Fearie tales : stories of the Grimm and gruesome
(Book)

Ranging from a story of a home for extremely bad children (used to scare other youngsters into being better behaved) to a horrific retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, these 15 odd, dark, and horrifying short tales are not for the faint of heart. Compiled by the longtime editor of "Best New Horror" anthologies with the aim of presenting short fiction that echoes the original darker tone of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tales, these contributions by some of the biggest names in horror and fantasy (including Neil Gaiman, Tanith Lee, and Garth Nix) vary widely in feel from the deeply weird and incredibly creepy to the downright terrifying. Each entry is preceded by the fairy tale that inspired it or one that echoes its themes. Lee's (conceptual work on "The Lord of the Rings" films) black-and-white illustrations add a dark vision to the creatures and scenarios presented here. Verdict This well-balanced collection will delight fans of fairy tales, horror, and fantasy, although these works, as with the Grimm originals, are not for children. Read only with the lights on.-Katie Lawrence, Chicago (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Ranging from a story of a home for extremely bad children (used to scare other youngsters into being better behaved) to a horrific retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, these 15 odd, dark, and horrifying short tales are not for the faint of heart. Compiled by the longtime editor of "Best New Horror" anthologies with the aim of presenting short fiction that echoes the original darker tone of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tales, these contributions by some of the biggest names in horror and fantasy (including Neil Gaiman, Tanith Lee, and Garth Nix) vary widely in feel from the deeply weird and incredibly creepy to the downright terrifying. Each entry is preceded by the fairy tale that inspired it or one that echoes its themes. Lee's (conceptual work on "The Lord of the Rings" films) black-and-white illustrations add a dark vision to the creatures and scenarios presented here. Verdict This well-balanced collection will delight fans of fairy tales, horror, and fantasy, although these works, as with the Grimm originals, are not for children. Read only with the lights on.—Katie Lawrence, Chicago (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.