Fairy tales (+ can someone recommend a book?)

Samsonet · Sep 18, 2015

I don't know if this is a trend or just something I've only noticed now, but there've been a lot of fairytale boarding schools crossing my path lately: the School for Good and Evil books, the Ever After High series, Disney's Descendants.

So. Is anyone writing/has anyone written something with a focus on fairytales? Have you read/seen any of the stories mentioned above, and if so, what do you think of them?

Most importantly, does anyone know a book where the main characters of non-European fairytales go to school together?

morngnstar · Sep 18, 2015

I have written a couple unfinished things with fairy tale leanings. One is original; for another I deliberately looked for inspiration among some of Grimms' lesser-known tales.

You can also consider Russian fairy tales if your reason for preferring non-European tales is just to use something lesser known. A teenage Vasilisa with Baba Yaga as an exacting high-school teacher could be fun.

JoyMC · Sep 19, 2015

There's also STORYBOUND and STORY'S END by Marissa Burt, and Chris Colfer's LAND OF STORIES books, both European-based. My daughter is obsessed with the SCHOOL FOR GOOD & EVIL ones. It is a trope that's commonly done, but also timeless.

I can't think of one with non-European characters.

frimble3 · Sep 19, 2015

I think one of the problems with 'Non-European characters go to school together' is making it plausible that characters from a wide range of countries, cultures and types of fairy-tales would go to the same school.

jlmott · Sep 19, 2015

There is the Kane Chronicles series by Rick Riordian, not based on fairy tales but Egyptian mythology. But I suspect that the reason you see more eurocentric fairy tale characters is that they are more recognizable in the predominant culture and so require less explanation. When you have a Cinderella type character, most people know more or less what to expect.

Samsonet · Sep 19, 2015

frimble3 said:
I think one of the problems with 'Non-European characters go to school together' is making it plausible that characters from a wide range of countries, cultures and types of fairy-tales would go to the same school.

I should probably clarify: I'm not necessarily looking for a kitchen sink of world fairytales so much as a series that focuses on different fairytales than the ones that show up over and over. They can be country/region-specific, just... not European. Or at least not Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.

Thanks for the suggestions, you guys! I'll have to check them out.

Fairy tales (+ can someone recommend a book?)

Samsonet

Just visiting

morngnstar

JoyMC

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

jlmott

Hello, I must be going

Samsonet

Just visiting