Re-telling familiar fairy tales and fables has been popular for quite some time among authors, usually with an eye to update some of the older themes and gender roles for a modern audience. With such classic tales, every reader brings their own memories, experiences, and opinions to the table, making a reinvention of the original story a difficult process. One of the things I love most about these sorts of stories is how much room they allow for playing with tropes and subverting the expectations they raise, although not every author will tackle the same subjects that I most enjoy (naturally!).
This got me thinking: what are some of the ways I would re-visit these old stories, given the chance? I've put together some ideas of both popular and less well-known fairy tales that I think could do with a modern update and given them my own, personal spin.
A version of SLEEPING BEAUTY where...the roles of the princess and the prince are reversed. Rather than cursing a daughter to prick her finger on a spinning wheel, a powerful fairy curses a prince after he scorns her romantic overtures. Then a princess from a neighboring kingdom must use her wits to break the spell. Bonus points if the prince is actually a jerk, and the princess and fairy leave him to doze indefinitely.
A version of THE FROG PRINCE where...he was turned into a frog for very good reasons, and after he tricks a princess into changing him back, the real adventure begins. Teaming up with a sorcerer and motley crew of knights and nobility, the princess must find a way to kiss the conniving royal a second time and return him to his amphibian form.
A version of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST where...Belle hunts the dangerous creatures that lurk in the woods around her village. One night she crosses the path of a beast that can speak, claiming to be an enchanted prince whose family lived in a nearby castle. Belle captures and imprisons him until she can determine whether he's telling the truth, or a dark creature with nefarious intentions, all while keeping his presence secret from the superstitious villagers.
A version of HANSEL & GRETEL where...the witch's discovery isn't an accident. She's hunted local children for generations, her cottage in the woods an enduring legend and cautionary tale. After one of their other siblings is taken, Hansel and Gretel run away from home hoping to find the witch's lair and rescue their loved one before it's too late.
A version of THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA where...the prince and his mother are fanatics who devise increasingly twisted tests to determine if a girl is a "real" princess and thus worthy of marrying into the throne. The happily ever after comes not from a restless night's sleep and hasty engagement, but from a young woman allying with others in the castle to defeat her captors and escape.
As you can see, I like my fairy tales with a healthy dose of darkness! What are some re-tellings you would love to see? Is there a particular trope or theme you're always happy to read in fantasy novels?
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