Silver Birch, Blood Moon

My goal for the last year has been to work through the books on my shelves, so my library visits have become rather infrequent. Last month, we stopped into the public library since we happened to be in the neighborhood. And since I can't go to the library without checking something out, I came home with [Silver Birch, Blood Moon], which caught my eye from where it was on display.

[Silver Birch, Blood Moon] is another anthology of short stories, edited by [[Ellen Datlow]] and [[Terri Windling]]. This is apparently fifth in a series inspired by fairy tales. As usual, not all of the contributions were to my taste, but I found many to be quite delightful. I also greatly appreciated the introduction by the editors and the forward to each show more item giving a little background. As a whole, I thought this was quite well done, and I am contemplating searching for the earlier anthologies. I had a hard time completing the book because my querido kept stealing it from me (some of his favorite authors were represented). So the other books might also be a struggle. What I found most surprising was that I was completely unfamiliar with some of the inspirational tales.

As a child, fairy tales were among my favorite reading material, so this collection resonates with me. Moreover, the series has been interpreted as feminist reworkings of classic stories, which makes my skin thrum with sympathetic vibrations even more. Given largely misogynistic societies, the heroine marrying the prince is very unlikely to live happily ever after, as amply demonstrated by many of these tales. Yet the villain isn't always a man--as these stories also vividly illustrate. Exploring the dark mirror of exploitation, violence, suffering, and sacrifice brings to light so many truths hidden by silence and the averted gaze and the putative happy ending of cultural tropes purveyed to our children. That doesn't mean that all of these stories are grim and humorless and without a satisfactory resolution. Indeed, they are written with wit, verve, charm, humor, and stronger, more realistic characters and outcomes that acknowledge human nature, both good and bad.

The volume was quite inclusive. Many of the stories obviously came from European tales, and thus the characters are American or European, but this doesn't always translate into white characters. And several of the stories come from other cultural sources. So there's some racial and ethnic diversity. And while many of the characters appear to be straight, there's at least one story that includes more. And some characters come from privileged upper classes, while others represent some of the most marginalized and vulnerable populations. The writing styles also represented a spectrum: poetry, comedy, horror, fantasy, contemporary fiction.

Stories inspired by the Frog Prince:
"Kiss, Kiss" by [[Tanith Lee]] was one of my favorites in this volume, after a cold start. "The Frog Chauffer" by [[Garry Kilworth]] was amusing enough, and the science geek in me approves of the premise. "Toad" by [[Patricia McKillip]]--she's one of my favorite authors, but I found this disppointing.

Stories inspired by Rumpelstilsken:
"The Price" by [[Patricia Briggs]] was a wonderful alternate version from a favorite author, definitely one of my favorites in this book.
"Marsh-Magic" by Robin McKinley was more loosely based on Rumpelstilsken and featured more original world-building, but the writing wasn't as engaging (far too much exposition), and I didn't care for it much, despite this being another beloved author.

Stories inspired by the Sleeping Princess:
"Glass Coffin" by [[Caitlin R Kiernan]] was quite well done and out of the ordinary. However, it was ugly, and I could not like it. I feel much the same way about [The Yiddish Policeman's Union] by [[Michael Chabon]]--the writing was excellent, yet the imagery so ugly.

Stories inspired by The Fairy Gifts:
[[Nalo Hopkinson]] is a wonderful writer, and "Precious" is no exception. "Toad-Rich" by [[Michael Cadnum]] is another fine, but very different take on

Tales derived from Sleeping Beauty:
"Carabosse" by [[Delia Sherman]] was a pleasant enough poem, and I liked the alternate spin on the "bad fairy's" motivation. "The Wild Heart" by [[Anne Bishop]] was good, but didn't quite do it for me. I liked the themes, but the writing didn't engage. I thought that "You Wandered Off Like a Foolish Child to Break Your Heart and Mine" by [[Pat York]] was another brilliant reinterpretation.

Inspired by [[Hans Christian Anderson]]:
"The Vanishing Virgin" by [[Harvey Jacobs]] was in the ultracomedic and farcical vein. I did not care for it. The source material was "The Flea and the Professor." In contrast, "Ivory Bones" was super-creepy. [[Susan Waden]] modeled it on "Thumbelina." I thought "Clad in Gossamer" by [[Nancy Kress]] was brilliant. This was derived from "The Emperor's New Clothes." [[Melissa Lee Shaw]] interpreted "The Little Mermaid" from the Sea Hag's perspective to address how older women are vilified in patriarchal society.

Inspired by miscellaneous tales:
Neil Gaiman's poem "Locks" plays on fatherhood and Goldilocks. Meh. "The Wilful Child, the Black Dog, and the Beanstalk" by [[Melanie Tam]] is a modern tragedy that draws from multiple tales, but isn't a retelling. "Skin So Green and Fine" by Wendy Wheeler, is one of my top three from this volume, for many reasons. Beauty and the Beast was the story that I loved most as a child. I also appreciated the setting on the island of Hispaniola, and the marriage of Haitian and Dominican cultures, Latino and Afro-Caribbean. Plus the writing was superb. Second is "Arabian Phoenix" by India Edghill. Again, Scheherezade and the Arabian tales are a personal favorite. Again, the writing was excellent, and I appreciated the setting. Finally, to complete the hat trick is "The Shellbox" by Karawynn Long. I have always loved selkies. The writing is wonderful, and the themes universal. A close fourth would be "The Dybbuk in the Bottle," a delightful Jewish morality tale by [[Russell William Asplund]].

That's all 21 contributions, nicely divided up and rated. As much as schmaltzy, saccharine happy endings stimulate my gag reflex (warning! cannot swallow this insult to my system!), I didn't enjoy the tales with truly unhappy endings. So I do like for the protagonist to come out ahead, but with some real trial and tribulation and growth, it seems. Definitely worth reading this thought-provoking collection that challenges our ideas about reward and punishment. show less

This is one of the few short story collections that I have read that I wish would never end. It is a brilliant collection of fairy tale retellings. Thankfully, I have not yet read the other books in this ongoing series and have many more stories to look forward to.

This is one of the few short story collections that I have read that I wish would never end. It is a brilliant collection of fairy tale retellings. Thankfully, I have not yet read the other books in this ongoing series and have many more stories to look forward to.

Silver Birch, Blood Moon is an anthology of re-written fairy tales, with new spins on everything from Shahrazed to the dybbuk of Jewish folklore to several versions of Sleeping Beauty and the Frog Prince. As with any anthology, there is some range in quality of the stories, but overall it's very good.

My favorite stories were Marsh Magic by Robin McKinley (very loosely based on Rumpelstiltskin), Skin So Green And Fine by Wendy Wheeler (a Beauty and the Beast tale), The Wild Heart by Anne Bishop (Sleeping Beauty), The Shell Box by Karawynn Long (The Little Mermaid...sort of) - I'll stop there.

Suffice it to say that I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reimagined fairy tales.

This is one of the few short story collections that I have read that I wish would never end. It is a brilliant collection of fairy tale retellings. Thankfully, I have not yet read the other books in this ongoing series and have many more stories to look forward to.

I didn't like all of the stories in this anthology but I did like most, and liked them well enough that overall I highly recommend this one. I particularly enjoy fairy tale retellings, and several of these were very inventive twists on old tales.

One of Datlow & Windling's excellent series of anthologies of retold/reimagined fairy tales. Terri Windling's one of the only people I've ever written out & out fan mail to - - I'm just that totally in favor of everything she's worked to espouse in literature...
if you haven't seen her website, check it out! : http://www.endicott-studio.com/

Contents of the book are:

* 1 • Introduction • Terri Windling & Ellen Datlow

* 7 • Kiss Kiss • Tanith Lee

Lee's take on the story of The Frog Prince is at first droll, but later melancholy, as it shows how one doesn't always appreciate what one has until it is gone... As usual, beautiful and effective writing from Lee.

* 25 • Carabosse • Delia Sherman

A poem which gives the reader a different show more (feminist) take on the motivations of the fairy whose christening "gift" to Sleeping Beauty was perceived as a curse.

* 28 • The Price • Patricia Briggs

Briggs here transforms the tale of Rumplestiltskin into a romance... the strange-looking but not-unattractive title character uses his magic to try to save the young weaver he loves from the threats of the vicious king... updates the story while staying true to the 'soul' of the genre... very nice! I'll be looking up other work by this author!

* 48 • Glass Coffin • Caitlín R. Kiernan

A contemporary story of a group of young junkies trying to get by, living in a junkyard, and the itinerant drug-dealer boyfriend of one... Only indirectly inspired by the Sleeping Beauty and Snow White tales - fans of Kiernan will likely love this story; fans of fairy tales may not.

* 67 • The Vanishing Virgin • Harvey Jacobs

A weird and rather grotesque tale of a parlor-trick-type magician whose unloved assistant/wife is offered a chance to escape into another land through a secret passage in her trick cabinet... reminded me of Jonathan Carroll (whom I'm not personally a fan of).

* 81 • Clad in Gossamer • Nancy Kress

The Emperor's New Clothes - reimagined as a rather ill-conceived political plot that backfires on an embarrassed prince. A character study of a not-too-savvy individual!

* 92 • Precious • Nalo Hopkinson

Having rubies and diamonds fall from one's mouth at every word isn't necessarily all that fun. As a matter of fact, it's driven the woman in this story away from her abusive husband, who regards her only as a source of riches - and driven her into self-imposed silence - until she finds a way to use her gift/curse to solve both issues at once...

* 100 • The Sea Hag • Melissa Lee Shaw

In this version of The Little Mermaid, the main difference is that the undersea witch who performs the transforming magic for the mermaid is actually loving, not evil. It's the mermaid's father who turns out to be the bad guy. Shaw gives her mermaid a happy ending - but does it in a much more touching and romantic manner than the Disney version.

* 122 • The Frog Chauffeur • Garry Kilworth

When a middle-aged spinster wakes from a nap by the lake to find a young and beautiful naked man lying by her side, she finds she's pretty easily seduced... but a young lover who used to be a frog may have some rather unusual qualities....

* 132 • The Dybbuk in the Bottle • Russell William Asplund

When a poor Jewish farmer with dreams of grandeur finds a magical bottle, complete with 'genie,' of course he thinks he can use this spirit's powers to make himself great and renowned as the famous rabbis of yore... but soon the dybbuk has him in such a state, due to his twisting around of wishes, that he needs to seek out his own rabbi for help.
The story is both funny and touching, with the feel of an actual traditional tale from the Jewish tradition...

* 157 • The Shell Box • Karawynn Long

When a lonely woman receives the only offer of marriage she's ever had, she commits to her new husband totally, willing to sacrifice nearly everything to make him happy and do as he wishes. In her love, she is blind to the fact that the poor fisherman she has tied herself to is a proud, cruel and indifferent man. It takes her only friend to show her that her husband did not merely lose, but actively stole and hid that which was most valuable to her, in an attempt to totally control her.
Although this is definitely a 'story with a message' about abusive relationships, it's written with subtlety and sensitivity, and rises above its agenda.

* 193 • Ivory Bones • Susan Wade

A rather horrible (as in horrific, not 'bad') story of Thumbelina.... narrated by a man who bought Thumbelina from her mother as a curiosity, and imprisoned her in a gilded cage - with no comprehension of why she tried to escape (with tragic result).

* 203 • The Wild Heart • Anne Bishop

A retelling of Sleeping Beauty where the wall of thorns springs up as a protective reaction to the princess' rape by her mother's lover, and the resolution is that the princess, in order to be 'rescued,' must heal enough to rejoin with herself, not to be joined with a prince. Shares a lot, thematically, with her later Black Jewels trilogy. (Bishop was 'discovered' through her contributions to this series.)

* 215 • You Wandered Off Like a Foolish Child to Break Your Heart and Mine • Pat York

A gorily disturbing story of the mothers and families of princes caught in the legendary wall of thorns trying to prolong the lives of their loved ones, no matter what. A comment on the unhealthy aspects of motherly love? A statement about vain suffering? I'm not sure...

* 231 • Arabian Phoenix • India Edghill

Very much a feel-good story about a young girl in a modern Islamic kingdom, where the king is marrying a different young, intelligent girl every week or so... and none of the brides have been seen again. However, their fate may be just slightly different than in the traditional stories of this ilk you may have heard... A bit of wishful thinking in this one, but's it's still enjoyable.

* 251 • Toad-Rich • Michael Cadnum

Another story of the two sisters, one who has jewels spurt out of her mouth at every word, the other who has 'vermin' emit with her emissions... This one makes the point that rare spiders and reptiles may be more valuable in the long run than opals and pearls.

* 258 • Skin So Green and Fine • Wendy Wheeler

Here, the story of Beauty & the Beast is transposed into a tale of Haitian voodoo, when a Catholic girl leaves her poverty-stricken family to marry a rich but strange-looking and mysterious gentleman. Perhaps not culturally accurate, but a richly flavored and colorful story.

* 289 • The Willful Child, the Black Dog, and the Beanstalk • Melanie Tem

A social worker is briefly drawn into the life of a young girl obsessed with fairy tales who has murdered her foster mother. It reminds her uncomfortably of her loss of her own delinquent daughter.

* 313 • Locks • Neil Gaiman

A short poem about telling his daughter the story of Goldilocks.

* 319 • Marsh-Magic • Robin McKinley

A traditional but original fantasy of a kingdom where, generations ago, the royalty made a bargain with the fey and mysterious marsh-folk, seemingly to the benefit of both - each king will marry a marsh-woman, and in return the marsh folk will live in their own ways, without oppression or interference. But, twenty generations down the road, a bold young woman discovers that there are darker aspects to this mage-enforced bargain than either side suspected...

* 354 • Toad • Patricia A. McKillip

McKillip is one of my favorite authors, but this short musing on the story of the frog prince, while interesting, is not one of her most amazing works. show less