enutzman's review
3.0
I liked several of the stories in this collection, but there were a number of stories I didn't like, too.
aboxthecolourofheartache's review against another edition
3.0
This is more of a 3.98. I liked the overall anthology, but a couple of the included stories were just... definitely written by ~male authors~.
mslaureeslibrary's review
4.0
This was a good collection of stories that were retellings of fairytales or inspired by fairytales. My two favorites were Tattercoats, Granny Rumple and the Black Swan. Some of the stories were less successful for me, but that is to be expected in an anthology.
thejude's review
3.0
It's hard to rate an anthology of short stories, due to the wide range of the quality of the tales. Some contributions, such as those of Patrica Wrede, Jane Yolen, Roger Zelazny, and Susan Wade I enjoyed very much (an indication of my fiction preferences, no doubt) while others read like cheap, gag-worthy romantic trash, and still others, such as Peter Straub's Ashputtle and Storm Constantine's 'Sweeet Bruising Skin', were not what I would choose as my own reading material but which I nevertheless was glad to have read. Of course, the sheer variety was definitely something that made this read more interesting and enjoyable when I discovered gems I hadn't expected.
nancyotoole's review against another edition
3.0
Black Thorn, White Rose is an anthology which seeks to embrace the more adult roots of fairy tales. Some of the stories referenced in this collection include well known tales such as “Sleeping Beauty” and “Rumpelstiltskin,” as well as lesser known ones including “Tattercoats” and “The Breman Town Musicians.” The result is a wide variety of stories that vary from rather traditional retellings to the more experimental (one is actually told in the form of a recipe). Unfortunately, like many anthologies, the quality of the stories can be a little inconsistent. Certain stories, such as ME Beckett’s “Neary-Beauty,” and Daniel Quinn’s “The Frog King, or Iron Henry” were just a tad too strange for me. Still, I came out of the anthology feeling that the good stories outweighed the bad. There were a few in particular that I connected quite well with. Reviews for those stories can be found below.
“Stronger Than Time” by Patricia C. Wrede- “Sleeping Beauty” has never been one of my favorite fairy tale, but this retelling really caught my attention. Near Arven’s home exists a dark tower covered in thorns and the bare bones of princes who have attempted to get inside. When he meets a man who claims that he can infiltrate the tower with Arven’s help, he can’t help but be skeptical. “Stronger Than Time,” while one of the more traditional stories in this collection, nevertheless bucks the trends found in many fairy tales. The ending is more bittersweet than happily ever after, which I think makes it more powerful. Also, our hero doesn’t agree to enter the tower out of a romantic notion for a woman he’s never seen. Instead upon learning of her sad tale, he develops more of a fatherly concern for her, which was a nice change.
“Tattercoats” by Midori Snyder- This is the most overtly sexual in this collection of “adult” tales. Our heroine, Lillian, has found that her relationship with her husband has soured over the years as the two have gotten older. In order to win him back, she draws from special gifts given to her by her mother, three beautiful gowns and a coat made out of many furs. By focusing on the human elements as opposed to the supernatural ones, “Tattercoats” managed to provide a very relatable story about taking control of your relationships. I also appreciated how it managed to turn one of the darkest fairy tales, also known as “Donkeyskins” or “All Fur,” which actually begins with an attempted rape, and turns it into something more uplifting.
“Granny Rumple” by Jane Yolen- This is the second retelling of “Rumpelstiltskin” in the collection, and my favorite of the two. Unlike many of the other stories in this collection, “Granny Rumple” is not a fantasy story set in secondary world. Instead, it is more a work of historical fiction that draws upon a fairy tales to tell a story about racism. What I like about this story is even though I know this is not where the “Rumpelstiltskin” story comes from, you almost believe that it could be as the original story fits in so well to this more realistic one.
“Sweet Bruising Skin” by Storm Constantine- In a deliciously dark retelling of perhaps one of our most innocuous tales, “The Princess and the Pea,” “Sweet Bruising Skin” focuses on the mother of a future king, who discovers that he must marry in order inherit the throne. Being a dutiful mother, our anti-heroine asks her alchemist to find him a princess, with disastrous results. I enjoy works of short fiction that explore narrators with dubious morals, and “Sweet Bruising Skin” is a good example of this. I also like the fact that the actual “Princess and the Pea” test is only a small part of this story, allowing the author to tell a bigger, darker tale.
“The Black Swan” by Susan Wade- I expected this story to be a retelling of “Swan Lake,” but it has more in common with “Cinderella” or “Pygmalion.” Ylianna, a rough country royal, desires nothing more than to win the heart of the handsome prince. Her transformation begins innocently enough, but soon spirals out of control. I think that “The Black Swan” is very indicative of the time we live in, which is ironic given that this anthology was originally published in 1996. No longer is it enough for a woman to try to dress nicely or wear makeup. The ideal standards of beauty have been airbrushed and photo shopped into something inhumanly beautiful. Ylianna’s story feels even more tragic when you realize how many women go to similar lengths (extensive plastic surgery, eating disorders) to obtain unachievable perfection.
Final Thoughts: While not all of the stories in Black Thorn, White Rose were to my liking, I found that that plenty of the stories worked just fine for me. A handful of them were really something special. As a result, I would recommend this anthology for anyone looking to read more short fiction inspired by fairy tales. This is the third anthology by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, the first two being The Coyote Road and The Faery Reel. So far, I have enjoyed all three and would recommend them all. Three and a Half Stars.
“Stronger Than Time” by Patricia C. Wrede- “Sleeping Beauty” has never been one of my favorite fairy tale, but this retelling really caught my attention. Near Arven’s home exists a dark tower covered in thorns and the bare bones of princes who have attempted to get inside. When he meets a man who claims that he can infiltrate the tower with Arven’s help, he can’t help but be skeptical. “Stronger Than Time,” while one of the more traditional stories in this collection, nevertheless bucks the trends found in many fairy tales. The ending is more bittersweet than happily ever after, which I think makes it more powerful. Also, our hero doesn’t agree to enter the tower out of a romantic notion for a woman he’s never seen. Instead upon learning of her sad tale, he develops more of a fatherly concern for her, which was a nice change.
“Tattercoats” by Midori Snyder- This is the most overtly sexual in this collection of “adult” tales. Our heroine, Lillian, has found that her relationship with her husband has soured over the years as the two have gotten older. In order to win him back, she draws from special gifts given to her by her mother, three beautiful gowns and a coat made out of many furs. By focusing on the human elements as opposed to the supernatural ones, “Tattercoats” managed to provide a very relatable story about taking control of your relationships. I also appreciated how it managed to turn one of the darkest fairy tales, also known as “Donkeyskins” or “All Fur,” which actually begins with an attempted rape, and turns it into something more uplifting.
“Granny Rumple” by Jane Yolen- This is the second retelling of “Rumpelstiltskin” in the collection, and my favorite of the two. Unlike many of the other stories in this collection, “Granny Rumple” is not a fantasy story set in secondary world. Instead, it is more a work of historical fiction that draws upon a fairy tales to tell a story about racism. What I like about this story is even though I know this is not where the “Rumpelstiltskin” story comes from, you almost believe that it could be as the original story fits in so well to this more realistic one.
“Sweet Bruising Skin” by Storm Constantine- In a deliciously dark retelling of perhaps one of our most innocuous tales, “The Princess and the Pea,” “Sweet Bruising Skin” focuses on the mother of a future king, who discovers that he must marry in order inherit the throne. Being a dutiful mother, our anti-heroine asks her alchemist to find him a princess, with disastrous results. I enjoy works of short fiction that explore narrators with dubious morals, and “Sweet Bruising Skin” is a good example of this. I also like the fact that the actual “Princess and the Pea” test is only a small part of this story, allowing the author to tell a bigger, darker tale.
“The Black Swan” by Susan Wade- I expected this story to be a retelling of “Swan Lake,” but it has more in common with “Cinderella” or “Pygmalion.” Ylianna, a rough country royal, desires nothing more than to win the heart of the handsome prince. Her transformation begins innocently enough, but soon spirals out of control. I think that “The Black Swan” is very indicative of the time we live in, which is ironic given that this anthology was originally published in 1996. No longer is it enough for a woman to try to dress nicely or wear makeup. The ideal standards of beauty have been airbrushed and photo shopped into something inhumanly beautiful. Ylianna’s story feels even more tragic when you realize how many women go to similar lengths (extensive plastic surgery, eating disorders) to obtain unachievable perfection.
Final Thoughts: While not all of the stories in Black Thorn, White Rose were to my liking, I found that that plenty of the stories worked just fine for me. A handful of them were really something special. As a result, I would recommend this anthology for anyone looking to read more short fiction inspired by fairy tales. This is the third anthology by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, the first two being The Coyote Road and The Faery Reel. So far, I have enjoyed all three and would recommend them all. Three and a Half Stars.
gripyfish's review
adventurous
dark
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
kesterbird's review
2.0
this is a spotty collection, but also lacks any stand out stories. I would be willing to read some duds to get to some stars. I finished this book less than a week ago, and I've already forgotten most of the stories because they were just so... bland.
I read these collections because usually there's a least one or two stories that are good enough to look up the authors and find more of their work. Not so, here.
I read these collections because usually there's a least one or two stories that are good enough to look up the authors and find more of their work. Not so, here.
greymalkin's review
3.0
A nice anthology, some stories much stronger than others. None particularly grabbed me as "wow"! But still very solid alt-fairytale collection.
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