Soman Chainani, the author of The School for Good and Evil, spends a lot of time thinking about fairy tales. If you’ve read many true fairy tales, then you know that they’re dark and bloody, not the version that you tend to see in cartoon movies filled with pop songs. (Nothing against the cartoon movies. They have their place. But if you know the real tales, you know that there is a difference.)
But Chainani wanted more from the fairy tales he was reading. He was tired of the bland princes and the ugly witches. So he reimagined the stories with twists and turns you won’t see coming. And that was when Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales came to life.
Cinderella comes to life the day she is invited to the prince’s ball. But it’s not until she gets there that she finds out who his true love really is, and it’s a big surprise to find out who ends up together. Snow White was a young woman sent into the woods as a sacrifice, not a young woman on the way to her grandmother’s house. And Sleeping Beauty is about a man visited in the night by a mysterious guest who leaves him bloodied.
Do you think that Hansel and Gretel were baked by a witch after they got caught eating her house? Why did Jack really climb the beanstalk? Why did a beautiful woman agree to stay in a house with a Beast? Why did the Little Mermaid want to be human? You may know how these stories end, but these new tales are a modern revision, adding contemporary themes to these timeless stories.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from these fairy tales, having read many of the originals as well as watching a lot of those movies we all sing along to. But what I discovered in these pages are stories about magic and hope, jealousy and revenge, riches and poverty, desire and love. There are great beauties and despicable beasts, but you can’t always tell which is which by their physical appearance. I thought these stories were dark and disturbing, with extraordinary twists and unexpected endings. They were fun and readable, and perfect for smart kids and teens (and adults) with a dark side.
Some of these tales have some adult themes, so I wouldn’t hand it to just any 10-year-old, but I do think that mature kids could really enjoy these stories. And there are some kids (and you know who they are, if you have any if your life) who will devour these fairy tales. They have been waiting for this book, for someone to bring these stories into the present day, and they will enjoy these stories over and over. Buy this book for them. They will be grateful.
Galleys for Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales were provided by Harper, with many thanks.
