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My Reflections on Fairytale Retellings
Let’s face it. A wide range of Cinderella adaptations are available in the form of movies and books.
We have the live action with Lily James, the “A and Another Cinderella Stories” with Hilary Duff, Lucy Hale, and Selena Gomez. AND one with Camila Cabello. There’s no shortage of these fairytale retellings.
So, why do we keep retelling the same fairytales over and over again? Why do we keep reading them?
What’s So Captivating About Fairytale Retellings? Why are they Endlessly Retold?
What makes retellings truly enchanting is their ability to explore a wide range of themes and perspectives beyond the original pieces.
They can offer fresh interpretations of these timeless tales. They subvert the original fairytales’ tropes.
Exploration of a Main character
Let’s just take Cinderella as an example. The original, animated one, mind you.
Indeed, it teaches you that kindness can take you to unexpected places. And it does for Ella.
Her kindness to the fairy-godmother even when she was having her own crisis lands her in a beautiful gown, and a pumpkin carriage, to a highly-anticipated ball. And there she meets Prince Charming.
But what this film lacked was the exploration of Prince Charming’s character—an aspect that is much improved upon in the live action of Cinderella starring Lily James. Kit had personality long before he met Ella, didn’t he?
Take the Cursebreaker series by Tricia Levenseller, a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
The main female protagonist, Harper, defies the typical expectations concerning fairy tale princesses and emerges as a powerful, formidable character, despite her personal struggles with Cerebral Palsy.
She challenges the conventional stereotype of a helpless woman and transforms into a strong and self-reliant character.
One who courageously fights her own battles but also has enough awareness about herself to ask for help when necessary.
Adding this depth to “Beauty”, or Harper, ensures an even more engaging experience for readers.
Find my review of the Cursebreaker series here.
Exploration of A Side Character
What about the fairy godmother in Cinderella? Does she ever get her happily ever after? Doesn’t it get tiring after a while?
“Meanwhile, the fairy godmother, disguised as a parlor maid, was two-handed stress eating French pastries as she watched the minute hand on the clock tower. But that last part never gets included because nobody cares. It’s not her story. So nobody gives a magical mouse turd about the fairy godmother’s problems.”
Glimpsed, G. F. Miller
Well, Glimpsed does give a magical mouse turd about the fairy godmother’s problems—it should since it’s about one in high-school. My interview of G. F. Miller here can shed more light on this.
Retellings are perfect if you want something familiar but simultaneously unexpected.
Are All Fairytale Retellings Great and Worthwhile?
The answer to this is complicated.
I know I didn’t enjoy the flipping of the fairytale narrative in Netflix’s Damsel. It wasn’t about the subversion.
Empowering women, feminism—I’m all for it. It was mostly because it wasn’t done right (Check out my review of Damsel)
But I know that many enjoyed Damsel. It’s a reminder that taste is subjective.
Everyone is looking for something different in stories in general. What might resonate with you may not with another person.
However, these are simply my reflections on the subject of fairytale retellings. What do you think about them? Let me know in the comments below!
