Review: I have been converted!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 15, 2013
I reviewed each of these separately but also wanted to talk about these prequels as a whole unit. I did not hesitate when I read the premise. I have become somewhat obsessed with the idea of refreshing the classic tales we all know and love since I started watching Once Upon a Time and discovered Zombie Fairy Tales by Kevin Richey, When I started reading this set I was a little unsure. I expected more but I was intrigued.Now, I will warn you that there are some editorial issues but they are worth overlooking. I was a bit hung up on them at first but in each story the writing and the characters grow stronger.Snow White Blood Red intrigued me deeply. I've always liked narrators I wasn't sure I could trust and who is more questionable than The Evil Queen or as she is known in these stories The Queen of Sorrow?  To put the beautiful Snow White in question as not only the evil one but a monster...genius!Ashes to Ashes and Cinder to Cinder was my least favorite. The dialogue and character interaction was a little rough. I also had too many unanswered questions. I wanted to see this dreamworld and curse explained more in depth. I do believe it was a ploy on the author's part to keep the reader hooked but I found it extremely frustrating rather than incising. I almost gave up after reading this segment.Beauty Never Dies is my love/hate story. It is the segment that convinced me to stay with this series. I loved the twist at the end about Sleeping Beauty and I cannot wait to read more about her and Peter. At first I wasn't sure about Dracula's portrayal but in the end I found him mostly amusing. Peter as a narrator was obnoxious. I swear I just wanted to smack him so many times and yet by the end he had grown on me.Ladle Ra Rotten Hut was one of my favorites! Little Red Riding Hood as Death? Priceless! I also loved how the stories started to become further entwined in this segment.Mary Mary Quite Contrary was narrated by the Devil! It was the most explanatory and gives us an explanation for the Evil Queen's Magic Mirror. I have never read a story that sheds much light on that matter so I loved someone finally coming up with something.Blood Apples was my favorite with Ladle Ra Rotten Hut as a close second followed by Mary Mary Quite Contrary!  Blood Apples is told by Prince Charming who not only knows he is in love with a monster but doesn't care! Who cannot relate to being in love with someone they shouldn't and having no idea why? We also meet Jack who is my personal favorite character so far. Who knew a boy with a bean stock would be such a badass?At first some of these characters seem two demential but as I said in each story not only does the writing get better but so do the characters. I cannot wait to see full novels and more prequels. I think this series is bound to be a lot of fun and well worth investing your time in.