Fairytale fortnight: YA Fairytale Retellings

While the paranormal scene has taken over YA literature since the release of series such as Twilight. There has always been a big scene for retellings of fairytales, and these books have always had a big following


With so many authors writing fairytale retellings, there is such a variety to choose from, but who are the best authors when it comes to bringing an original edge to a well known or lesser known fairytale. In this post I shall explore the variety of fairytale retellings and the authors who bring them to life.



The well known:

                                
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine:
If you haven't read the book or seen the awful film then you have at least heard of it. This book was released in 2000, making it quite old in YA literature terms. The book is a fantastic retelling of Cinderella, about a young girl who is given the gift of obedience. A funny story that deserves all of the attention it gets.
Gail Carson Levine's other works include; Fairest, a retelling of Snow White and plenty of original storylines such as Ever and The Fairy's Mistake.
                             
Beauty by Robin McKinley
Often referred to as the Queen of Retellings (well, maybe only by me... but lots of people think it!) Robin McKinley has written some fantastic retllings, this being one of her most well known. Beauty is a beautiful retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which tells the story in such a poetic way adding some parts but keeping it very much the same, it is impossible to not love this author.
Robin McKinley's other works include Spindle's End, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty and Rose Daughter, another retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and many more retellings as well as fantastic originals, such as The Blue Sword.


The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Shannon Hale is yet another well known fairytale writer, renowned for her poetic and simple prose. This book is the first in a series and an almost straight retelling of The Goose Girl, by The Brothers Grimm. It's the story of a young princess sent away to marry the Prince, but on the way, her lady-in-waiting kidnaps her horse and pretends to be the Princess. The Princess has to work as a goose girl and plan to get her place back. A beautiful retelling!
Hale's other books include The Book of a Thousand day's, a retelling of  Maid Maleen and the sequels to the Goose Girl.




The lesser known but still fantastic:


The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott
This fantastic retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's The Wild Swans, which tells of a Princess that has to rescue her brothers, who have been turned to swans by a wicked stepmother. She is banished, and there meets her handsome prince, later, she has to face the evil stepmother and save her brothers, by making clothes of nettles and save her own handsome prince from the fate of her brothers.
So far Marriott has only released one other book, an original called Daughter of The Flames.


Beastly by Alex Flinn
Beastly is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, in a more contemporary setting. The film was released just yesterday in the UK! It tells the story of a popular, stuck up boy who is turned into an ugly beast by a witch. The only way he can be turned back is by his true love, who just happens to be a shy girl he want to school with. Will true love overcome all obstacles?
Alex Flinn has released other retellings, such as A Kiss in Time, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty and Cloaked, which is a retelling of... a lot!





Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George
This book tells the story of a young girl who can understand animals, when a polar bear comes and asks her to go back to his castle with her, she goes for fear of her life. But the Polar Bear is not what he seems, he is a prince who was turned into a bear by a troll queen, and the young girl has to save him - before he is made to marry an troll princess.
Jessica Day George his written many retellings - Princess of the Midnight Ball uses the plot of the twelve dancing princesses and Princess Of Glass incorporates Cinderella,




The newly released:


Entwined by Heather Dixon
Entwined tells the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, well specifically one of them, Azalea. After the death of their mother, the princesses are not allowed, but then, they meet the keeper, who offers somewhere for them to escape to. She and her princesses dance in The Keepers forest every night for him, because he is trapped, but Azalea doesn't know the cost, and now, she finds it out. The keeper likes to keep things, things like Azalea. Is it too late?
This is Heather Dixon's debut novel.


Mermaid: A twist on the classic tale by Carolyn Turgeon
This retelling of The Little Mermaid will have fans of the Walt Disney movie jumping off their seats. it tells the story of two girls. One a mortal, one a mermaid. Both princesses. When the mortal sees the mermaid in the sea one day, she is shocked, because in the mermaids arms is a sailor. This event changes both princesses lives forever.
Turgeon has written other retellings, such as Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story and a beautiful original; Rain village








So these are my personal choices, but what am I missing, what do you disagree with. Tell me in your comments!