Looking for Fairy Tale books that are very dark or a darker retelling of the story.. Any help would be appreciated..


Also everybody tells me that the Brothers' Grimm fairy tales were dark and not what current youth would be familiar with, can anyone also point me to the darkest one with the most content? thanks

Robin McKinley does some retellings of fairy-tales- Deerskin would probably top the 'dark' list, considering the source material is already dark (themes include: incest, rape, miscarriage)
Deathless by Catherynne M Valente is a retelling of a Russian folktale and takes place during the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, it's sad and bloody and sexy, although the lyrical style isn't for everyone.
Snow, Glass, Apples is a short story by Neil Gaiman retelling Snow White, and it is all kinds of messed up

What makes a story 'dark' for you, though? Do you tend more towards violence or sex, or a combination of the two?

Actual fairy-tales that are nasty: original version of The Little Mermaid; The Path of Needles, the Path of Pins (or something similar- early version of Red Riding Hood. May also be known as The Tale of the Grandmother. The Grimm Brothers actually sanitized their version of Red Riding Hood); Sun, Moon, and Talia (early version of Sleeping Beauty); The Robber Bridegroom;

[Nobody102]

Ditto on Robyn McKinley's "Deerskin" rec.

You might try these:
'Briar Rose' by Jane Yolen - Retelling of 'Sleeping Beauty' set in the Holocaust
'White As Snow' by Tanith Lee - Retelling of 'Snow White' set in an alternate medieval Europe (with a little bit of the Demeter/Persephone myth thrown in)

[bucsie]

There's a new series that explores the themes of fairytales. Haven't read any yet, but I heard they are good.
Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
by Marissa Meyer

Anne Rice did a bdsm version of Sleeping Beauty... Written under a pen name

How Beauty Saved Beast by Belle Maurice

I second Cinder by Marissa Meyer.
Beware though that it's part of a series and the story doesn't really end, you have to wait for the next book

[profprofessorson]

I've read Robin McKinley's retelling of Beauty and the Beast. She actually wrote it twice - first as "Beauty" and then as "Rose Daughter." Interesting evolution of her writing.

Another retelling is "Beastly" by Alex Flinn.

And I take it you know about Gregory Maguire?

If anyone's still looking for dark fairy tale re-mixes try Angela Carter's the Bloody Chamber and Other Stories. It's a collection of short stories, some based on popular fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood and Bluebeard. Be warned though, it's not for the faint of heart if you can't take descriptions of sex and violence. It's not very graphic (in my opinion), but I wouldn't recommend the collection to very young readers. There's also the movie based on Bloody Chamber, in the Company of Wolves.

Totally agree on Cinder. The Lunar Chronicles is an awesome series! I can't wait for the last book

[jaysee]

Not necessarily dark but John Connolly's Book of Lost Things incorporates a lot of fairytale into its narrative

[mstigerlily]

I really liked these two books. I happened to have purchased and shared both books here on Mobilism!

Stiltskin by Andrew Buckley
Stiltskin

While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell
While Beauty Slept

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card is a Sleeping Beauty / Baba Yaga type Russian retelling that is very good.

[jaysee]

Stiltskin by Andrew Buckley
Stiltskin

That looks cool. Downloading.....

Not a fairy story as such but I strongly recommend 'The Child Thief' by Brom. It's a dark and adult retelling of Peter Pan