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Description
Seven tales of supernatural horror . . .A maiden in a tower. A grandmother in a cottage. A stranger at a ball. None of them are what they seem, in this collection of very brief stories from fantasy author Marie Brennan. The dark forest of fairy tales hides things more perilous than wolves and wicked stepmothers. Are you prepared for what you'll find?TABLE OF CONTENTS* The Snow-White Heart* Footprints* Shadows' Bride* Tower in Moonlight* The Wood, the Bridge, the House* Kiss of Life* Waiting for BeautyTotal length: 40 pages, including Story Notes
User reviews
LibraryThing member LizaRobbins
I will start this review by saying that any author who can use the words "eldritch abomination" in a sentence, has my vote... This book is a collection of short stories which are horrifying adaptations of classic fairy tales. The author manages to convey some truly strange and disturbing concepts
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in very few highly descriptive words. Strange shadow creatures, zombies, and vampires abound in this highly entertaining and chilling anthology. Don't read this at bedtime. Show Less
LibraryThing member macsbrains
This bite-sized collection of fairy-tale retellings definitely evoke the spirit of the original tales with focus on the sinister, monstrous aspects. I thought the twisty kernel at the center of each tale was very interesting, but most of the stories cried out for more exploration than they got in
Nevertheless the core was full of substance and it will put you in the mood to read more in this vein.
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their extremely short format. At one point the author in her notes mentions that she wasn't really interested in extrapolating on the themes, or the meta aspects, but I really wish she had because for me that lack made the stories less satisfying.Nevertheless the core was full of substance and it will put you in the mood to read more in this vein.
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LibraryThing member Ron_Peters
Seven brief (including some ultra-brief) fairy-tale retellings with author's notes on each piece. Marvelously well-written, with a wicked, lyrical lilt -- “Cut out her heart and bring it to me,” the queen said, and so the huntsman did. -- and chock-a-block with delightfully creative mayhem. The
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style of the writing evoked, for me, the covers of the book versions of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. It may only take you an afternoon to read them all, but it's far better to space them out, day by day, to allow their compact horror to unfold and resonate properly. Show Less
LibraryThing member ColeReadsBooks
Seven retellings of well-known fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist…
Synopsis:
Marie Brennan has taken some of the most well known fairy tales - Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and several others, and completely turned them on their head:
‘“Cut out her heart and
…
Now in the cold darkness of the wood, the princess’ mutilated body lies waiting for the wolves. The stench of putrefaction draws scavengers of all kinds. Ants devour the flesh of her lips; birds steal strands of her dark hair; her pale skin grows sickly and bloated. Ravens peck out her dull. dead eyes.
But others find her before the wolves…’
These are not the disney versions you know and these dark, spine tingling versions are a perfect read this winter!
Review:
I absolutely love fairy tale retellings, I find it so fascinating the many different versions and adaptations that can arise from one single story. I received Monstrous Beauty through a LibraryThing giveaway and devoured it in a single sitting. Huddled under a blanket with a storm blowing outside, it particularly heightened the dark, sinister qualities of Brennan’s stories.
Each tale is beautifully written, in a flowing poetic tone. I haven’t previously read any of the author's other work, but discovering at the end that Marie Brennan writes fantasy novels, I am very much looking forward to reading more of her work. The stories are short ones and all follow a similar theme - namely that of the monstrous feminine. The princesses, the sweet innocent characters you know from previous adaptations, are not all that they seem. I studied the theory of the monstrous feminine at University and I really enjoyed Brennan’s use of it here. It was particularly hard to pick my favourite of the set, they are all clever and enjoyable but I particularly enjoyed the Rapunzel adaptation entitled Tower in the Moonlight, and the Beauty and the Beast adaptation - Waiting for Beauty. Waiting for Beauty particularly intrigued me, as it made me feel a deep amount of sympathy for the beast - something you would not always expect with other adaptations.
I also really liked the additional notes on each of the stories, it was particularly interesting to discover how the stories came to be. Again mentioning Tower in the Moonlight, I thought it really fascinating that Brennan came up with this from a memory of static hair having a life of its own in childhood.
I also really love the cover! It’s very eerie looking and adds to that tone of supernatural horror. Monstrous Beauty is a great little read if you’re hiding from this horrible winter weather - but be warned it might leave a chill down your spine!
Synopsis:
Marie Brennan has taken some of the most well known fairy tales - Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and several others, and completely turned them on their head:
‘“Cut out her heart and
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bring it to me” the queen said, and so the huntsman did. …
Now in the cold darkness of the wood, the princess’ mutilated body lies waiting for the wolves. The stench of putrefaction draws scavengers of all kinds. Ants devour the flesh of her lips; birds steal strands of her dark hair; her pale skin grows sickly and bloated. Ravens peck out her dull. dead eyes.
But others find her before the wolves…’
These are not the disney versions you know and these dark, spine tingling versions are a perfect read this winter!
Review:
I absolutely love fairy tale retellings, I find it so fascinating the many different versions and adaptations that can arise from one single story. I received Monstrous Beauty through a LibraryThing giveaway and devoured it in a single sitting. Huddled under a blanket with a storm blowing outside, it particularly heightened the dark, sinister qualities of Brennan’s stories.
Each tale is beautifully written, in a flowing poetic tone. I haven’t previously read any of the author's other work, but discovering at the end that Marie Brennan writes fantasy novels, I am very much looking forward to reading more of her work. The stories are short ones and all follow a similar theme - namely that of the monstrous feminine. The princesses, the sweet innocent characters you know from previous adaptations, are not all that they seem. I studied the theory of the monstrous feminine at University and I really enjoyed Brennan’s use of it here. It was particularly hard to pick my favourite of the set, they are all clever and enjoyable but I particularly enjoyed the Rapunzel adaptation entitled Tower in the Moonlight, and the Beauty and the Beast adaptation - Waiting for Beauty. Waiting for Beauty particularly intrigued me, as it made me feel a deep amount of sympathy for the beast - something you would not always expect with other adaptations.
I also really liked the additional notes on each of the stories, it was particularly interesting to discover how the stories came to be. Again mentioning Tower in the Moonlight, I thought it really fascinating that Brennan came up with this from a memory of static hair having a life of its own in childhood.
I also really love the cover! It’s very eerie looking and adds to that tone of supernatural horror. Monstrous Beauty is a great little read if you’re hiding from this horrible winter weather - but be warned it might leave a chill down your spine!
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LibraryThing member weelinda
Amazing short stories I loved the new twist on fairy tales this bookpretty much speaks for its self. So if you like stories with a sparkle or bit of WOW then go read this wonderful book you will not be disappointed. My thanks to the author Marie Brennan & my thanks for the wonderful pleasure of
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reading your book and I do hope to read more in the future so with loves from wee me. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Show Less
LibraryThing member Antares1
Monstrous Beauty by Marie Brennan is a collection of very short stories all with a macabre twist to traditional fairy tales. The writing is tight with each story being extremely descriptive without belaboring any of the points. Like Poe, no words are superfluous. Each word builds the atmosphere
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necessary to get the horror across. As much as I enjoy the horror genre, I would perhaps like a couple of happy endings. Show Less
LibraryThing member sraedi
The author states in some of the notes that people are jaded by the extreme rehash of classic fairy tales and I admit, I am one of those people and the mention of Snow White and so forth almost had me skipping over thi. It is done to death and in this case literally. That said, I really enjoyed
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this book and I'm glad I didn't pass it by. I found it very entertaining. It's a great length for "I'm only going to read a *little bit* before bed, I mean it this time!!" Show Less
LibraryThing member terrygraap
These short stories were dark and morbid. I usually don't read this type of genre but it was a pleasant and brief reading. I would recommend it.
LibraryThing member liltalone
Monstrous Beauty by Marie Brennan is a collection of her previous works. She weaves 7 stories on the classic fairy tales with a twist of horror. She warns you in the synopsis they are "very brief stories" and I actually had to look up what flash fiction was to understand how brief these were going
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to be. I enjoyed the idea that the first couple of stories brought, but after 3rd story I was bored. I think individual they work, but together it dulls the impact. Once you got the in the rhythm it was all very similar. (2 out of 5) Show Less
LibraryThing member Chio10
Okay so how can I review this book? First of all, I apologize if I don't do such a good job writing this review, it isn't one of my strengths. But, lets get to it! This is a little anthology of popular fairytales, if they were written with a darker intent (kind of like the real ones). However, I
Read, Live, and Imagine! :D
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wouldn't classify this book as "scary" because it wasn't. However, it was very dark. Moreover, I love how each story was morphed in a way that fitted to this whole macabre motif. Totally recommend it!! It was short. It was sweet. Just do yourself a favor and read it! (Quick disclaimer: keep in mind these fairytales are not your typical fairytales so don't go into them expecting happy endings or anything like that).Read, Live, and Imagine! :D
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LibraryThing member clear_tranquil
Thoroughly entertaining and truly horrific retellings of classic fairy tales make this compilation of short stories a must read. These stories provoke gruesome imagery and are far more disturbing that the Grimm tales they originate from. I will definitely seek out more of this author.
LibraryThing member valkyrdeath
This is a book of seven stories, all very short. Each of them is based on a different fairy story, but given a macabre twist to the tale. It’s not a unique concept, with the likes of Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber and Neil Gaiman’s Snow, Glass, Apples amongst many others having been
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around for a long time, but these stories still manage to hold their own. Beginning with a version of Snow White where the Huntsman actually obeys his orders and kill Snow White in the opening line of the story, a disturbing atmosphere is maintained throughout the book despite the short length thanks to the quality of the writing. Disappointingly, there’s perhaps too many variations of the “she turned out to be a monster” ending though. Despite that, it’s such a brief book and well enough written, and with enough good moments that it doesn’t matter too much. And it does save the best until last with a retelling of Beauty and the Beast that avoids falling into the pattern of the previous stories. Not an essential read, but a quick and enjoyable one. Show Less
LibraryThing member MyriadBooks
I'm familiar with Brennan for her novels of dragons as studied by Victorian biologists (the Memoirs of Lady Trent series), although those were a resounding meh to me. These short stories, however, were excellent; bloody little dagger-edged gems. I particularly liked "Footprints" and "Waiting for
This is my perfect Halloween indulgence for the year.
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Beauty."This is my perfect Halloween indulgence for the year.
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LibraryThing member craso
This group of short horror stories are inspired by fairytales and use the concept of the "monstrous feminine" Each story is a twist on a familiar fairytale; Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast. My favorite story is the later. It is not
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scary as much as sad, because you feel for the lovelorn Beast. This is a short compilation and a very quick read. I highly recommend it to Marie Brennan fans and horror fans. Be warned these are horror stories and not the usual fantasy fare the author writes. Show Less
LibraryThing member Landwaster
A collection of seven flash fiction stories, all horrific re-imaginings of classic fairy tales. They're well-written, engaging, and enjoyable. The entire collection takes well under an hour to read - some of the author's notes on stories are longer than the stories themselves, and in total her
Bottom line, a great way to spend an hour - a polished title from a respected author.
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notes take up more than a third of the book. Fortunately, the notes are interesting and worth reading, and the author has considerately taken advantage of the electronic format to make them easy to read either as you finish each story or all together at the end.Bottom line, a great way to spend an hour - a polished title from a respected author.
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LibraryThing member shain.johnson
Marie Brennans Book Monsters Beauty is a collection of short stories, a grim corruption of some favorite faerie tales. Snow white, Beauty and the beast, and Cinderella to name a few. These dark retellings are favorably short and are great little reads, would be wonderful as campfire stories!
Marek
Marek
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Brennan has definitely captured an audience with her creepy imagining of these classic tales. Show Less
LibraryThing member wandering_star
A collection of seven short-short stories, inspired by fairy tales - Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty & the Beast, and so on. I am used to reading feminist retellings of fairy tales, but here there was both a feminist and a horror twist. The wicked Queen, for example, eats Snow White's heart to keep
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her young - and the seven dwarves bring her back to life as a beautiful zombie. I enjoyed these, although it's probably better to read them one at a time as a quick and effective chill - read all at once they are a bit too samey. Show Less
LibraryThing member LongDogMom
I don't normally like short stories (and some of these were very short), but the one exception is fairy tales. I love reading re-tellings, classic fairy tales re-imagined through a different lens. Marie Brennan's ebook Monstrous Beauty, which I received through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer
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program, did not disppoint. While young and beautiful women have traditionally been the victims in the classic fairy tales, Brennan decides to turn things upside down and unexpectedly they become the monsters. The tales are very dark and horrific with beauty being a lure to the naive and unwise, and used to destroy and confuse. Some, of course, are much more monstrous than others, but I found the tales compelling and enjoyed the author's notes for each as well. Not wanting to say more and give away clues that might diminish the impact of the twisted tales, I will encourage anyone who enjoys fairy tales and delights in seeing thiem retold from a new perspective to give the book a try. Open your mind and allow the darkness to creep inside. You may shiver a little, but I doubt you will be disappointed. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mishker
Seven short stories (one, very short!) that tell the darker side of well known fairy tales. Tied together by the theme of the monstrous feminine, these re-tellings throw away the idea that the Princess needs to be saved, since she is usually the one creating the carnage.
I liked the idea that the
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
I liked the idea that the
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women in the fairy tales were each a different kind of evil force from zombies, to vampire-like creatures and worse. Each story offered something a little different. My favorite stories were "Tower in Moonlight, " a re-telling of Rapunzel where her hair is more than a ladder; and, "Kiss of Life," a Sleeping Beauty re-telling where the Princess should not be waked under any circumstances. This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member Nightwing
Beauty can be a curse. It can be deadly, Or, it can be simply unbearable. These stories cover the run, and more. I was glad these stories were very short, they were were all so intense I am not sure I would have made it to the end of some of them if they had been longer.
LibraryThing member jurai2
I loved this book! Marie Brennan has such a way with words: "It is a long way to grandmother's house, through a word that is not empty at all; the only ones who heart the screams drink them in like some, sighing in pleasure. " The six other retold fairy tales are as equally chilling. My favorite
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fairy tale is Beauty and the Best, and Brennan's version will haunt me for a long time. Show Less
LibraryThing member tzevaf
I received this book free through LibraryThing in exchange for my review. Brennan's writing is lush and descriptive, and her re-imagining of these classic tales is wonderful. My only complaints are that the stories (1) became a little repetitive in nature and (2) are too short. Understandably,
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Brennan tells the reader that the stories are meant to be short, but they are SO short that it leaves something to be desired. There is clearly room for Brennan to expand the stories, or use her background in folklore to further explore the "damsel in distress" and "monstrous feminine" tropes. Show Less
LibraryThing member durga2112
This was a really fun, quick read. Seven very brief retellings of fairy tales like "Little Red Riding Hood", "Cinderella", and "Snow White", all with a horrific twist in order to fit with a common theme. The stories themselves are all very enjoyable, and I also really enjoyed reading the author's
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notes on each story and the collection as a whole - a lot of careful thought went into these stories. Show Less
LibraryThing member amy1825
Wow! All the childhood fairy tails you know and love, with alternate sick twisted endings! This is a must read for any fairy tale or horror buff!
LibraryThing member cuentosalgernon
Nice bunch of flash-fiction classic stories’ retellings. Not all of them worked for me, but most of them did. And I agree with the author: my favorite is also the touching “Waiting for Beauty”. Recommended. And, in any case, being so short, even if you don’t like it you will have wasted
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less than half an hour. Show Less
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Brennan |