Tuesday 8 April 2014

Fairy tales: dark and sensual

I’m currently kindle reading My mother killed me and my father ate me, contemporary interpretations and new takes on Grimm’s fairy tales, which I recommend. (what a title!)  


One of my most treasured books is an old edition of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, beautifully illustrated, which belonged to my late Mum.  I remember as a child sneaking it off the bookshelf, dipping in and being astonished at how gruesome and brutal the stories were.  Not exactly like the Ladybird or Disney versions!  But they fascinated me and later I explored Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber, which recognises the dark sensuality of fairy tales.  



My story Crimson Kisses is fairy tale inspired, as is the very different Slow Poison, my more recent collection of 7 dark short stories with a twist.  The form continues to fascinate me.

1 comment:

  1. prefer something that can give me a good laugh!

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