adversary. 

There are selkies too. A slightly twisted modern version in Between Two Worlds, by Claire Casey, was, without a doubt, one of my favorites. Set in modern day Kirkwall, Orkney; it reminded me of my visit there. Though I didn't see any selkies myself, it's easy to believe that, had I met one, I too could have stolen its coat and accepted the consequences... 

Gustave Trolle — a strange, satisfying tale of a cursed man — was one I did not expect to enjoy, but ended up finding extremely intriguing. At first, it seems a bit of history about a Bishop. It grows into a modern urban fantasy and ends in what may one day be a fable. I would never have considered a troll in this way before, and will now have to redefine my concept of them.

Haute Cuisine, by Gregg Chamberlain, is a delightful tale of a three-headed troll. It's a bit of silliness best read over a glass of pre-dinner wine, or told with a twinkle in your eye. 

A northern collection would be incomplete without the dark and horrifying. Northlore's most terrifying story features draugrs — vengeful, almost indestructible undead — perhaps the forerunners of modern zombies. Although other nightmarish creatures are plentiful, they are well balanced by the light-hearted. Enter modern Huldufolk (hidden folk of Iceland), with their bewitchment and elfish ways, all seeming dependent on us humans for love and understanding. Other stories read like X-Files, with ancient creatures meeting modern spelunkers, fabled beings mating with city journos; and things that go bump in city-central apartments.

In addition to short tales, this anthology contains poetry, some of it haunting, like Fossegrim. Others, like Mara, My Love, draw more from fairy tales or the Otherworld — trolls, witches, nightmares, magic, ancestry — they are all there.

Even with the sometimes unusual editing (due to some of the authors being non-native English speakers), I found Northlore well-written with a diverse range of voices and talented storytellers. I will happily add this anthology to my ever-growing collection of fairy tales from around the world. There are a few gems I'd like to revisit from time to time, and I like the way the traditional is married with the modern.

Recommended to: Fans of The X-Files, those curious about modern Nordic (especially Icelandic) fairy tales, and those looking for alternatives to Grimm and Perrault.

Disclosure: A complimentary copy of the book was sent to the reviewer in exchange for an honest review.

Leena Naidoo lives in South Africa and has loved fairy tales ever since her mum used to tell her old Scottish stories. Her own stories draw on Gaelic and Scandinavian tales and can be found under her pen name, Anushka Haakonson, at  www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnushkaHaakonson . Her all time favorite fairytale is East of the Sun, West of the Moon, which she fell in love with when she read Dianna Wynne Jones' Fire and Hemlock. Her is blog is called Inbetweener https://leennanaidoo.wordpress.com.

"Stepmothers and the Big Bad Wolf" - Review by Tahlia Merrill Kirk

"Stepmothers and the Big Bad Wolf - Fairy Tale Villains Reimagined"

Edited by Madeline Smoot

Review by Tahlia Merrill Kirk

Editor's Note: You know when the Editor of Timeless Tales Magazine, offers to write a review. that the book is either something special, or unique, or perhaps both...

Jacket description: 

There are countless villains found in the pages of fairy tales—ogres, giants, even a witch or two—but none seem to capture the imagination like the stepmothers and wolves. Here nine authors tackle these villains. In some, the wolf or stepmother becomes the hero. In others, they retain their original threatening nature. In all the stories, the villains are presented in a new light. Rediscover your favorite villains in these new fairy tales.

This spring, I attended the SCBWI Austin writing conference where I made lots of new friends and learned about every aspect of the publishing process, from social media to book contracts. Having a limited budget, I hungrily eyed the book sale table like Charlie Bucket trying to decide which candy bar to buy with his last dollar. 

And then I spotted this little gem:

Being in the fairy tale business, there was no question in my mind that this would be the book I took home. My newly acquired treasure is even signed by the editor, Madeline Smoot, who I had the pleasure of meeting a minute after buying the book (wish I’d snapped a pic!). 

The book’s title ended up being 100% accurate--Stepmothers and the Big Bad Wolf is a collection of ten short stories that focus exclusively the two iconic characters of stepmother (Cinderella’s specifically) and wolf. 

Since the current trend is to write tales from the villain’s perspective, I was expecting lots of echoes of Maleficent here, especially in the stepmother stories. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that none of the stories utilized the cliche first person narrator saying “let me tell you my side of the story”. 

In fact, the key to these retellings’ success is that most of them have antagonists rather than villains. Villains are characters designed to be destroyed. They lurk and cackle in Antagonists are meant to cause conflict that can be resolved. The conflict causers in this collection take many forms--from an abusive husband to Cinderella herself. 

Perhaps my favorite part about this collection is the wide variety of settings. For example, “Soteli Ma” takes place in an Arabian-esque world, but instead of the expected domed palaces and handsome sheiks, writer Laura Ring surprises readers with a wilderness survival story. Jump over to the UK, right after Arthurian Legends, and you find “Wolfsbane” full of torchlight and heavily guarded fortresses. Keep reading, though, because there’s even a story set in futuristic Antarctica! 

Be sure to read to the end where you’ll find my personal favorite, “The Wolf Listens”, which features a Native American girl forced to live in a British school. She is surrounded by teachers who actively work to erase her racial identity. Basically, If you feel like you’ve been-there-done-that with fairy tale retellings, you’re definitely in for a treat with Stepmothers and the Big Bad Wolf. It takes two of the most popular tales, breaks down their walls, and reassembles them into radically different structures.

This review was written voluntarily, without any compensation or affiliation with any of the authors or editors for business purposes.

Tahlia Merrill Kirk is Editor of Timeless Tales Magazine, and an official partner of Once Upon A Blog.

"The Wild Girl" - Review by Christie Pang

"The Wild Girl"

by Kate Forsyth

Review by Christie Pang

Editor's Note: Here is Christie's promised review! (It's worth the wait, believe me.) 

And stay tuned today for all the details to enter our GIVEAWAY of this book! (for US residents only due to shipping sorry.)

Jacket description: 

"Dortchen Wild fell in love with Wilhelm Grimm the first time she saw him.

Growing up in the small German kingdom of Hessen-Cassel in early Nineteenth century, Dortchen Wild is irresistibly drawn to the boy next door, the young and handsome fairy tale scholar Wilhelm Grimm. 

It is a time of War, tyranny and terror. Napoleon Bonaparte wants to conquer all of Europe, and Hessen-Cassel is one of the first kingdoms to fall. Forced to live under oppressive French rule, the Grimm brothers decide to save old tales that had once been told by the firesides of houses grand and small all over the land.

Dortchen knows many beautiful old stories, such as 'Hansel and Gretel', 'The Frog King' and 'Six Swans'. As she tells them to Wilhelm, their love blossoms. Yet the Grimm family is desperately poor, and Dortchen's father has other plans for his daughter. Marriage is an impossible dream.

Dortchen can only hope that happy endings are not just the stuff of fairy tales."

           

 
International covers for Australia & UK and audiobook cover 

“Wild by name and wild by nature,” Dortchen Wild was the childhood sweetheart of Wilhelm Grimm and the heroine of Kate Forsyth’s latest novel The Wild Girl. The book follows the life of this extraordinary woman who supplied the brothers with many of their famous tales. ‘Hansel and Gretel,' 'Rumpelstiltskin,' and 'Six Swans' are all part of the treasury the Grimm brothers seek to collect when Napoleon's war comes to Hesse-Cassel. For Dortchen, however, these tales are not a political response against the French, nor a means to turn her family's fortune, but a way to communicate to Wilhelm the hopes and fears of her love for him.

In many ways, Dortchen’s life can be seen as a parallel to the tales she shares. Similar to 'Aschenputtel' (Cinderella), Dortchen is practically a kitchen maid to her family, although her sisters are kind to her. Later, she finds transformation by donning a beautiful dress to gain Wilhelm's attention. More disturbing, however, is her similarity to 'All-Kinds-of-Fur'. For those not familiar with the tale, the conflict revolves around a king trying to marry his daughter and went through drastic revisions in the Grimms’ treasury.  It quickly becomes apparent that Dortchen’s father harbors abusive tendencies and later it turns toward incest. But unlike her fairy tale counterpart, escape is not easily forthcoming for Dortchen. For much of the novel, the psychological effects of sexual trauma hold Dortchen a prisoner in her own skin. Jakob once tells Dortchen that she must fight for Wilhelm's affections, and fight she does, against the shadowy memory of her abusive father whose presence has power over her even after his death.  

Since Forsyth had little historical evidence to use from the writings of Dortchen herself, it’s fascinating to see how she explores what-could-have-been rather than adhering only to what-did-happen.  Notwithstanding, Forsyth's bibliography is extensive. She researched everything from the Grimms’ early manuscripts to contemporary analyses by fairy tale scholars. She even spoke with a descendant of Dortchen's brother. In light of the already extensive coverage of the Grimm's lives, it is refreshing to see Forsyth's evocative prose seamlessly transition research into fiction. Forsyth takes particular care to highlight the tellers of the tales themselves, elaborating on their middle class origins and dispelling the popular idea that they came from German peasantry. It is surprising that Dortchen’s place in history remains marginal considering that she contributed almost a quarter of the tales in the Grimm's first collection. Fortunately, through Forsyth, Dortchen is finally acknowledged.

Dortchen reminds us that the heroines and heroes of fairy tales are not flawless—they are always in search of something on their journeys. For Dortchen, it is the courage to overcome her fear of reliving abuse by another man (“I am trying to learn how to be brave,” she tells Wilhelm). And most importantly, it is also about reclaiming her freedom, the “wildness” her name alludes to.

The Wild Girl is not entirely a happy novel, nor is it a dark one. It is a beautiful historical romance on its own and a near true-to-life fairy tale told with touching detail of two lovers and their struggle to nourish that love despite the odds of war and trauma. Forsyth explores the silence around Dortchen's life by “listening to the story within the stories that she told,” bringing out the voice that was previously hidden by the stories that this woman treasured. The Wild Girl is a phenomenal retelling that enables us to read the Grimms’ fairy tales anew.

Disclosure: A complimentary copy of the book was sent to the reviewer (originally provided by the publishing company) in exchange for an honest review.

Christie Pang is a graduate student in English with a concentration in Creative Writing at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is also the curator for Pins and Needles (https://panfairytales.wordpress.com), a fledgling print and online fairy tale journal that foregrounds transformation in subverting societal norms. 

"Desperately Ever After" (Book 1) - Review by Emily Rasely

"Desperately Ever After"

Book 1: Desperately Ever After Series

by Laura Kenyon

Review by Emily Rasely

Editor's Note: This is the first book in a series that had a lot of excellent reviews and been touted by many as 'not the romance novel you were expecting'. It's had acclaim in fiction-fantasy and humor categories, which is something unusual all by itself. I've been looking forward to seeing what our reviewer Emily has to say about it.

Jacket description: 

Imagine what might happen if our most beloved fairy tale princesses were the best of friends and had the dreams, dilemmas, and libidos of the modern woman. How would their stories unfold after the wedding bells stopped ringing? Set in a fictional realm based on New York City, DESPERATELY EVER AFTER sprinkles women’s fiction with elements of fantasy, and encourages readers to rethink everything they know about happy endings. 

Years after turning her husband from beast back to man and becoming his queen, Belle finds out she’s finally going to have a child. But before she can announce the wondrous news, she catches him cheating and watches her “happily ever after” go up in flames. Turning to her friends for the strength to land with grace, she realizes she’s not the only one at a crossroads: 

Cinderella, a mother of four drowning in royal duties, is facing her 30th birthday and questioning everything she’s done (or hasn’t) with her life. 

Rapunzel, a sex-crazed socialite and one-woman powerhouse, is on a self-destructive quest to make up for 20 years locked away in a tower. 

Penelopea, an outsider with a mother-in-law from hell, is harboring a secret that could ruin everything at any moment. 

One part Sex and the City, two parts Desperate Housewives, and three parts Brothers Grimm, DESPERATELY EVER AFTER picks up where the original tales left off—and reimagines them a la Gregory Maguire’s Wicked. With the wit of authors like Jennifer Weiner and the vision of ABC’s Once Upon a Time, the women of DESPERATELY EVER AFTER rescue each other from life’s trials with laughter, wine, and a scandalous new take on happily ever after.

Laura Kenyon’s Desperately Ever After series sits at the crossroad of traditional fairy tales and Sex in the City. In an alternate New York City, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Beauty all struggle with their lives a decade or so after “happily ever after”. What happens, after all, when Beauty’s relationship runs its course?  What does romance look like for Cinderella and her prince after 10 years of running a kingdom and parenting 4 children? Questions like these are what this book is all about--with a little bit of magic, some glass slippers, and a fairy godmother or two. 

Too often, the debt modern romance novels and romantic comedies owe to fairy tale narrative structures goes unacknowledged.  However, Kenyon refreshingly takes readers beyond the familiar arc of courtship, love, and marriage. There aren’t enough stories about what relationships look like in practice. Desperately shows that post-honeymoon relationships certainly looks different than before and explores whether that difference is bad, interesting, fabulous, boring, or great. , 

By far, the highlight of this book is the friendship between the princesses. This element is particularly well developed and delightful as each have made incredibly different choices in their lives. This book gives them the time and space here to think about their decisions.  While some of them make changes in their lives and others choose to stay the course, each make informed and thoughtful choices. Both the princes and princesses are three dimensional characters with names, personalities, faults, hobbies, desires, and goals. It’s easy to empathize with them and the pressures they function under.  

 As a page-turning subversion, this novel will let fairy tale enthusiasts read beyond earlier endings of well-known tales. This makes it an ideal entry point to fairy tales for a wide range of readers interested in dipping their toes into the well of Perrault and the Grimms.

Disclosure: A complimentary copy of the book was sent by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Rasely works with teens in a library by the sea and is a recovering academic who writes, reads, and thinks mostly about fairy tales, gender, queerness and cats.  When not playing minor-key Celtic tunes on her fiddle, she avidly tracks down obscure fairy tale anthologies and voraciously hordes anything written by Catherynne Valente.  As ever, she pursues that culinary Questing Beast, the perfect guacamole.

"Lamp Black, Wolf Grey": Review by Madison Lindstrom

"Lamp Black, Wolf Grey"

by Paula Brackston

Review by Madison Lindstrom

Editor's Note: Normally I wouldn't accept the offer of a review ARC that is mainly fantasy rather than having a fairy tale emphasis. However, I know many of those who love reading fairy tales, also love the Arthurian legends so I'm making an exception, especially knowing there are quite a few Brackston fans among readers here. Take it away Madison!

Jacket description: 

Some landscapes hold more magic than others. Artist Laura Matthews finds her new home in the Welsh mountains to be a place so charged with tales and legends, so teeming with the force of the supernatural, that she is able to reach through the gossamer-fine veil that separates her own world from that of myth and fable. She and her husband Dan have given up their city life and moved to Blaencwm, an ancient longhouse high in the hills. Here she knows that the wild beauty will inspire her to produce her best art. And here she hopes that the powerful nature of the place will give her the baby they have longed for for so many years. But this high valley is home to others, too. Others such as Rhys, the charismatic loner from the croft, who pursues Laura with a fervour bordering on obsession. And Anwen, the wise old woman from the neighbouring farm who seems to know so much but talks in riddles. And then there is Merlin. 'Lamp Black, Wolf Grey' tells both Laura's story and Merlin's. For once he too walked these hills, with his faithful grey wolf at his heel. It was here he fell in love with Megan, nurse-maid to the children of the hated local noble, Lord Geraint. Merlin was young, at the start of his career as a seer and magician, but already his reputation had gone before him. When he refuses to help Lord Geraint it is Megan who will pay the price.

The heart of any story is belief.  The reader must trust the author to lead them through the narrative and fairy tale stories have the added dimension of dealing, by nature, with the unbelievable. Paula Brackston’s latest novel, Lamp Black, Wolf Grey, delivers vivid world-building and a location-rooted story you can trust to take you through the elements of the unknown. Similarly to her novel, Silver Witch, this book also brings together characters from separate times, past and present. For Lamp Black, she 
combines the mythic world Merlin inhabits with our own mundane present, and draws each in lyrical and authentic prose.

Merlin is the story’s major rooting point to the mythic and his story transcends the separated worlds and characters.  He exists in a romanticized medieval time with his lover Megan, but lives also in present day, where he meets Laura Matthews. Laura and her husband have moved to the hills in a last-ditch attempt to have a baby and save their marriage. By happenstance, these are the same hills Merlin haunts. While Merlin is the connecting character between the plots of two mortal women, it’s unclear whether he is immortal or if his presence in the present day exists only in a separate story realm which Laura has insight into.

Brackston uses Merlin as archetype rather than character. This Merlin is a younger version than typically seen in Arthurian legend and has been given a new lover, Megan. Having Merlin in this story, considering he is such a solitary character, is an interesting juxtaposition with the other theme of the story—love, both romantic and maternal.  Two main plot points revolve around Laura’s desire for a child, as well as Merlin’s relationship with Megan.  Placing Merlin against this background humanizes him to an extent that most legends don’t. 

Lamp Black, Wolf Grey, has all the elements which make this a wonderful fantasy tale. A mythic past, Celtic magic, true love, and the most recognizable of all wizards: Merlin.   If your interest lies in the nitty-gritty of the Merlin legend, this book is not for you.  For the rest of us, however, Paula Brackston creates a sensory world, and her book offers an undemanding, entertaining experience. Her descriptions of medieval life made me want to curl up in a castle turret and watch the world go by. I recommend Lamp Black, Wolf Grey to lovers of the country-side, and to readers looking for an accessible story.

Disclosure: A complimentary ARC was given by St, Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

Madison Lindstrom is currently an undergrad in Creative Writing. She lives in a small, mountainous town, but dreams of traveling the world. She also loves reading, writing,  mythology, and of course, fairy tales.   Find her at  https://brontesbennetsbibliophiles.wordpress.com/

"Perraultimatum" (Happily Upon a Time #1): Review by Samantha Kyle

Artwork created for cover by Manuel Morgado (English cover with text avail to view smaller below)

" The Perraultimatum" (Happily Upon a Time #1) by Filipe Faria

Review by Samantha Kyle

Editor's Note: This novel was originally written and published in Portugal (by Editorial Presença), and is the author's first foray into translating his work and publishing for English readers. 

Jacket description: 

The stories are known by all: Glass slippers, poisoned apples, charming princes and bad wolves; and all know that, in the end, those who deserved it lived happily ever after... 

But then why haven’t they? How could everything have gone so terribly, horribly wrong? And why does everyone act as if nothing were the matter? Those are the questions that torment Ash, one of the few aware that something dire is afoot, and the only one willing to go in search of answers. Answers he shall find in the cryptic verses of the Perraultimatum, which will send him on a quest in search of the happy endings that never came to pass, hoping against hope that not all is lost to gloom and despair. 

Accompanied by four others who share his fate, if not his faith — the unpredictable Hood, the enigmatic Apprentice, the tormented Vasilisa and the dangerous Donkey-Suckle — Ash embarks on an unforgettable adventure in this first book of the fairy-tale dystopia "Happily Upon a Time".

The Perraultimatum takes classic fairy tale characters, has them ask big questions about how and why they got there, then shoves them head-first into challenging adventures in their search for answers. The journey starts out following individual characters—both the famous, like LRRH and Cinderella, as well as the lesser known, like the intriguing Donkey-Suckle—but then, in unpredictable ways, their paths coalesce in the woods. Before long, they are thrown together for an epic quest to rid the world of evils.

The book has a classic fairy tale setting where people get around on foot or horseback in a land full of cottages, kings, and castles. It becomes an interesting mash-up of tales, tropes, and premises. The object of the title itself, The Perraultimatum, is the source of cryptic clues for characters to decipher on their hazardous and intertwining journeys. Myth and magic play a prominent role as well, with magic keys, talking animals, mischievous spirits, and the classic fairy tale villain—the Evil Queen, not to mention a bonus bloodthirsty troll...

Speaking of bloodthirsty – there's quite a bit of gore staining these pages! The first chapter features a man getting his throat ripped out and it only gets more intense from there. A detailed  torture scene, bloody battles, troll rampages, disembowelments and dismemberments are just a sampling of what you’ll find. Walt Disney himself would have a hard time making a family friendly film from this story, so sensitive types may want to pass on this one. However, if violence in fairy tales is something you're okay with reading, you're in for quite a fun ride.

For me, the most interesting part of the book was seeing all the different fairy tale characters meshed together. Although this seems to be a common trope in retellings these days, with varying degrees of success, it works well here. My particular favorite character combination was Ash and Hood. Ash is quiet and contemplative while Hood is bold and unpredictable, mostly due to the fact that she can transform into a wolf. There are hints of romance between the two of them and, in this case, opposites attract. Ash is sometimes intimidated by Hood, not knowing what she’ll do next, which only adds to the romantic tension.

While I did enjoy The Perraultimatum overall, I felt the book’s pacing to be a bit uneven. There were great action packed moments that had me riveted to every word, but there were also some transitional scenes that I felt the urge to skim in order to return to the pulse-pounding action.

I would recommend this book to readers who have read and loved the traditional fairy tales of Perrault, Andersen, the Grimm brothers, and like their fairy tales dark and violent (but still with a traditional style). Since it is labeled as Book 1, we can presume this is only the beginning a much longer search and quest for that elusive - and ultimate - Happily Ever After.
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Disclosure: A complimentary e-copy of was given to the reviewer in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha Kyle  is a passionate reader/book blogger whose favorite fairytale of all time is Beauty and the Beast, but she'll basically read anything that is put in front of her. She has a blog called Suicide by Books where she posts reviews, essays, and reading wishlists: http://suicidebybooks.blogspot.ca/