Review: Fairytales - but not for kids
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 29, 2012
'Disenchanted', a collection of alternative fairytales, is a book I'd recommend to almost anyone. It's a modern and entirely original take on the old stories we're all familiar with - Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood - only in this version, good does not always win and evil is likely to be masked by physical beauty.Indeed, in this version, Snow White is a goth and Prince Charming is a terrorist.There are so many things to commend this book for. First of all, the stories themselves are unputdownable, with plot twists aplenty and fast-paced action sequences. Secondly, there's the sly humour; every story has its share of laugh-out-loud moments. For example, in 'Girl all the Bad Guys Want', a retelling of 'Snow White', the magic mirror responds to the wicked queen thus: 'Although you haven't aged a bit, Snow White is looking pretty fit'.Thirdly - and this is always particularly important from my point of view - CL Raven's way with language is outstanding. The descriptive power and beauty of certain passages is dazzling. For example, in 'Midnight Kiss', a decidedly ghoulish retelling of 'Sleeping Beauty', we have this opening paragraph:'The moon glowered from its pearly throne. A black cloud pierced its heart, its silvery blood spilling over the ground and awakening the shadows that lingered in the dying day. Night creatures awoke to play beneath the black veil, daylight's shackles cast away now the sun's judging eyes were closed. A castle emerged from the night, majestic in its decrepit beauty.'Remarkably, this descriptive power is balanced finely with action and humour throughout, so that whatever your personal preferences in a story, you'll almost certainly find something to please you here.Highly recommended - but not for children.