Staff Picks
Twisted Fairy Tales: The Villain’s Perspective
10.02.20
Fairy tales are generally associated with children, of good triumphing over evil.
But what if the stories that we know and love were twisted on their head?
What if Cinderella was actually a cyborg sent to save the world, or what if the evil queen was simply misunderstood?
Often, fairy tales are told from one perspective, that of the hero or princess.
But what if we heard the story from the so-called villain's perspective?
Would we dismiss it as fiction, or would we begin to question everything that we had ever been told, including whether or not the hero was actually the villain all along?
These twisted, and sometimes dark, retellings are perfect for fall and Halloween!
Angelina Jolie as (a slightly more relatable?) Maleficent.
They take us to far away places where the good and just are always victorious, the princess always gets her prince, and the wicked are prevented from causing any more harm.
But fairy tales are not so easily defined.
They twist and turn, blending good with evil, seeking to teach and to warn. Fairy tales are living breathing stories that change with each new generation, and not all end with "Happily Ever After".
Many of the fairy tales we know and love had been passed down from generation to generation through the oral tradition.
It was only later on, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, that many of these tales were written down in order to preserve these emblems of folkloric culture.
These early written tales are often quite gruesome, and are wholly inappropriate for children today.
Was Lady Tremaine as wicked as we are expected to believe?
Cate Blanchett as Lady Tremaine in Disney’s Live action Cinderella (2015).
This approach has lead many to wrongly believe that fairy tales are only for children.
However, fairy tales exist in many different forms.
While some retellings attempt to set the tale in a historical time period, others place it in a sci-fi or dystopian future.
Some authors and filmmakers twist well known tales for a mature audience, adding in gore and violence to convey their messages.
Others attempt to rehabilitate the "villain" by showing their side of the story.
What if the “evil” Queen was actually protecting her kingdom from an outside threat?
Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/ Regina Mills from Disney’s Once Upon a Time.
Fairy tales are unique in that the basic plot is well-known, but how the author tells the tale is different every time.
When these beloved tales are twisted or changed, the author not only allows us to view the story in a new light, but they also allow us to view the tale through the author's perspective.
We read new versions not just for the basic story, but to learn what is important about the tale to the author, what lessons they learned, what lessons they want to emphasize.
Through reading these twisted versions, we also obtain a new understanding of the so-called heroes and villains.
We learn that not everyone thinks the same, that not everyone views events the same, that not everyone values the same things.
Idina Menzel as Elphaba in Wicked.
But perhaps most importantly, we learn that in order to understand the full story, we need to hear from every single perspective, no matter how different it is from our own.
And that, perhaps, is the greatest lesson that fairy tales can teach us.
Many of these titles are also available as e-resources. I have noted this at the bottom of each entry, if applicable.
Not every book on this list is suitable for children. I have listed "ADULTS ONLY" at the end of the description for some of these titles.
Once Upon a Dream: A Twisted Tale
By Liz Braswell
What if Prince Philip was the one to fall asleep? Would Princess Aurora be able to save the kingdom from Maleficent's curse?
This title is part of a larger collection of Disney books called the Twisted Tales series. Other books in this series cover alternative tales of Disney's The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and more!
Also available on Hoopla
Stepsister
By Jennifer Donnelly
In this young adult version of the Cinderella tale, we learn what happens to Ella's two "ugly" stepsisters after her marriage to the prince.
Isabelle comes to terms with her past actions as she struggles to deal with the hardships of being scorned as one of the "ugly" stepsisters, all the while an evil warlord rampages the kingdom. Through it all, she will discover that her destiny is her own, and that maybe she is not "ugly" after all.
Also available on Overdrive
Beast: a Tale of Love and Revenge
By Lisa Jensen
Lucie is a young woman who works for the Chevalier de Beaumont on his huge estate. She witnesses his cruelty firsthand and wishes for him to be punished. Her wish is granted one day after a witch comes and curses him for his viciousness. After his transformation, he appears to be a better person. But then one day, a young woman arrives at the castle and threatens to undo the curse.
Most Beauty and the Beast adaptations follow the same general plot line, but this book diverges from it in unique and exciting ways. I don't want to spoil anything, but be prepared for some surprising twists!
For mature teens
Cinder
By Marissa Meyer
In this first book of the critically acclaimed Lunar Chronicles, Cinder is a cyborg living in a futuristic world where earth faces a threat from inhabitants of the moon known as lunars. Cinder must try to help Prince Kai thwart this threat while learning her surprising past.
Other titles in this young adult series cover fairy tales from Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White.
Also available on Overdrive
Sea Witch
By Sarah Henning
Four years ago, Evie lost her best friend to the sea. An outcast in town due to her family's assoctiations with forbidden magic, Evie finds solace in the friendship of Prince Nik. One day, Evie spots a girl on the shore who looks just like her best friend. Though the mysterious girl denies it, Evie is certain that her best friend survived. But what connection does this girl have with Evie? And what of the mysterious mermaid who Evie glimpsed rescuing Prince Nik? Evie will have to face her difficult past to solve the mystery surrounding her dear friend.
It has been a long time since I have read a book that kept me wondering how the story was going to end. Each new plot reveal kept me guessing until the astonishing end!
For mature teens
Cursed
"All the better to read you with... It's a prick of blood, the bite of an apple, the evil eye, a wedding ring or a pair of red shoes. Curses come in all shapes and sizes, and they can happen to anyone, not just those of us with unpopular stepparents... Here you'll find unique twists on curses, from fairy tale classics to brand-new hexes of the modern world -- expect new monsters and mythologies as well as twists on well-loved fables. Stories to shock and stories of warning, stories of monsters and stories of magic." -- Provided by publisher.
ADULTS ONLY
All the Ever Afters: the Untold Story of Cinderella's Stepmother
By Danielle Teller
Set in medieval England, Agnes is a young woman who is forced to act as a servant in a large manor. As time goes by, her situation improves, and she eventually marries the lord of the manor. The marriage also makes her a stepmother to his young daughter, Ella.
This version of the Cinderella story, told from the stepmother's perspective, is unusual in that it is grounded in historical reality. There are no magic slippers or coaches, but there is one strong woman who demonstrates that hard work and perserverence can better one's station in life.
Also available on Overdrive
ADULTS ONLY
Snow Glass Apples
By Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman's short story is adapted into this wonderfully illustrated graphic novel courtesy of artist Colleen Doran.
In this tale, we hear the "evil" queen's side of this terrifying story, demonstrating that "evil" is just a perspective.
Available on Overdrive and Hoopla
ADULTS ONLY
Fables vol. 1
By Bill Willingham
"When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters have created their own peaceful and secret society within an exclusive luxury apartment building called Fabletown."
Available on Hoopla
ADULTS ONLY
The Brothers Grimm
In this fictional tale of the Grimm Brothers' lives, Jacob and Will travel to French-occupied Germany as con-artists who claim to slay evil creatures. What the two brothers don't realize is that they have stumbled into a real life fairy tale filled with monsterous creatures and ancient curses.
Available on Hoopla
ADULTS ONLY
Red Riding Hood
Valerie is a young woman who is love with one man, but bethrothed to another. She decides to run away with her love when a werewolf attacks the village and murders her sister.
With increasing attacks, the villagers soon believe that one among them is the werewolf. But who could it be? Everyone is a suspect, including Valerie.
ADULTS ONLY
Once Upon a Time
This phenomenal TV show initially follows the Disney versions of various fairy tales, but it slowly peels back the layers of its complex characters into something much more substantial.
The main story has fairy tale characters banished to our world, where no one can remember their true selves. As a mysterious woman enters town, secrets are slowly revealed as to how this town came into existence.