The Retellings Review (and Fairy Tales Too!)
Commentary by Grace W. Wong
If you read as much from the fantasy genre as I do, you may have noticed that older books frequently feature the fantastical beings most commonly known as “fairies” while newer works tend to feature “fae” instead. I cannot help but wonder why this is the case? When I think about possible answers, they all... Continue Reading →
Have you ever noticed which types of stories most often form the basis for many retellings? Well, I definitely have. Specifically, Greek mythology and fairy tales serve as two of the most prevalent bases for retellings. In the original Greek myths, dark and oftentimes unhappy endings seem to be par for the course. From Zeus... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wondered just how many movies were adapted from books? When I first thought about that question, I didn’t comprehend just how much the film industry has been thriving off of retellings. From J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series to Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, nearly everyone in this day and age has... Continue Reading →
Almost everyone has heard the story of how Dorothy and her dog, Toto, fell into the fantastical land of Oz. Most people know of it through the film industry, but the story’s origins actually lie with Lyman Frank Baum, who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900. Known as one of America’s greatest fairy... Continue Reading →
Once upon a time, a little girl wearing red journeyed into the woods to visit her grandmother. She would soon have her infamous encounter with “the big bad wolf.” I won’t go into the details of this story. Many people know it, but not many are aware of its origins. They are highly debated, with... Continue Reading →
What is a trope? I thought I knew the answer to this question, but when I searched the phrase “define trope,” I was surprised by the results. Oxford Languages’ first definition of the word “trope” is “a figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression.” Apparently, tropes refer to figurative language, such as similes,... Continue Reading →
What is the difference between a fairy tale and a fantasy book? While we may often think of them together, they are defined differently. To start with, a fairy tale is technically part of the fantasy genre. However, while fantasy can encompass all sorts of storylines and age ranges, fairy tales are typically meant for... Continue Reading →
Are the majority of Cinderella retellings now retellings of retellings? Before I confuse you even more, I’ll describe the thought process that led up to this question. When most people discuss Cinderella, they first think about Disney’s animated movie in which everything is rated PG and nothing gory happens at all. However, the original version... Continue Reading →
Given how Disney has been converting many of its animated princess movies into live-action versions, I’d like to pause my focus on literary retellings to look at how songs translate in the retelling process. What I’m talking about is the multitude of changes that songs in animated movies seem to undergo even when they appear... Continue Reading →
One of the most widely known fairy tales is that of Rumpelstiltskin. In the original version a small man spins straw into gold for a miller’s daughter, who was imprisoned by a king after he was led to believe that she had that ability. If she does not succeed, the king will execute her. In... Continue Reading →
The Retellings Review (and Fairy Tales Too!) 