deanjean_reads's review
4.0
Fairytales, with the exception of Grimm's , often seek to simplify things and life in general by assuming a "happily ever after" ending after enduring a life of hardship. The one-dimensional view of "happily ever after" glosses over the difficult and ugly bits of life after "happily ever after". Which brings up the question: what is truly "happiness", and what constitutes as a "happily ever after" ending in real life?
Stories In The End spins a different take by creating their own tales, illustrated with gorgeous art. The titular character/s finds their own happiness through their own acceptance of themselves, gaining new perceptions through loss (in the case of Jack And Alice, where the half-siblings try to find out more about their parents, whom half of which were absent from their lives: for Jack it's Alice's mum, for Alice's it's Jack's dad.) and different concepts of love - Reasons For The Rain and The Crocodile Prince feature homosexuality. There isn't a direct "happily ever after" ending implied in any of the stories...but that's life. Life is a rollercoaster of ups and downs. You deal with whatever crap Murphy's Law throws your way.
In general, if you don't mind meandering plots and pretty illustrations... go on, read it!
Stories In The End spins a different take by creating their own tales, illustrated with gorgeous art. The titular character/s finds their own happiness through their own acceptance of themselves, gaining new perceptions through loss (in the case of Jack And Alice, where the half-siblings try to find out more about their parents, whom half of which were absent from their lives: for Jack it's Alice's mum, for Alice's it's Jack's dad.) and different concepts of love - Reasons For The Rain and The Crocodile Prince feature homosexuality. There isn't a direct "happily ever after" ending implied in any of the stories...but that's life. Life is a rollercoaster of ups and downs. You deal with whatever crap Murphy's Law throws your way.
In general, if you don't mind meandering plots and pretty illustrations... go on, read it!
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