Like many readers, I keep a list of books that aren’t in my possession but that I would like to read. While some of the titles on it are ones yet to be published that have been added as a reminder to preorder them, others are ones that have been recommended to me on social media and form a rolling list of reads to provide my family with ideas for birthday and Christmas presents.

One such title on the list is this one – a book that was published in hardback a little over a year ago that I really liked the sound of but somehow never got round to reading. Deciding to check out the YA titles on NetGalley after not spotting anything I fancied in the children’s section, I was thrilled to spot this and when I saw it was available to download immediately, took it as fate that I was meant to read it. A wonderful collection of seven fairy tales – most of which will be familiar to readers – brought up to date for a modern audience, this is a great read for anyone who is a fan of folklore, short stories or both, and one I very much enjoyed.

Turning the original stories on their heads, here the author has given us a series of female protagonists who are not the stereotypical, beautiful princesses waiting patiently for a handsome prince to sweep them off their feet that I grew up with, but young women who know their own minds and are determined to follow their own rules, whether that be in order to find true love or simply to stay alive.

By renaming all of the stories that have been included, each has been given a new identity and a fresh lease of life so that when we encounter characters such as Little Red Riding Hood within the book’s pages we very quickly know not to expect the usual what big eyes you have Grandma but can only read on to see just what will happen – not just to the protagonists but also those that they encounter, such as the Wolf or the Frog Prince.

While some readers will associate fairy tales with the Disneyfied films that they may have watched at some point or the stories that they read as children, these are not the sort of fare enjoyed by those at primary school. Much darker in their content, and certainly not the fluffy, sanitised versions that are most often aimed at young readers, these have been written with a teenage audience in mind – one that is more aware of the problematic nature of some of the old texts and one that is better able to read between the lines to enjoy these stories more fully.

As well as creating these new takes on the stories, the author has also given readers some wonderful illustrations, a rarity in those reads aimed at high school students, many of which have a sinister feel to them to encourage those picking this up to see that this is not the stuff of their younger days but a treat for their more mature, discerning selves.

Perfect for readers in KS3 upwards, at just under 200 pages and comprising seven short stories, this is ideal for those readers who want or need a shorter title than many of those that are available. Sadly, there seem to be no current plans for a second volume, which I think is a very great shame. With so much source material to work with, I really hope Annet Schaap can be tempted to give us another selection of tales to enjoy.

My enormous thanks, of course, go to publisher Pushkin Press and to NetGalley for my virtual read of this title. Girls is on sale now in both hardback and paperback formats.

A twisted tales type book on some old fairy tales. Darker. more rebellious and modernist. These are a collection of short stories, which are good for a quick read. I finished the book in less than an hour, but enjoyed the book. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

I felt like a few of the stories ended before we got to the actual punchline. I usually love retelling but these almost felt unfinished. There are illustrations however which I’m a sucker for!

𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙠𝙞𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!

“Today smells of adventure.”

This feminist retelling and in some cases modernization of traditional and well known western fairytales was not what I expected to read. That being said it was a breath of freshness air compared to the Disney version I am used to and more agency the girls and princesses than their earlier versions as well. In this collection, “living happily ever after”. Is about unrealistic an ending as finding your Prince Charming. Happy endings aren’t going to be found within these pages. However, hope and freedom of choice exist for these women. Objects can become subjects when they give up their own daydreams of becoming a princess

Many authors, from Anne Thackeray Ritchie on, have adapted and retold fairy tales in ways that modernize them for girls. I think Annet Schaap is one of the more successful ones with <i>Girls</i>. Rather than overtly deconstructing the tales, she instead twists them just so, pointing out small details that keep them timeless while also leaving the original themes largely intact. This is most successful in "Mr. Stiltskin," which has an ending I never saw coming (and absolutely love), but "Blue" and "Monster Girl" also both do excellent things with their original tales. Themes of agency, of self-sacrifice that doesn't need to happen, and children who learn what's really in the forest all come together to form an original and unique collection of folklore.

Sometimes there are wolves. Sometimes sleepers never wake. And sometimes we can find a way to overcome them all.

Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin Press for this early read!! I actually very much enjoyed these translated and reworked fairy tales. I thought they did an interesting play on the “girl and prince” plot we find in many fairy tales. I do think they are for a higher YA due to possible spooky content.

I love the fairy tale retelling of this collection of books, each story felt like they belonged in this genre. It uses the concept perfectly and was enjoying the overall feel of this collection. Annet Schaap wrote this perfectly for the modern generation and still have that magic that I was looking for.

I adored this translated YA collection of feminist takes on folk tales and fairy stories from Dutch author Annet Schaap, translated by Laura Watkinson.

Schapp kicks things off with Mr Stiltskin, and it’s a terrific start. We follow the path of the traditional tale, but the surprise ending is absolutely perfect.

Wolf, a twist on Red Riding Hood, is fascinating, with a wolf constrained by a collar that only allows him to stray into designated areas. Frog, an interpretation of The Princess and the Frog, teaches us that turning an amphibian into a prince isn’t necessarily an upgrade.

Blue, a retelling of Bluebeard, is a fascinating insight into the relationship and jealousy between two sisters. The theme of sisters continues in Sleeper, where a twin gets sick, and is placed in an eternal sleep.

Monster Girl, the final story, is especially moving. A princess who doesn’t exactly fit the visual stereotype is sent to an island with her governess, to wait for a prince who may or may not arrive. However, when a sailor washes ashore, the princess begins to question the limitations placed upon her.

A wonderful collection, which I have dubbed “baby’s first Bloody Chamber”. Schaap’s illustrations to accompany the tales are gorgeous. Recommended for young people and adults alike.

A beautifully written and illustrated short story collection, easy to read but still impactful. I especially enjoyed the modern rendition of Rumplestilskin.