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Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes by Georgia McBride, Michelle Zink
breecreative's review
4.0
True to the title, these short stories are dark. Don’t go into it expecting warm fuzzies and happy endings, because they don’t exist. That didn’t make them unlikable, though! These stories are full of myths, magic and a lot of imagination.
What I love about collections of short stories is that it gives me an opportunity to read several different authors and the ability to learn their style before reading a whole novel. That doesn’t necessarily mean I won’t check out an author if I didn’t *love* their short story, because I realize that they’re totally different ballgames, but it’s a nice sampling and an introduction to their work. I can guarantee that I will be checking out several of the authors that participated in this dark anthology.
Because anthologies are a little hard to rate as a whole, so I’m going to break it down by each story.
As Blue as the Sky and Just as Old by Nina Berry
(4 stars)
I wasn’t familiar with the nursery rhyme that went along with this one, but it was an interesting take on it, anyway. I felt a little lost at first but had a handle on it by the end, and Nina Berry did a good job of explaining the background of her story as it went along.
Sing a Song of Six-Pence by Sarwat Chadda
(2 stars)
This was an interesting take on the nursery rhyme. I didn’t fully enjoy it, not because the idea behind it was bad, but I just didn’t connect with it, and had a hard time believing it.
Clockwork by Leah Cypress
(3 stars)
I enjoyed this one for the most part, I was able to connect the story to the rhyme and the story itself was intense and interesting. But I didn’t really *get* the ending, it was too abrupt and I didn’t come to the same conclusion as the main character.
Blue by Sayantani DasGupta
(2 stars)
Unfortunately, I was quite lost through most of this short story. It had the potential to be good, but just didn’t quite do it for me.
Pieces of Eight by Shannon Delany with Max Scialdone
(3 stars)
This one captivated my interest right away, and I really liked it. There was a puzzle, clues and a mystery, and the characters were likeable, I found myself rooting for them!
Wee Willie Winkie by Leigh Fallon
(5 stars)
Two words: extremely creepy. The set-up was fantastic, starting off so normally that I had no idea what sort of twist this would have on the nursery rhyme. It really had my heart pumping and mind racing towards the end.
Boys and Girls Come Out to Play by Angie Frazier
(4 stars)
I am not really familiar with the original rhyme, but the story drew me in anyway. It was filled with magic and just enough eeriness to keep me wondering until the end.
I Come Bearing Souls by Jessie Harrell
(1 star)
I could not figure out the connection between this story and the rhyme (Hey Diddle, Diddle). I thought it was a bit over the top and I honestly had no idea what was going on most of the time.
The Lion and the Unicorn: Part the First by Nancy Holder
(3 stars)
Yet another rhyme that I’d never heard of, but the story itself was good. I had it figured out part-way through the story, but it was like a horror movie where you just have to keep going to find out if it ends the way you think it does.
Life in a Shoe by Heidi R. Kling
(4 stars)
I didn’t quite find the dystopian world believable, but I did feel a connection with the main character and her terrible situation. It’s a favorite nursery rhyme of mine, so I liked reading an author’s interpretation of it.
Candlelight by Suzanne Lazear
(4 stars)
At first it was a little hard to connect with the main characters, who were whining about their mother taking away privileges (aka parenting), but once I realized what was about to happen, I was all over it. Babylon was too idyllic, I would have loved to see some darkness over these children’s fantasy playtime.
One for Sorrow by Karen Mahoney
(4 stars)
This was a gripping, dark love story…I enjoyed it through to the end. The only thing I didn’t like was that I felt the ending didn’t really make sense. Maybe it was just too rushed so I missed the clue that would enable that ending to happen.
Those Who Whisper by Lisa Mantchev
(4 stars)
I was grabbed from the very first sentence of this one – my heart was broken for the little girl in the story. But she managed to find her way and I liked the interaction with animals (a la Cinderella) that she had.
Little Miss Muffet by Georgia McBride
(2 stars)
I found this story to be a bit weird. I liked the main character but didn’t fully connect with the plot.
Sea of Dew (short version) by C. Lee McKenzie
(5 stars)
I loved this short story! It sort of reminded me of reading The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan, except way better. The main concept of the nursery rhyme is visible, but with a unique take on it. I was holding out hope for these characters, but with the nature of this collection, there was no hope to be had. I would have loved to get to read the extended version of this story, but unfortunately it was not included in the review copy.
Tick Tock by Gretchen McNeil
(4 stars)
It was like a scene straight out of a horror movie. I thought it was a little bit predictable in places, but a really great read overall.
A Pocket Full of Posy by Pamela van Hylckama Vlieg
(4 stars)
I actually liked this one all the way until the end, where I think it just ended a bit silly. I thought I had it all figured out and I was very off base. Some elements were a little hard to believe as well.
The Well by K.M. Walton
(4 stars)
Probably one of the most well-known nursery rhymes out there, and the story that was concocted to go along with it just kept throwing twists and turns out. I really, really liked it.
The Wish by Suzanne Young
(5 stars)
Amongst all of these dark tales, this one was one of the more romantic ones. I knew right off the bat how it would end, but I couldn’t help but be caught up in the connection between these two young kids.
A Ribbon of Blue by Michelle Zink
(5 stars)
I’m pretty sure this was my favorite of the whole collection! Again, I wasn’t familiar with the original rhyme, but the setting of a carnival and the way the author let the story slowly progress was perfect.
What I love about collections of short stories is that it gives me an opportunity to read several different authors and the ability to learn their style before reading a whole novel. That doesn’t necessarily mean I won’t check out an author if I didn’t *love* their short story, because I realize that they’re totally different ballgames, but it’s a nice sampling and an introduction to their work. I can guarantee that I will be checking out several of the authors that participated in this dark anthology.
Because anthologies are a little hard to rate as a whole, so I’m going to break it down by each story.
As Blue as the Sky and Just as Old by Nina Berry
(4 stars)
I wasn’t familiar with the nursery rhyme that went along with this one, but it was an interesting take on it, anyway. I felt a little lost at first but had a handle on it by the end, and Nina Berry did a good job of explaining the background of her story as it went along.
Sing a Song of Six-Pence by Sarwat Chadda
(2 stars)
This was an interesting take on the nursery rhyme. I didn’t fully enjoy it, not because the idea behind it was bad, but I just didn’t connect with it, and had a hard time believing it.
Clockwork by Leah Cypress
(3 stars)
I enjoyed this one for the most part, I was able to connect the story to the rhyme and the story itself was intense and interesting. But I didn’t really *get* the ending, it was too abrupt and I didn’t come to the same conclusion as the main character.
Blue by Sayantani DasGupta
(2 stars)
Unfortunately, I was quite lost through most of this short story. It had the potential to be good, but just didn’t quite do it for me.
Pieces of Eight by Shannon Delany with Max Scialdone
(3 stars)
This one captivated my interest right away, and I really liked it. There was a puzzle, clues and a mystery, and the characters were likeable, I found myself rooting for them!
Wee Willie Winkie by Leigh Fallon
(5 stars)
Two words: extremely creepy. The set-up was fantastic, starting off so normally that I had no idea what sort of twist this would have on the nursery rhyme. It really had my heart pumping and mind racing towards the end.
Boys and Girls Come Out to Play by Angie Frazier
(4 stars)
I am not really familiar with the original rhyme, but the story drew me in anyway. It was filled with magic and just enough eeriness to keep me wondering until the end.
I Come Bearing Souls by Jessie Harrell
(1 star)
I could not figure out the connection between this story and the rhyme (Hey Diddle, Diddle). I thought it was a bit over the top and I honestly had no idea what was going on most of the time.
The Lion and the Unicorn: Part the First by Nancy Holder
(3 stars)
Yet another rhyme that I’d never heard of, but the story itself was good. I had it figured out part-way through the story, but it was like a horror movie where you just have to keep going to find out if it ends the way you think it does.
Life in a Shoe by Heidi R. Kling
(4 stars)
I didn’t quite find the dystopian world believable, but I did feel a connection with the main character and her terrible situation. It’s a favorite nursery rhyme of mine, so I liked reading an author’s interpretation of it.
Candlelight by Suzanne Lazear
(4 stars)
At first it was a little hard to connect with the main characters, who were whining about their mother taking away privileges (aka parenting), but once I realized what was about to happen, I was all over it. Babylon was too idyllic, I would have loved to see some darkness over these children’s fantasy playtime.
One for Sorrow by Karen Mahoney
(4 stars)
This was a gripping, dark love story…I enjoyed it through to the end. The only thing I didn’t like was that I felt the ending didn’t really make sense. Maybe it was just too rushed so I missed the clue that would enable that ending to happen.
Those Who Whisper by Lisa Mantchev
(4 stars)
I was grabbed from the very first sentence of this one – my heart was broken for the little girl in the story. But she managed to find her way and I liked the interaction with animals (a la Cinderella) that she had.
Little Miss Muffet by Georgia McBride
(2 stars)
I found this story to be a bit weird. I liked the main character but didn’t fully connect with the plot.
Sea of Dew (short version) by C. Lee McKenzie
(5 stars)
I loved this short story! It sort of reminded me of reading The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan, except way better. The main concept of the nursery rhyme is visible, but with a unique take on it. I was holding out hope for these characters, but with the nature of this collection, there was no hope to be had. I would have loved to get to read the extended version of this story, but unfortunately it was not included in the review copy.
Tick Tock by Gretchen McNeil
(4 stars)
It was like a scene straight out of a horror movie. I thought it was a little bit predictable in places, but a really great read overall.
A Pocket Full of Posy by Pamela van Hylckama Vlieg
(4 stars)
I actually liked this one all the way until the end, where I think it just ended a bit silly. I thought I had it all figured out and I was very off base. Some elements were a little hard to believe as well.
The Well by K.M. Walton
(4 stars)
Probably one of the most well-known nursery rhymes out there, and the story that was concocted to go along with it just kept throwing twists and turns out. I really, really liked it.
The Wish by Suzanne Young
(5 stars)
Amongst all of these dark tales, this one was one of the more romantic ones. I knew right off the bat how it would end, but I couldn’t help but be caught up in the connection between these two young kids.
A Ribbon of Blue by Michelle Zink
(5 stars)
I’m pretty sure this was my favorite of the whole collection! Again, I wasn’t familiar with the original rhyme, but the setting of a carnival and the way the author let the story slowly progress was perfect.
dtaylorbooks's review
3.0
Anything that puts a dark twist in an otherwise more innocent tale is something that’ll be right up my demented alley and I was not left disappointed by TWO AND TWENTY although I was a bit underwhelmed. I just didn’t feel blown away by a lot of these stories and if you know the history behind some of these rhymes (like Ring Around the Rosie, for instance) it’s going to be a little weird seeing an author take the story on a completely different path. It’s not necessarily a bad thing but this is a compendium of authors rewriting the history behind these rhymes that already have a history behind them so it’s a bit weird.
‘A Ribbon of Blue’ by Michelle Zink was one of my favorites mainly because it hit a sweet spot for me; its nexus was a carnival. But the story it told was a pretty uplifting one and far lighter than the other stories went. Seeing as how Mother Goose rhymes have an underlying darkness about them to begin with to have this figurative light at the end of the tunnel was a nice departure after all of the demented darkness (which still makes my black soul happy, so don’t be fooled that I’ve gone sap).
‘I Come Bearing Souls’ by Jessie Harrell was another favorite of mine, focusing on reincarnation and ancient Egypt. Another sweet spot for me, Egypt. It’s hard to go wrong there but I liked how the author approached this antiquated mythos with a current age spin and it really made the story relatable. And depressing. Loved it.
‘Clockwork’ by Leah Cypess, again, hit the mark for me because of the demented and extraordinarily dark route it took. Not to mention it was written seamlessly, interweaving the mouse life and the human life and making them one and the same, the metamorphosis incestuous instead of clean and poof! Human. Not to mention I’m a fan of blood magic, mainly because of its darkness and the characters’ need to go THERE with it. There needs to be sacrifice and if the characters are willing to do that then they’re willing to go pretty far. What can I say? I like characters that are unafraid to get done what needs to be done.
There are a couple of stories that I genuinely just didn’t like, others that I didn’t dislike but didn’t really impress me and still others that I liked in a passing ‘that was pretty good’ sort of way. TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES wasn’t an anthology that blew me away but it wasn’t a bad one either. There is something intriguing about each and every story in here but sometimes the writing just didn’t jive with my mojo. It happens. That particular writing style just didn’t impress me and thus didn’t liken me to the story as a whole regardless of the overarching premise. I had my favorites, obviously, but I feel this book is a one and done type of deal. Everything will blend together and even your favorites you’ll have to be reminded of which ones they were (I had to go through the table of contents to remember which ones I liked). Everything else will get lost in the shuffle and while I’m pretty sure you’ll like what you read I don’t feel the majority of these stories will be prone to sticking in the brain in any large fashion. Maybe it’s the set-up or the style they were written in. I don’t know. But I find myself, while overall liking what I read, not remembering most of it.
‘A Ribbon of Blue’ by Michelle Zink was one of my favorites mainly because it hit a sweet spot for me; its nexus was a carnival. But the story it told was a pretty uplifting one and far lighter than the other stories went. Seeing as how Mother Goose rhymes have an underlying darkness about them to begin with to have this figurative light at the end of the tunnel was a nice departure after all of the demented darkness (which still makes my black soul happy, so don’t be fooled that I’ve gone sap).
‘I Come Bearing Souls’ by Jessie Harrell was another favorite of mine, focusing on reincarnation and ancient Egypt. Another sweet spot for me, Egypt. It’s hard to go wrong there but I liked how the author approached this antiquated mythos with a current age spin and it really made the story relatable. And depressing. Loved it.
‘Clockwork’ by Leah Cypess, again, hit the mark for me because of the demented and extraordinarily dark route it took. Not to mention it was written seamlessly, interweaving the mouse life and the human life and making them one and the same, the metamorphosis incestuous instead of clean and poof! Human. Not to mention I’m a fan of blood magic, mainly because of its darkness and the characters’ need to go THERE with it. There needs to be sacrifice and if the characters are willing to do that then they’re willing to go pretty far. What can I say? I like characters that are unafraid to get done what needs to be done.
There are a couple of stories that I genuinely just didn’t like, others that I didn’t dislike but didn’t really impress me and still others that I liked in a passing ‘that was pretty good’ sort of way. TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES wasn’t an anthology that blew me away but it wasn’t a bad one either. There is something intriguing about each and every story in here but sometimes the writing just didn’t jive with my mojo. It happens. That particular writing style just didn’t impress me and thus didn’t liken me to the story as a whole regardless of the overarching premise. I had my favorites, obviously, but I feel this book is a one and done type of deal. Everything will blend together and even your favorites you’ll have to be reminded of which ones they were (I had to go through the table of contents to remember which ones I liked). Everything else will get lost in the shuffle and while I’m pretty sure you’ll like what you read I don’t feel the majority of these stories will be prone to sticking in the brain in any large fashion. Maybe it’s the set-up or the style they were written in. I don’t know. But I find myself, while overall liking what I read, not remembering most of it.
book_tangled's review
I don't know why I read this, tried something new that didn't felt right to me...
princess_starr's review
2.0
This was…wow this was underwhelming. I love retellings and reimagings, and if horror movie trailers have taught us anything, children’s nursery rhymes in a minor key can be really creepy.
The stories here ranged from creative interpretations to “We’re just going to take this literally!” and I don’t think it worked. Because there’s really not one story here that left a lasting impression on me. There’s some stories in here that could go into interesting places, but because the length of the selections doesn’t allow for the stories to expand in those directions. And there’s some here where it goes into complete “WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED” territory (the Miss Muffet story for example).
I really can’t recommend this one, because there’s really not much here. It’s an interesting idea, but none of the stories really live up to their full potential.
The stories here ranged from creative interpretations to “We’re just going to take this literally!” and I don’t think it worked. Because there’s really not one story here that left a lasting impression on me. There’s some stories in here that could go into interesting places, but because the length of the selections doesn’t allow for the stories to expand in those directions. And there’s some here where it goes into complete “WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED” territory (the Miss Muffet story for example).
I really can’t recommend this one, because there’s really not much here. It’s an interesting idea, but none of the stories really live up to their full potential.
kalisaur's review
3.0
Bit of a mixed bag with some stories being better than others but all in all pretty interesting interpretations of mother goose rhymes. Also I like that they were a mix of rhymes I knew and didn't know
booksonhermind's review
4.0
This book took me way longer than I thought it would. Most of the stories are intense and going from world to world was a struggle. We don't know it when we are young but later on we realize how grim fairy tales and nursery rhymes really are. Despite the long time it took me to read this book I enjoyed most of the stories. There were a couple where it was like eh but there was an even greater amount that impressed me. When I went back to look at some stories I wanted to show off and review individually I realized that there was a lot more stories I really enjoyed that I wanted to review. Overall most of the stories were tragic/tragically beautiful but some were sad but more than that they were hopeful. I don't know any of these authors and that needs to change. These stories were so well crafted that in some I was left in awe and in one in particular I was left happily crying. Here are five out of many great Mother Goose nursery rhymes turned into short stories:
Sing a Song of Six-Pence by Sarwat Chadda
"Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds Bakes in a pie.
When the pie was opened, They all began to sing.
Now, wasn't that a dainty dish To set before the King?
The King was in his counting house, Counting out his money; The Queen was in the parlor Eating bread and honey. The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes.
Along there came a big black bird And snipped off her nose!"
Here a big black bird sits waiting for it's next victim. A maid enters and asks for a trade. The bird is used to souls as a trade but the maid isn't dumb. She wants something worth living to see. She must steal a dish filled with the brethren of the big black bird and in return he must take her over the wall where nothing but misery will befall her. She doesn't care. In the end they both get what they want but of course it ends in pain but it's such a great ending. This was the first short story I was truly impressed with. I knew after reading this one that this book was going to be great.
Life in a Shoe by Heidi R. Kling
"There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, Who had so many children she didn't know what to do. So she gave them some broth without any bread And whipped them all soundly and put them to bed."
I've never read the end of that poem. I guess most authors retelling nursery rhymes thought it too messed up to add it into a book for little kids. I actually thought this rhyme was very whimsical and fun...before. In this short story the setting seems very post-apocalyptic. Men are away at war but they come back fairly regularly and to get their women pregnant. So here's this woman, angry and uncaring that she has so many kids she can't feed in this tiny apartment. The kids are the ones that suffer the most. The kids make a decision. It's a very hopeful sort of ending. It's a story I won't soon forget.
The Well by K.M. Walton
"Jack and Jill Went up the hill. To fetch a pail of water. Jack feel down And broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after. Up Jack got And home did trot As fast as he could caper. Went to bed And plastered his head With vinegar and brown paper."
This one's crazy awesome. I mean of course it's going to be the bloodiest of them all. Jack breaking his crown has always meant him cracking his head open. This is another dystopian. A virus broke out and Jack and Jill are the only ones left in their town. They just happen to mention how their father racked with pain and sorrow after his wife died in childbirth threw himself in a well where his bones remain. Now with that terrifying image in your head aren't you worried what will happen with that well and the two siblings? I already knew. This wasn't going to be a hopeful ending. It's not exactly tragic. It's a horror story and it was unbelievable. Jill was such a pain throughout. She hates her brother for being the cause of her mother's death. Not only that, everyone treats him like he's the greatest person ever. Now boys and girls this is why envy is one of the seven deadly sins. Don't mess with envy because it's going to bite you back... hard. Craziness ensues. Loved it all.
The Wish by Suzanne Young
"Star Light Star bright, The first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight."
Lauren just had her relationship end not to long agonand she's not taking it well. Not only that but her parents are constantly fighting and don't see her so one day she wishes that she was dead. Pretty pathetic right? Peter, the mysterious boy who shows up by her certainly thinks so. It was a bit dramatic - her reasoning. I couldn't quite feel her pain so that part of the story wasn't very compelling but Peter made up for it all. He has a black bracelet or string to remind him of something. But before he needs to be reminded of anything he whisks her away and makes her feel happy and loved for the first time in a long time but then she reminds him... Loved the ending. I have questions about it too like what happens with them now? Their relationship I mean. It got me excited because that was the perfect ending. It's an ending that will give you goosebumps.
A Ribbon of Blue by Michelle Zink
"A Bunch of Blue Ribbons, Oh, dear, what can the matter be? Johnny's so long at the fair. He promised he'd buy me a bunch of blue ribbons, To tie up my bonny brown hair."
This was the last story. The story that made me cry. The story that I think some people might take offense to but I'm not one of those people. Ruby has cerebral palsy. She has a sort of limp or different way in which she walks that get people annoyed when they are behind her. I honestly didn't understand that. How some people looked at her like she was lower than them. She's not dumb. She just can't move as well. So already she had my heart. There is a fair that comes around every year. Years ago she went to the fortune teller who told her that she would meet a boy that would make her feel happy, free, something like that. He will give her a whistle, a ticket, and a blue ribbon. She finally meets that boy and every day he gives her something new but not just those tangible gifts but the gift of happiness. The end was a bit of a shocker for me. The controversy lies there but I absolutely loved it and it was the very best ending to these short stories possible.
Sing a Song of Six-Pence by Sarwat Chadda
"Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds Bakes in a pie.
When the pie was opened, They all began to sing.
Now, wasn't that a dainty dish To set before the King?
The King was in his counting house, Counting out his money; The Queen was in the parlor Eating bread and honey. The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes.
Along there came a big black bird And snipped off her nose!"
Here a big black bird sits waiting for it's next victim. A maid enters and asks for a trade. The bird is used to souls as a trade but the maid isn't dumb. She wants something worth living to see. She must steal a dish filled with the brethren of the big black bird and in return he must take her over the wall where nothing but misery will befall her. She doesn't care. In the end they both get what they want but of course it ends in pain but it's such a great ending. This was the first short story I was truly impressed with. I knew after reading this one that this book was going to be great.
Life in a Shoe by Heidi R. Kling
"There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, Who had so many children she didn't know what to do. So she gave them some broth without any bread And whipped them all soundly and put them to bed."
I've never read the end of that poem. I guess most authors retelling nursery rhymes thought it too messed up to add it into a book for little kids. I actually thought this rhyme was very whimsical and fun...before. In this short story the setting seems very post-apocalyptic. Men are away at war but they come back fairly regularly and to get their women pregnant. So here's this woman, angry and uncaring that she has so many kids she can't feed in this tiny apartment. The kids are the ones that suffer the most. The kids make a decision. It's a very hopeful sort of ending. It's a story I won't soon forget.
The Well by K.M. Walton
"Jack and Jill Went up the hill. To fetch a pail of water. Jack feel down And broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after. Up Jack got And home did trot As fast as he could caper. Went to bed And plastered his head With vinegar and brown paper."
This one's crazy awesome. I mean of course it's going to be the bloodiest of them all. Jack breaking his crown has always meant him cracking his head open. This is another dystopian. A virus broke out and Jack and Jill are the only ones left in their town. They just happen to mention how their father racked with pain and sorrow after his wife died in childbirth threw himself in a well where his bones remain. Now with that terrifying image in your head aren't you worried what will happen with that well and the two siblings? I already knew. This wasn't going to be a hopeful ending. It's not exactly tragic. It's a horror story and it was unbelievable. Jill was such a pain throughout. She hates her brother for being the cause of her mother's death. Not only that, everyone treats him like he's the greatest person ever. Now boys and girls this is why envy is one of the seven deadly sins. Don't mess with envy because it's going to bite you back... hard. Craziness ensues. Loved it all.
The Wish by Suzanne Young
"Star Light Star bright, The first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight."
Lauren just had her relationship end not to long agonand she's not taking it well. Not only that but her parents are constantly fighting and don't see her so one day she wishes that she was dead. Pretty pathetic right? Peter, the mysterious boy who shows up by her certainly thinks so. It was a bit dramatic - her reasoning. I couldn't quite feel her pain so that part of the story wasn't very compelling but Peter made up for it all. He has a black bracelet or string to remind him of something. But before he needs to be reminded of anything he whisks her away and makes her feel happy and loved for the first time in a long time but then she reminds him... Loved the ending. I have questions about it too like what happens with them now? Their relationship I mean. It got me excited because that was the perfect ending. It's an ending that will give you goosebumps.
A Ribbon of Blue by Michelle Zink
"A Bunch of Blue Ribbons, Oh, dear, what can the matter be? Johnny's so long at the fair. He promised he'd buy me a bunch of blue ribbons, To tie up my bonny brown hair."
This was the last story. The story that made me cry. The story that I think some people might take offense to but I'm not one of those people. Ruby has cerebral palsy. She has a sort of limp or different way in which she walks that get people annoyed when they are behind her. I honestly didn't understand that. How some people looked at her like she was lower than them. She's not dumb. She just can't move as well. So already she had my heart. There is a fair that comes around every year. Years ago she went to the fortune teller who told her that she would meet a boy that would make her feel happy, free, something like that. He will give her a whistle, a ticket, and a blue ribbon. She finally meets that boy and every day he gives her something new but not just those tangible gifts but the gift of happiness. The end was a bit of a shocker for me. The controversy lies there but I absolutely loved it and it was the very best ending to these short stories possible.
pandemoniumpizza's review
4.0
As someone who used to spend nights as a ten year old reading mother goose books under the cover with a mini torch I was very excited and interested in reading this anthology.
Some of the retellings were really good and there were a couple I didn’t think were so great but when the title describes them as Dark Tales they actually mean dark tales. I was surprised at how dark a turn some of the stories took but I still really enjoyed them.
I think that my favourite story would have to be Wee Willie Winkie by Leigh Fallon. I read that one before I went to bed and it kind of creeped me out a little.
I really enjoyed the Two and Twenty Dark Tales Anthology I thought it was worth a read, I was really impressed with some of the authors creative adaptations of the nursery rhymes. I would definitely recommend this one to fans of the Mother Goose nursery rhymes.
Some of the retellings were really good and there were a couple I didn’t think were so great but when the title describes them as Dark Tales they actually mean dark tales. I was surprised at how dark a turn some of the stories took but I still really enjoyed them.
I think that my favourite story would have to be Wee Willie Winkie by Leigh Fallon. I read that one before I went to bed and it kind of creeped me out a little.
I really enjoyed the Two and Twenty Dark Tales Anthology I thought it was worth a read, I was really impressed with some of the authors creative adaptations of the nursery rhymes. I would definitely recommend this one to fans of the Mother Goose nursery rhymes.
vegancleopatra's review
1.0
As of 7-23-14:
Unfortunately I am generally not a fan of anthologies and this one was no exception. The pure number of tales in this one makes it more difficult to get into any of the stories or get a proper take on the author styles. Overall, I found I was not at all a fan of Mother Goose or stories based on Mother Goose and I did not find any of the stories terribly memorable. Therefore I will not be bothering to comment on each individual story.
As Blue as the Sky and Just as Old by Nina Berry 2 stars
I have never heard of this nursery rhyme before and that mixed with the odd characterization and writing led me to only feel "meh" about this story. It was nothing to cause me to seek the author out.
Sing a Song of Six-Pence by Sarwat Chadda 1.5 stars
A take on four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie. I just did not feel as though the story was terribly well told. It did not hook me early and unfortunately it is a short story.
Clockwork by Leah Cypess 3.5 stars
This was by far the most enjoyable of the short stories thus far. I liked the idea of enchantment turning the girl into a mouse and vice versa. It was well told and it showed great creativity to get this from the "Hickory, dickory, doc, The mouse ran up the clock" nursery rhyme. I would give the author's other works a chance.
Blue by Sayantani DasGupta 1 star
This was extremely oddly written and I just could not get into it. There are numerous sentences that are either purposely odd or missing words, such as:
The first pierce makes him wince and his eyes widen, a bride on her wedding night.
Okay then.
Disclosure: ARC received from Netgalley & publisher in exchange for an honest review. (They may regret this.) Any and all quotes were taken from an advanced edition subject to change in the final edition.
Unfortunately I am generally not a fan of anthologies and this one was no exception. The pure number of tales in this one makes it more difficult to get into any of the stories or get a proper take on the author styles. Overall, I found I was not at all a fan of Mother Goose or stories based on Mother Goose and I did not find any of the stories terribly memorable. Therefore I will not be bothering to comment on each individual story.
As Blue as the Sky and Just as Old by Nina Berry 2 stars
I have never heard of this nursery rhyme before and that mixed with the odd characterization and writing led me to only feel "meh" about this story. It was nothing to cause me to seek the author out.
Sing a Song of Six-Pence by Sarwat Chadda 1.5 stars
A take on four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie. I just did not feel as though the story was terribly well told. It did not hook me early and unfortunately it is a short story.
Clockwork by Leah Cypess 3.5 stars
This was by far the most enjoyable of the short stories thus far. I liked the idea of enchantment turning the girl into a mouse and vice versa. It was well told and it showed great creativity to get this from the "Hickory, dickory, doc, The mouse ran up the clock" nursery rhyme. I would give the author's other works a chance.
Blue by Sayantani DasGupta 1 star
This was extremely oddly written and I just could not get into it. There are numerous sentences that are either purposely odd or missing words, such as:
The first pierce makes him wince and his eyes widen, a bride on her wedding night.
Okay then.
Disclosure: ARC received from Netgalley & publisher in exchange for an honest review. (They may regret this.) Any and all quotes were taken from an advanced edition subject to change in the final edition.
bibliotropic's review
4.0
It isn’t hard to find collections of stories that apply a dark twist to fairy tales. It’s a bit harder to find something that applies a dark twist to nursery rhymes, those little snippets of poetry and song that most of us grew up with and know like we know the backs of our hands. But th stories in this collection are ones that are familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, the telling of the darker side of those rhymes that we don’t put much thought into. Little Miss Muffet and Humpty Dumpty have new and creepy life breathed into them by this collection of YA authors.
Some stories worked better than others. “Blue,” for example, which was based on Little Boy Blue, didn’t actually stick much to the original rhyme (I don’t recall any sheep in the meadow nor cows in the corn), and reminded me of nothing so much as bad fanfiction for Fatal Frame 3. “Life in a Shoe,” based on the old woman who lived in a shoe, was depressing and difficult to read as it tells the story of a family with far too many children to be fed and cared for properly because the man of the house is a borderline rapist. Dark, yes, and in both cases, but the stories seemed like they got into this collection only due to a stated connection to the nursery rhymes, though in reality the connection was thin and tenuous at best.
On the other hand, this book contained some true gems, making me wish more than once that they were longer than they were so that I could keep reading them. “Sing a Song of Sixpence” was one of my absolute favourites, incorporating all elements of the nursery rhyme into one dark fantasy story that was truly inspired. “Wee Willie Winkie” was very creepy and deft in its handling of the truth behind small-town legends. And “I Come Bearing Souls” was an amazing twist on “Hey Diddle Diddle,” of all rhymes, featuring reincarnation and literal interpretations of Egyptian mythology and the concept of the self and relation to duty and fate. “Tick Tock” was a creapy story about a group of children committing murder for reasons which were left obscure, adding a rather disturbing supernatural element to the tale. Some things are better off when they still have some mystery to them, after all.
My biggest regret, though, is that the ARC copy I received was missing the second part of a really good story. “The Lion and the Unicor,” dealing with historical witchcraft in England and King James’s connection to the devil, was broken into two parts. The first part appeared early on, and about a page into the tale I was hooked, really excited to keep reading and to find out what happened. Unfortunately for me, the ARC copy doesn’t actually have the second part in it, which was very disappointing. I won’t hold that against the book, since I know the risk with ARCs is that one gets them unfinished and often changes will occur between the ARC and the final product, so the book isn’t losing marks with me because of that unfinished story, but I will say that I was disappointed to not find out how such a wonderful story was going to end.
Over all, there were more hits than misses in this compilation, and I would say that fans of dark YA fiction would do well to take a look at this one. Though I admit I hadn’t heard of most of the authors, I was introduced to a few whose work I now want to take a close look at. Definitely a book worth keeping on the shelves.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
Some stories worked better than others. “Blue,” for example, which was based on Little Boy Blue, didn’t actually stick much to the original rhyme (I don’t recall any sheep in the meadow nor cows in the corn), and reminded me of nothing so much as bad fanfiction for Fatal Frame 3. “Life in a Shoe,” based on the old woman who lived in a shoe, was depressing and difficult to read as it tells the story of a family with far too many children to be fed and cared for properly because the man of the house is a borderline rapist. Dark, yes, and in both cases, but the stories seemed like they got into this collection only due to a stated connection to the nursery rhymes, though in reality the connection was thin and tenuous at best.
On the other hand, this book contained some true gems, making me wish more than once that they were longer than they were so that I could keep reading them. “Sing a Song of Sixpence” was one of my absolute favourites, incorporating all elements of the nursery rhyme into one dark fantasy story that was truly inspired. “Wee Willie Winkie” was very creepy and deft in its handling of the truth behind small-town legends. And “I Come Bearing Souls” was an amazing twist on “Hey Diddle Diddle,” of all rhymes, featuring reincarnation and literal interpretations of Egyptian mythology and the concept of the self and relation to duty and fate. “Tick Tock” was a creapy story about a group of children committing murder for reasons which were left obscure, adding a rather disturbing supernatural element to the tale. Some things are better off when they still have some mystery to them, after all.
My biggest regret, though, is that the ARC copy I received was missing the second part of a really good story. “The Lion and the Unicor,” dealing with historical witchcraft in England and King James’s connection to the devil, was broken into two parts. The first part appeared early on, and about a page into the tale I was hooked, really excited to keep reading and to find out what happened. Unfortunately for me, the ARC copy doesn’t actually have the second part in it, which was very disappointing. I won’t hold that against the book, since I know the risk with ARCs is that one gets them unfinished and often changes will occur between the ARC and the final product, so the book isn’t losing marks with me because of that unfinished story, but I will say that I was disappointed to not find out how such a wonderful story was going to end.
Over all, there were more hits than misses in this compilation, and I would say that fans of dark YA fiction would do well to take a look at this one. Though I admit I hadn’t heard of most of the authors, I was introduced to a few whose work I now want to take a close look at. Definitely a book worth keeping on the shelves.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
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