The Wilful Eye

January 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Fairy tales get a makeover when 12 respected fantasy authors, including Margo Lanagan, breathe new life into well-known-and not so familiar-tales. Overall, the stories are well crafted, spanning about 50 pages each, and explore themes of sexuality, lust, drug abuse, friendship, betrayal, and revenge. Some, such as the retellings of "The Tinderbox," "The Snow Queen," and "Babes in the Wood," have a modern spin, while others have a more traditional tone and setting. It is clear that the editors carefully considered the order in which these tales appear. Female characters are strong and in control for the most part. The quality of these stories puts the collection on a par with other fairy-tale anthologies, but the length of the stories make the volume most appealing to mature teens who already devour books of this kind. Recommended where books like Emma Donoghue's Kissing the Witch (HarperCollins, 1997), Francesca Lia Block's The Rose and the Beast (HarperCollins, 2000), and anything by Terri Windling and Robin McKinley circulate heavily.-Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ

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