Back in 2006, I was strolling the aisles at Books-A-Million. Always in search for a new read, my eyes caught sight of Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars. Beddor’’s novel was the first in a trilogy, set to retell Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland. I was enchanted and loved the way Beddor incorporated Lewis Carroll, his characters and concepts into a fantastic retelling. Beloved characters moprhed, developing brand new identities: Alice is Alyss, Princess of Wonderland who works on developing her most important power: the use of her Imagination. The Mad Hatter is now Hatter Madigan, the personal bodyguard to the Queen of Hearts, Alyss’ mother. The White Rabbit is Bibwit Harte, Alyss’ albino tutor and the Red Queen is Alyss’ devious aunt, Redd. The book was exciting, imaginative and a true adventure. Any lover of retellings would enjoy the novel and be happy to know the conclusion of the trilogy has finally arrived. Much like that trip in 2006, I found myself in a Barnes and Noble a few days ago and found Archenemy front and center in the “Featured” section.
I haven’t had a chance to read the book just yet, what with graduation approaching, but I did find a blurb on The Looking Glass Wars website.
“The war for Wonderland has become a war for Imagination! King Arch has declared himself King of Wonderland as Alyss searches wildly for the solution to the metaphysical disaster that has engulfed her Queendom. The power of Imagination has been lost! Alyss’s search for answers takes her to London where Arch’s assassins threaten Alice Liddell and her family. But after coming to her adopted family’s assistance, Alyss discovers herself trapped in a conundrum of evaporating puddles. The shimmering portals that exist to transport her home through the Pool of Tears are disappearing! What is happening in Wonderland? Deep within the Valley of Mushrooms the Caterpillar Oracles issue this prophecy: “Action shall be taken to ensure the safety of the Heart Crystal. For Everqueen.” But who is Everqueen?
As the metamorphosis of Wonderland unfolds, enemies become allies, bitter rivals face-off, and Queen Alyss and Redd Heart must confront their pasts in this thrilling, no-holds-barred conclusion to the New York Times best-selling series. Minus the power of Imagination it’s all about the artillery with King Arch, Redd Heart and Queen Alyss’s armies battling for control of Wonderland using AD52’s, crystal shooters, spikejack tumblers and orb cannons. Imagine that!”
I have high hopes for this novel, especially if it’s as good as the last two (The Looking Glass Wars, Seeing Redd). If you’re a fan of retellings, Alice in Wonderland or just an amazing tale, go check our Frank Beddor’s newest title, Archenemy.
“Myths and fairy tales seem to know something that we do not know. They also appear to hold our attention, to keep us in their sway, to enchant our lives. We keep returning to them for answers. We use them in diverse ways as private sacred myths or as public commercial advertisements to sell something.
Over the centuries we have transformed the ancient myths and folk tales and made them into the fabric of our lives. Consciously and unconsciously we weave the narratives of myth and folklore into our daily existence.”
I love quotes. In fact, I happen to be an avid collector. So, every now and again, I plan on dropping a fairy tale oriented quote for your enjoyment and my own. Enjoy!
“Each fairy tale is a magic mirror which reflects some aspects of our inner world, and of the steps required by our evolution from immaturity to maturity. For those who immerse themselves in what the fairy tale has to communicate, it becomes a deep, quiet pool which at first seems to reflect our own image; but behind it we soon discover the inner turmoils of our soul – its depth, and ways to gain peace within ourselves and with the world, which is the reward of our struggles.” -Bruno Bettelheim, The Uses of Enchantment
In the new novella collection, Never After, Laurell K. Hamilton, Marjorie M. Liu, Yasmine Galenorn, and Sharon Shinn pen their own “feminist” fairy tale. I’ve read Ms. Hamilton before and while I’m not impressed with her writing skill, I have found in her short story collections like Cravings, Bite and Strange Candy much more enjoyable than her Anita Blake series. According to reviewer Elena Nola, Hamilton’s tale “Can He Bake a Cherry Pie” doesn’t disappoint and follows the fairy-tale formula. Three other tales are included and Nola said:
“Overall this was a strong collection. None of the stories were bad, and none of them were at such a startling disjunct from the others that they cannot be compared. I think that the determinations of stronger/weaker stories would vary for each reader based on his/her preferences in terms of setting, style, and character types. If you are a fan of any of these authors, I would recommend picking this volume up. The stories might not be exactly what you’re used to from any of them, but they are certainly enjoyable—and you may just find yourself discovering a new favorite writer. I would also recommend this collection to anyone looking for a set of sweet love stories who doesn’t mind a fairy-tale level of fantasy and who doesn’t need a high level of eroticism or a dashing hero to save the day. These girls know how to save themselves (and sometimes their men), and watching them do so makes for a delightful afternoon in another world.”
Another book to keep a look for is There Once Lived a Woman Who Tried to Kill Her Neighbor’s Baby: Scary Fairy Tales. The book contains 19 short stories by the Russian author, Ludmilla Petrushevskaya. According to Kim Hedges of the Star Tribune, are tales are dark “even by Russian standards.” For those who’ve had to sit through a semester of Russian lit in the snowy winter, I can tell you ”dreary” is the word that comes to mind. However, if you can handle or thrive upon this type of lit, There Once Lived is the book for you. Hedges said:
“Despite all this, the experience of reading “There Once Lived” is actually, somehow, not all that depressing. Petrushevskaya’s casual manner of storytelling has a way of making the eerie and impossible seem plausible. Just as some people tell stories as though regular, straightforward life on Earth is the norm, Petrushevskaya tells stories as though nothing but a kind of shady, dreamlike area between life and death is the norm — a norm that makes lines like the declaration of the narrator at the very end of “The Fountain House” especially striking: “It was in a dream, though, that it happened, and dreams don’t count.”‘
Fairy tale lovers and fashionistas will be thrilled to hear the Emirati label Kanzi will premiere their new collection Monday evening at Dubai Fashion Week. The collections should conjure up a healthy dose of “once upon a time” and “happily ever after” thoughts with bright colors, beautiful fabrics and an eye for detail. Emirates Business article said:
“A line of abayas, jalabiyas and evening wear, the collection was designed with immaculate tailoring, whimsical shapes, stunning beading and embroidery, and each individual piece is lovingly and painstakingly handcrafted, says Kanzi’s Raghda Taryam.
The name, “Fairytales”, comes from the thoughts and images conjured up when the collection is seen in entirety.
The collection seeks to explore in detail the concept of dreams, with each piece set to appear like a floating, stunningly crafted experiment that merges unique shapes and forms.”
Kanzi’s fashions may be stunning but for some, they may be financially out of reach. For those of you who are looking for inspiration or something within your budget, check these pics and their links out.
Pixie dust is traveling far these days, all the way to Russia. According to a post on the Financial Times website, the Walt Disney company just released their first Russian film based on a Russian fairy tale and produced by the local talent. Book of Masters is the result of Disney reaching international audiences, as well as expanding and strengthening their brand. According to the article, other Disney media has done very well on the Russian market.
“Still, the release of Book of Masters will aid Disney’s ability to cross-sell and promote its businesses. Its television programming is available in Russia and its Beauty and the Beast musical has been watched by more than 400,000 people in Moscow.
The group has rapidly expanded its Russian operations, from an office of four staff five years ago to more than 150 people now. Its publishing unit has sold 6.7m books this year, while 13 magazines are produced in Russia under the Disney banner with a combined circulation of 1.2m copies.
Disney has also expanded its consumer products business, using local retailers and licencees, instead of only importing goods from elsewhere. “Whereas before we used to be in the import business [in Russia], now we’re helping to develop the market itself,” says Andy Bird, chairman of Walt Disney International.”
The Walt Disney Company created its reputation on taking risks, breaking creative boundries and after each failure, getting back up to do it again even better the next time. If anyone can breech the international market, Disney can.
There’s a new, disturbing trend amongst fairy tales. Apparently, the BBC felt “Humpty Dumpty” was too harsh for children so they opted to change the last line in the nursery rhyme to “made Humpty happy again.” The article goes into more detail but the gist is sanitizing fairy tales is not only becoming more common, it’s potentially harmful for children. Scholar Max Luthi once said, “It would be wrong to purge out fairy tales of all cruelty and all frightening characters for the sake of children. All these things are not, after all, portrayed realistically in the fairy tale, but figuratively, and thus the evil figures are not perceived as living people but as symbols of evil” (Once Upon a Time 114).
Both Luthi and renowned child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim, both who are noted for their studies with fairy tales, find sanitizing fairy tales would hinder children instead of helping them prosper. By facing the dilemmas within fairy tales, children can learn to cope with their own issues. Or so the argument goes. In fairness, it’s a very valid point – the world can be a frightening place and if everything is sugar-coated and simplified, how our children supposed to prosper? There’s such a thing as protecting your children and another for blocking them off from the world.
Disney is oftentimes criticized for having dumbed down fairy tales but I”m going to have to disagree. As a child, I cowered in the theater as Ursula (The Little Mermaid) took control of the sea and grew to gigantic proportions. Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmatians) wanted to kill dalmatian puppies – she even mentions bashing in their heads. Jafar (Aladdin) and Judge Claude Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) lusted after the heroine and Shere Khan (The Jungle Book) wanted to eat the hero. Think about it – Disney versions are safe for kids but their villains can still be wicked, intimidating, and downright cruel. Their schemes are selfish, maniacal and typically, murderous. Disney may be safe but it’s definitely not sanitized. Not like this case, where the story of “Rapunzel” is dumbed down so that the witch is a kindly old woman and Rapunzel merely wants to go to the fair. Please. Storytellers and parents may want to consider what they want to teach their children before they start censoring, sanitizing and all-out gutting these beloved stories.
For additional reading, check out David Barnett’s article .
The Brother’s Grimm fairy tales will be told as they were originally intended at the Bettendorf Public Library, according to their press release. If anyone gets to attend, I’d love to know your thoughts.
“Grimm”s Grimmest: The Darker Side of Traditional Fairy Tales” will be at the Bettendorf Public Library on Saturday, October 24, from 3:00 – 4:00 PM. These tales will be presented as they were intended, for adults. These are NOT fairy tales for children; we welcome high school students and adults.
Presenting is Judith Heineman, professional storyteller, holds an MA in English from the College of the City of New York. She is the founder of the Chicago Storytelling Guild, a co-founder of the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, and producer of Tellabration, an adult storytelling festival. Also presenting is Daniel Marcotte, who holds a BM in Voice Performance from Illinois Wesleyan and an MA in Musicology and Certificate in Early Music from Florida State University. He is currently the Music Director of the Bristol Renaissance Faire and teacher of voice and music theory.
This is a Global Gathering Germany program, sponsored by the Bettendorf Public Library Foundation. More information can be found at www.bettendorflibrary.com/globalgathering or by calling the Library at 563-344-4175.”
Everyone loves a good fairy tale. Take a “Once Upon a Time”, a good versus evil plotline and toss in a “Happily Ever After” for good measure – you’re sure to have a crowd-pleaser on your hands, right? Wrong. Folks seem to think that fairy tales were created as bedtime stories to make sure children behaved their parents but that’s not how they originated. Fairy tales originated from oral folktales, passed down verbally. The Grimm Brother’s documented fairy tales, the French used them as palour stories (“Beauty and the Beast” was one of the result, fyi) and over time, fairy tales have evolved into what we know now. Walt Disney animated classics, feminist tales or witty parodies - fairy tales are even used for eroticism; they are definitely not limited to bedtime stories for children, now or ever.
So who retells fairy tales? Or a better question, why care? See, fairy tales are recreated for two groups: the author and the audience. Fairy tale scholar Jack Zipes said, “There have been transformations of elements within the [tale's] patterns, and the changes depend on the social realities of the period in which the tales are told” (Breaking the Magic Spell 39). Do fairy tales change over time or because of current issues? Some could argue that’s why Disney is just now featuring an African American princess. They could also argue that’s why the stories in Francesca Lia Block’s The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold deal with such mature issues like rape, domestic violence and drug usage. Fairy tales are being retold this way because there is a demand for more than just “once upon a time” and “happily ever after.” Audiences want depth, they want to see themselves in these familiar tales and as economics teach us, where there is a demand, there will be a supply.
Robin McKinley, who wrote Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast, wrote her version merely as a writing excercise. The fact that it boosted her literary career wasn’t a thought in her head when she sat down to retell her favorite fairy tale. (Check Rose Daughter’s author notes for confirmation.) McKinley wrote the story for herself, which may be why it did so well. Still, Hollywood, the Walt Disney Company, they retell these stories for their audiences. Consider the attention The Princess and the Frog has garnered – complaints of racism, celebrations for the return to the classic 2D animation, etc. Disney knows fairy tales sell – that have ever since theaters took a chance on Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. Since then, authors, directors, even advertising campaigns use fairy tales to sell their merchandise and it works! What is this fascination that we have with fairy tales? Is it escapism, self-insertion or just pure entertainment? Retelling fairy tales is an art and I plan to explore that issue more with this blog.
So, unfortunately because of thesis deadlines and a lot of out-of-town visits, my blog has been neglected. Not to fear, though, I’m back and itching to write. However, it seemed appropriate that since I was at the fairy tale capital of the United States (aka: Walt Disney World) that I should give an update on what’s going on down there. So, without further ado…
It was hot. Freakishly, record breaking hot.
As if that could stop me. I made it in time for one of the fabulous Mickey’s Not So Scary Parties and I have to say, after experiencing the Pirates and Princesses Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, the Halloween is by far the best. From the stunning fireworks with a stellar soundtrack, the atmosphere and the incredible perks, this party has it all including all-access to the Magic Kingdom for five glorious hours.
I was glad to see the rumored changes for Fantasyland have yet to take hold. For those who haven’t heard, there are rumors that Fantasyland will soon be catering to the princess genre. According to the LA Times, these changes should include: a new ride based on The Little Mermaid, a Beauty and the Beast themed restaurant, new meet and greet areas for the princesses and a revamp for the Flying Dumbo ride. These changes may be an amazing addition to the Magic Kingdom but I have to be honest, I’m a bit of a Disney purist. I like the changes they have made in the past (for the most part) but I’ll be a little sad to see Fantasyland alter so completely.
My favorite attraction, Fantasmic! was still spectacular but tragically only showing a few nights a week. For those interested in the new The Princess and the Frog movie, you’ll be thrilled to know that Princess Tiana merchandise was available – from gowns for the little princesses in your life, frames and storybooks, it should be enough to sate your fix until the movie comes out. Also, the fantastic attraction, The Magic of Disney Animation shows a preview for the new 2D film, as well as a section focusing on the art of the film. If you’re in the area and get the chance, I’d highly suggest checking it out.
