Creeping Beauty: Fairy Tales Gone Bad

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One of the reasons it was so hard for me to get into the story is because the plot is barely there until things start to pick up around the 50% mark. The plot is a retelling of the story that is far more appropriate for a young girl than a strange man kissing someone while they are sleeping. Up to this point, the events of the narrative are not so far removed from more well-known versions of Sleeping Beauty (such as Perrault’s 1697 rendering), but then as the kingdom is covered with thorny rose tendrils, Eshe tries to put everything right, rather than waiting for a prince to come to the rescue.

I did like the unique style but admit a few times I had to remind myself this was meant to be a sort of dream/alternate world. I am shocked that this was compared to Heartless, which had fantastic world-building and atmosphere.I loved the concept of falling into a deep sleep and simultaneously into another world and the world building is the start of something great but the story and characters didn't quite connect for me.

I thought Bitsy was a great female character at the end of the book, I loved watching her character development throughout the book from being one that would shy away from things to being someone who is fighting for something. I loved their back and forth and really thought they were the only ones who would be able to appreciate each other at their bests and handle each other at their worsts. Bitsy is as lost in the world she's taken to as a naïve lamb would be and ridiculously mismatched to the "creepy" atmosphere of that world and its mad king.I feel fantasy books work much better in third person as you get so much more information about the characters. It is then up to the author to get you to fully commit hours of your life on their story, all the while everyone is hoping for the grand payout -- an excellent story and a happy reader. The idea is there and there are many pieces that could have given this a more feminist lean, but it wasn’t executed well. Luckily, there is some character growth, and the main plot goes through all her triumphs and pitfalls that keep the reader interested.

As for the actual writing, there are moments where the story feels like middle-grade and others where it felt like young adult. Not to mention the plotline is so haphazard that it ends on a major cliffhanger (and bear in mind this book doesn't have a continuation, "The End" is written right there at the end, like in some Looney Tunes skit), and it all leaves you dissatisfied and confused. The problem here is that a poorly constructed world with nonexistent threats, gave no real weight to her supposed change, leaving her as she started -- as deep as a puddle. Having shown me all these kingdoms, I would have thought to be able to picture them in my mind, but I could not. Portes's second novel, BURY THIS, was published in January 2014 by Counterpoint Press's imprint Soft Skull Press to critical acclaim.He is the presenter of BBC's Teach Poetry (Oct 2018) and features in DiscoveryEDUK's Poetry Curriculum.

I am currently editing my first YA novel which I hope to be able to share with you all in the future. Following on from Zombierella and Frankenstiltskin, this is the third and final book in a deliciously dark trilogy of twisted classics, written in verse by award-winning poet Joseph Coelho and illustrated by Freya Hartas. She’s pretty much a spoiled brat, complaining about everything she must do as princess to a kingdom. She after all was considered plain in her world and here she was viewed as beautiful, but she didn’t allow that to deter her desire to be a better person and help others and not focus on just herself. Her father’s journal entries definitely served a purpose, but they also stagnated the flow anytime they showed up.

I won’t challenge that a little more editorial support would have made this a tighter and more enticing telling but, the plot and flow is nuanced and well managed, and it meets the requirements for a young YA story that challenges the reader about their own views and preconceptions. If you’re looking for a fairytale reimagining this could be something you’ll really enjoy but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It is quite a quick paced tale and the writing was easy to get into but I was hoping for more atmosphere in the sinister and cut throat land that Bitsy is transported to. Creeping Beauty takes a Sleeping Beauty retelling with a dash of Through the Looking Glass to create a unique fairy tale story. Therefore, it was okay for the main character and her friends to use the other group because they were savages who wouldn't understand.