This post was originally published on Audible.com.
Fairy tales, mythology, and folklore have provided an endless fount of inspiration and imagination for writers for centuries. So, it’s no surprise that as sensibilities shift and these tales are revisited with a modern lens, creators feel the pull to reinvent, reimagine, and refocus. Here, we’ve gathered the best fairy and folk tale retellings of all time, from both new and best-selling writers alike. What magic will you discover within?
Naomi Novik’s “Rumpelstiltskin” reimagining gives the young woman with a talent for spinning silver into gold more agency—but as word of her talent spreads, she’ll need to team up with an unlikely ally to save all that is precious to her.
Ava Reid’s debut novel calls upon both Hungarian history and Jewish folklore to tell the tale of a young woman with hidden magic and her captor, who must form a pact to save their people from a tyrant.
This reimagining of “Red Riding Hood” gives both Red and the Big Bad Wolf new roles. As a second daughter, Red must be sacrificed to the woods and the wolf within—but she soon discovers that the magic she thought was a curse is instead a blessing.
In her debut novel, part of the Winternight Trilogy, Katherine Arden draws upon Russian folklore and fairy tales (including the classic antagonist Baba Yaga) to tell an enchanting adventure story about one girl’s quest to save her village—and herself—from ancient evils.
Many of the best fairy tale homages narrow in on one of the supporting characters from the original, and All the Ever Afters does just that with about as classic a villain as they come: Cinderella’s evil stepmother. But good, evil, and beauty are not what you might expect in this evocative retelling.
What if Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf were one in the same? That’s the premise explored in Rachel Vincent’s YA novel, centered around a young woman who must protect her village as a guardian: a woman who takes the shape of a wolf to fight off the monsters lurking deep within the surrounding forest.
This YA novel incorporates elements of “Snow White and Rose Red” to tell the tale of two sisters whose bond is anything but easy, as they live with the knowledge that one of them is doomed: cursed to be taken away and transformed into a swan. Blanca & Roja is a beautiful complex tale that intertwines fairy tale magic with real-life teen concerns, including race, gender identity, and belonging.
Intisar Khanani’s retelling of “The Goose Girl” also sees a young woman unwittingly betrothed to a prince. She finds an escape when a sorceress transforms her from a princess into a lowly servant. But when the kingdom faces trouble, she must choose whether to embrace or leave behind her simple existence.
This fresh, dystopian LGBTQIA+ tale takes place 200 years after Cinderella’s fateful wedding to the prince and focuses in on Sophia, who would much rather marry her best friend, Erin, than participate in the Annual Ball—where the men of the kingdom select women for marriage, and those unselected are never heard from again.
Tomi Adeyemi’s explosive debut fantasy was the publishing event of the year in 2018, and Bahni Turpin’s incredible performanced sealed its place as Audiobook of the Year in the annual Audies ceremony. Though wholly original, the trilogy draws upon West African folklore and mythology to weave a coming-of-age tale of long-forgotten magic.
Alexandra Christo’s standalone novel reinvents Hans Christian Andersen’s "Little Mermaid" as Lira, a deadly siren who is cursed by the Sea Queen to become human. And her beloved prince? A renowned siren hunter who finds her at sea. To seek revenge, she promises him a way to destroy her kind forever in this dark tale.
This middle-grade series opener, based on the Grimms' fairy tale of the same name, remains fairly faithful to the original. Writer Shannon Hale uses this story to kick off her Books of Bayern—a series of adventures featuring strong young characters.
Elizabeth Lim draws from both Western fairy tales (notably the Grimms' “Six Swans”) and East Asian folklore in this epic series starter about forbidden magic, dark conspiracies, and the binds of family.
In this series of 13 interconnected stories, Emma Donoghue (Room) breathes new life into familiar tales and their heroes—from Cinderella and Snow White to Beauty's Beast.
Novelist Helen Oyeyemi is known for her magical, imaginative tales, and Boy, Snow, Bird is no exception. This inventive retelling of Snow White evokes questions about beauty, race, and family while turning the “wicked stepmother” trope as you’ve never seen it before.
Award-winning horror/fantasy writer Victor LaValle’s The Changeling is not a retelling of one specific fairytale per se, but a brilliant, terrifying amalgamation of myth, folklore, and Lovecraftian horror for the modern age—set in New York City.
Fantasy writer Sarah J. Maas needs little introduction. In this epic, romantic starter, influenced by Beauty and the Beast, a huntress kills a wolf and is taken by a fearsome beast, a member of the Fae world, as retribution. She soon discovers he’s anything but a monster and must decide between her old life and saving his.
Another Cinderella retelling, this futuristic sci-fi tale from best-selling YA writer Marissa Meyer turns the titular character into a cyborg caught in the middle of an intergalactic struggle—and a forbidden romance.
Ashley Poston’s nerdy, fun Once Upon a Con series combines winks and nods to modern fandom with well-known fairy tales—starting with the classic Cinderella, in which the famous stagecoach takes the form of a pumpkin-shaped food truck.
