Belinda Kroll

Fairy-tale Inspired Books

Frog Princes all in a row by Shawn Zlea at Flickr
Happy holidays! I thought I’d throw out a fun Tuesday Thirteen list today, this one having a theme of fairy-tale inspired books.

I haven’t read some of these books in ten years, but for some reason they still haunt me. Here are my favorite fairy-tale inspired books (in no particular order)! I had to cap it at thirteen otherwise the list might never end. Though, there is a shortage of good fairy tale re-tellings, for some reason… I wonder why that is? Are there any really good ones I should know about that aren’t on this list?

  1. Spindle’s End – Robin McKinley
  2. Enchantment – Orson Scott Card
  3. Spellbound – Ru Emerson
  4. Golden – Cameron Dokey
  5. Seven Daughters and Seven Sons – Barbara Cohen and Bahija Lovejoy
  6. The Book of Atrix Wolfe – Patricia McKillip
  7. Deerskin – Robin McKinley
  8. Briar Rose – Jane Yolen
  9. The Door in the Hedge – Robin McKinley
  10. Phoenix and Ashes – Mercedes Lackey
  11. The Lark and the Wren – Mercedes Lackey
  12. The Pearl of the Soul of the World – Meredith Ann Pierce
  13. Sabriel – Garth Nix

Actually, there is this one retelling of the frog prince and I can’t remember the title of it.

I do know that the prince was turned into a frog as part of a magical conspiracy, and that the princess/girl fell in love with him when he was a frog, and that his own brother/uncle/relative throws him across the room so he hits the wall with a sickening crack. The girl, distraught, thinks the frog died, but he actually just broke the spell by angering his relative into chucking him across the room.

Anyone know the book I’m talking about? It was really good. Anyone have any books to add to the list?

Posted in Everyday LifeTagged , , 21 Comments

21 thoughts on “Fairy-tale Inspired Books”

  6. Have you read Sherry Thomas? OMG I've just discovered her, she's such a GOOD writer. Historical Romance isn't "normally" my thing, but I think I'm slowly becoming a fan of the genre. Right now I'm devouring "Private Arrangements" by her, and she's also go another book out called: "Delicious" that I THINK is supposed to be a bit of a Cinderella story.

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  7. Have you read Sherry Thomas? OMG I’ve just discovered her, she’s such a GOOD writer. Historical Romance isn’t “normally” my thing, but I think I’m slowly becoming a fan of the genre. Right now I’m devouring “Private Arrangements” by her, and she’s also go another book out called: “Delicious” that I THINK is supposed to be a bit of a Cinderella story.

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  8. Word Nerd – Thanks! I’ll add it to my To Be Read list.

    Karen – No, I haven’t, what’s it about? The title suggests something funny.

    Evangeline – I love historical romance that takes inspiration from fairy tales. Name a few! I’d love to find more.

    Laughingwolf – Thanks! Season’s blessings to you and yours as well.

    Zoe – Yes, I read Private Arrangements and loved it. I’ve been meaning to pick up Delicious because, as you said, it’s a Cinderella story.

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  9. Word Nerd – Thanks! I’ll add it to my To Be Read list.

    Karen – No, I haven’t, what’s it about? The title suggests something funny.

    Evangeline – I love historical romance that takes inspiration from fairy tales. Name a few! I’d love to find more.

    Laughingwolf – Thanks! Season’s blessings to you and yours as well.

    Zoe – Yes, I read Private Arrangements and loved it. I’ve been meaning to pick up Delicious because, as you said, it’s a Cinderella story.

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  10. The standard that I set fairy-tale inspired historical romances is Judith Ivory–Beast and Sleeping Beauty are absolutely, breathtakingly good. Both are on the shortlist of books I’m willing to re-read time and time again.

    Happy Christmas!

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  11. The standard that I set fairy-tale inspired historical romances is Judith Ivory–Beast and Sleeping Beauty are absolutely, breathtakingly good. Both are on the shortlist of books I’m willing to re-read time and time again.

    Happy Christmas!

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  14. Evangeline – This is the second or third time I've heard about Judith Ivory's Beast/Sleeping Beauty, I'm definitely going to add them to my To Be Read list.

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  15. Evangeline – This is the second or third time I’ve heard about Judith Ivory’s Beast/Sleeping Beauty, I’m definitely going to add them to my To Be Read list.

    Like

  18. Hey Belinda!

    There's a YA series by Patricia C. Wrede called 'The Enchanted Forest Chronicles' filled with fairy-tale like elements. It starts with a princess who thinks the local princes are insipid and decides that she'd rather volunteer to be a dragon's captive. It's a thoroughly traditional situation. Her parents couldn't possibly complain…

    One of my favorite series when I was younger. 🙂

    For a straight retelling (but adult material, be warned), there's 'The Bloody Chamber', by Angela Carter. Very realistic retelling of one of the more disturbing fairy tales.

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  19. Hey Belinda!

    There’s a YA series by Patricia C. Wrede called ‘The Enchanted Forest Chronicles’ filled with fairy-tale like elements. It starts with a princess who thinks the local princes are insipid and decides that she’d rather volunteer to be a dragon’s captive. It’s a thoroughly traditional situation. Her parents couldn’t possibly complain…

    One of my favorite series when I was younger. 🙂

    For a straight retelling (but adult material, be warned), there’s ‘The Bloody Chamber’, by Angela Carter. Very realistic retelling of one of the more disturbing fairy tales.

    Like

  20. A new fairy tale: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making by Catherynne Valente.

    A good question I do not know answer to: Why is that long title easy to remember?

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