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vondav's review against another edition
5.0
Once Upon a Cursed Time: dark Fairytale Anthology by RL Weeks, JL Clayton, Terri Nixon, Steve Evans, RB Wood, Aimee Shaye, Genevieve Moultrie, Laurie Kehoe, Mike Kehoe, MaryAnn Alexander J Y Delgrado
Published 24th September 2016
299 pages
Reviewed by Yvonne Davies
Like the majority of children, I grew up with fairytales and I still have my collection on my bookshelf. This anthology is fairytales for adults, a remake of some of the favourite tales but with a dark twist.
Whenever I read an anthology I always have my favourites, and this was no exception. For the purpose of this review I will just mention the ones I loved the most.
Ugly Scars by RL Weeks, a retelling of The Ugly Duckling. Milly Swann and Tom and very much in love, but Tom has a dark secret. This story involves the skinning of people and the creation of a creature which reminded me of Frankenstein’s Monster.
Path of Thorns by Terri Nixon, Hansel and Gretel, my favourite tale retold. Ellie and Jack are brother and sister and live in a workhouse, they are sent out to work but after they escape they come across the fairy folk of the forest, where Ellie has a major decision to make.
Beauty and the Beast within by Mike Kehoe. The story follows closely to the main story of Beauty and the Beast, but the major twist the author puts in this story was really unexpected and was a great alternative ending to this favourite tale.
Pin by JL Clayton. A female puppet and black magic what is the worst that could happen. I enjoyed how the author threw in other favourites to the story, Jim Cricket, a rotting helper of the dark fairy and the song that is played in the movie “When you wish upon a star”. JL has said that she will write a novel about Pin and I really hope she does.
Prince’s Recreant by Steve Evans, what an unusual retelling of the Princess and the Pea. Involving gruesome games which resulted in deaths. This story held my interest from start to finish and I loved the twist at the end.
Skinderella by Lauretta L Kehoe. I loved the way that the ugly sisters tried to make themselves beautiful so they could marry the prince, and their mother was one sick individual.
There were a couple of fairytales that I had not heard off but this did not stop me enjoying the book. Each author had their own style of writing and I could not fault any of the stories. RL Weeks did a great job getting these authors together and whilst the majority I knew and have read. I am glad that I have found a few new authors for me to follow.
If you like your fairytales dark and twisted, then get this book. I hope that there will be another Once upon a time in the near future. Brilliant stories.
Published 24th September 2016
299 pages
Reviewed by Yvonne Davies
Like the majority of children, I grew up with fairytales and I still have my collection on my bookshelf. This anthology is fairytales for adults, a remake of some of the favourite tales but with a dark twist.
Whenever I read an anthology I always have my favourites, and this was no exception. For the purpose of this review I will just mention the ones I loved the most.
Ugly Scars by RL Weeks, a retelling of The Ugly Duckling. Milly Swann and Tom and very much in love, but Tom has a dark secret. This story involves the skinning of people and the creation of a creature which reminded me of Frankenstein’s Monster.
Path of Thorns by Terri Nixon, Hansel and Gretel, my favourite tale retold. Ellie and Jack are brother and sister and live in a workhouse, they are sent out to work but after they escape they come across the fairy folk of the forest, where Ellie has a major decision to make.
Beauty and the Beast within by Mike Kehoe. The story follows closely to the main story of Beauty and the Beast, but the major twist the author puts in this story was really unexpected and was a great alternative ending to this favourite tale.
Pin by JL Clayton. A female puppet and black magic what is the worst that could happen. I enjoyed how the author threw in other favourites to the story, Jim Cricket, a rotting helper of the dark fairy and the song that is played in the movie “When you wish upon a star”. JL has said that she will write a novel about Pin and I really hope she does.
Prince’s Recreant by Steve Evans, what an unusual retelling of the Princess and the Pea. Involving gruesome games which resulted in deaths. This story held my interest from start to finish and I loved the twist at the end.
Skinderella by Lauretta L Kehoe. I loved the way that the ugly sisters tried to make themselves beautiful so they could marry the prince, and their mother was one sick individual.
There were a couple of fairytales that I had not heard off but this did not stop me enjoying the book. Each author had their own style of writing and I could not fault any of the stories. RL Weeks did a great job getting these authors together and whilst the majority I knew and have read. I am glad that I have found a few new authors for me to follow.
If you like your fairytales dark and twisted, then get this book. I hope that there will be another Once upon a time in the near future. Brilliant stories.
nic_w's review against another edition
5.0
Once upon a cursed time is a collection of Classic Fairytales that have been retold in a darker, and as the name suggests, cursed way.
Most of the Fairytales involved, I personally knew and was able to make comparisons between the traditional and these darker remastered spin off ones, but a couple I've not heard of before and they were interesting ones to read.
Most were reimaginings, some were pretty much the same tale but with a darker spin involving death or trickery. Others were origin stories telling the events that took place before the fairytale we know and love begins. Some followed on afterwards from where the traditional ones ended.
My favourites were:
Beauty and the Beast Within by Mike Kehoe (Beauty and the Beast)
Awakened by a Kiss by Genevieve Moultrie (Sleeping Beauty)
Hooded Red by R.L. Weeks (Little Rd Riding Hood)
Skinderella by Lauretta. L. Kehoe (Cinderella)
Prince's Recreant by Steve Evans
I quite enjoyed this collection even though it gives more of glimpse into a world where the classics get twisted and cursed, does not shy away from death, abuse, trials and tribulations that our characters have not faced before, it was a great collection and it should stand out amongst a vast sea of current Fairytale Retelling collections that are currently out at the moment.
If you'd like your classic Fairytales to be retold with a darker twist to them, this is definitely the collection to get stuck into.
Most of the Fairytales involved, I personally knew and was able to make comparisons between the traditional and these darker remastered spin off ones, but a couple I've not heard of before and they were interesting ones to read.
Most were reimaginings, some were pretty much the same tale but with a darker spin involving death or trickery. Others were origin stories telling the events that took place before the fairytale we know and love begins. Some followed on afterwards from where the traditional ones ended.
My favourites were:
Beauty and the Beast Within by Mike Kehoe (Beauty and the Beast)
Awakened by a Kiss by Genevieve Moultrie (Sleeping Beauty)
Hooded Red by R.L. Weeks (Little Rd Riding Hood)
Skinderella by Lauretta. L. Kehoe (Cinderella)
Prince's Recreant by Steve Evans
I quite enjoyed this collection even though it gives more of glimpse into a world where the classics get twisted and cursed, does not shy away from death, abuse, trials and tribulations that our characters have not faced before, it was a great collection and it should stand out amongst a vast sea of current Fairytale Retelling collections that are currently out at the moment.
If you'd like your classic Fairytales to be retold with a darker twist to them, this is definitely the collection to get stuck into.
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