A collection of fairytale and folklore rewrites, some thought-provoking, some whimsical, some humorous, and some deeply disturbing. In the back of the book is a history for each piece, Yolen’s thoughts on the piece, and an accompanying poem.

As with most short story collections, this was a mixed bag for me. I loved some. I did not like others. And some I found came with complicated emotions. Thus the 3 star rating. The five stars definitely balance out the 1 stars. I did really like knowing the background of each tale and hearing Yolen’s thoughts on each one. Most all of the tales her have appeared in other publications before, but I am a pretty wide fairy tale reader and had only encountered 1 of these tales before. So probably only the most ardent Yolen fans will find most of the tales old familiars. The accompanying poems are also interesting, and several of them are new for this publication. Some of my favorite stories in here were: “Happy Dens or A Day in the Old Wolves’ Home” which features a lamb who is a nurse going to work at an old folk’s home populated entirely by wolves, and the wolves tell their versions of their stories to straighten out the nurse’s view of them; “Granny Rumple” which retells Rumpelstiltskin as historical fiction involving a kind Jewish money lender who is repaid for his kindness with death; “One Ox, Two Ox, Three Ox and the Dragon King” which is based on Chinese folklore about three loving sons who must confront dragons to help their mother; “Slipping Sideways through Eternity” about a teen girl who travels back in time with Elijah to the Holocaust on an important mission (this is different from her A Devil’s Arithmetic plot); “The Faery Flag” a story set in Scotland dealing with a man who falls in love with a faery and somewhat reminded me of Brigadoon; “One Old Man with Seals” which is a modern story of a 75 year old female protagonist who discovers a man on her island who reminds her of an old myth; “Sleeping Ugly” which is a fantastic fractured version of Sleeping Beauty (and yes, this is the same version as appears as an easy reader picture book); “Great-Grandfather Dragon’s Tale” which features a great-grandfather dragon telling his grandkids about the origins of their Thanksgiving, and is based on St. George and the Dragon (I would love to see this one expanded into a middle grade novel or done as a graphic novel); “Green Plague” which sees the village of Hamelin (famous tourist destination for their rat tale) dealing with a new plague of frogs; “Cinder Elephant” which is a Cinderella retelling featuring a plus-sized Cinderella with some kind-hearted but fashion-awkward bird friends and a prince who loves her awkward fashion, plus size and all; “The Woman Who Loved a Bear” which features a grandfather telling a tale to his grandchild (who frequently interrupts much to the reader’s amusement) about a Native American woman kidnapped from her tribe and then restored to her lands with the help of a bear, based on a Native American folktale. Due to some of the content (see notes below), this collection is definitely best in the hands of young adult and adult readers, though I can see younger children enjoying be read a few of the tales (“Happy Dens,” “One Ox, Two Ox, Three Ox and the Dragon King,” “Sleeping Ugly,” “Great-Grandfather Dragon’s Tale,” “Green Plague,” “Cinder Elephant,” and “The Woman Who Loved a Bear” would be my top picks for read alouds to kids.) Definitely a collection to consider for those young adult and adult readers who enjoy fractured fairy tales and short stories or poems. There are also several stories worth reading if you’re interested in Jewish studies or the Holocaust from the Jewish perspective (Yolen is from a Jewish family).

Notes on content (I’m putting the story beside if I can remember which one the comment belongs to): A few instances of mild swearing “Wrestling with Angels,” some with creative spelling “The Bridge’s Complaint.” Some nakedness mentioned (not described) “Brother Hart.” One rape is mentioned and another is hinted at (not described at all) “Sule Skerry.” Some heavy kissing and vague references to sexual activity “Sun/Flight,” “The Undine,” The Golden Balls.” No sex scenes, but that some characters have sex is intimated. “Allerleirauh” involves incest. One death by blunt force trauma, not gorily described but the murderer does get away with it, “Snow in Summer”. One death and several injuries in a pogrom “Granny Rumple”. One death by hunting that happens off page “Brother Hart.” One death by stabbing with some blood described, and a future death by drowning hinted at “Sun/Flight.” Deaths in the Holocaust mentioned “Godmother Death,” “Slipping Sideways through Eternity,” Sister Death.” Deaths in childbirth by bleeding out are somewhat described “Allerleirauh.” Vampire violence “Mama Gone.” Some deaths to make things more convenient for a king are mentioned. A character who drinks a lot is included, but reforms “Wrestling with Angels.”

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Yolen is an amazing writer. I have loved all that I have read by her and this was no different.

I'm not a typical short story consumer, but I truly enjoyed reading the different tales she wove in How to Fracture a Fairy Tale. This is perfect for fantasy lovers looking for something they have never seen before.

It is something fresh from a master of her field, what is there not to like?

I love that we get a special section of her commentary as we go. It creates a connection for the reader that I think will be appreciated and enjoyed. These tales all offer something to learn, but it isn't always the original moral of the story.

Would recommend!

This collection of fractured fairy tales — from the fractured fairy tale queen herself Jane Yolen — is all over the map. From a version of the Three Billy Goats Gruff told from the bridge’s point of view, to an incestual Cinderella, stories about and from the mouths of dragons, and that awkward moment when Death is your godmother, each story comes with an accompanying poem and runs the gamut from middle grade to adult fiction. Warning: happy endings need not apply.

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale is a compilation of the world's greatest hits, matching old tales with new characters and settings. Yolen is a master of the fairy tale form - you'll find her writing style both enchanting and enticing as you wind through these modern adaptations to discover her unique perspective. The collection is a masterpiece of fairy tale storytelling, one that should be read by lovers of fairy tales and those new to the genre.

I'm a lover of fairy tales. I've long collected various editions of the Grimm and Andersen stories, reveling in their intricate illustrations and terrifying tales meant to scare children into behaving. Our culture has changed these stories since their inception, their modern retellings meant to enchant in lieu of fear. 

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale is that rare addition to the genre - a modern take on the tales that doesn't seem forced, that sticks with the enchanting cadence of fairy tale storytelling while still feeling fresh. I was delighted by the changes made to tales I know well, and fascinated at the stories I had never read. 

Full review will be published at: https://reviewsandrobots.com/2018/11/05/how-to-fracture-a-fairy-tale-modern-meets-magical/

I am torn on how to review this book. I adore fractured fairy tales. Some of the stories that Yolen tells are entertaining and thought provoking, but a number of them I found to be dull and confusing. I also failed to know a number of the fairy tales. The best part of this book was actually the back of the book where Yolen explained how she came about writing each of the tales. I almost wish that she had started each tale with her own explanation. I was super excited about getting to read this book, but I felt that it fell flat.

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen was such a fun read. Apparently I have been living under a rock because I had no idea that Yolen wrote anything other than picture books. I use her “How Do Dinosaurs” series in storytime at the library often, so when I saw that she wrote a YA book I was intrigued. Turns out she is the author or editor of more than 365 books and has won a ton of awards for her work. On her website she actually has an event going called #Yolen365 where you can read a book a day.

How to Fracture a Fairy Tales is a selection of short stories based on various fairy tales and folk stories. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this book since I rarely read YA and I couldn’t tell you the last time I read a short story. I ended up loving it! These stories were so creative and fun. I loved that despite being “fractured” they kept the essence of the original fairy tales. Many of the stories were dark and did not have the happy endings we are used to with Disney and other retellings. Though I really enjoyed all of the tales, a few stood out to me. Some of my favourites were “Granny Rumple”, “Green Plague”, “Once a Good Man”, and “The Bridge’s Complaint”. All of the stories were so unique. Some were serious and dark, and then it would be followed by a tale that would make me laugh out loud. “The Bridge’s Complaint” will stick with me for some time because I couldn’t believe that someone could take the tale of the “Three Billy Goats Gruff”, tell it from the Bridge’s point of view and entertain me so much. Also, I loved that Yolen drew inspiration from tales from stories all over the world and set her new fractured fairy tales in a variety of different locations as well. I love a good fairy tale retelling and I will definitely be checking out some of Yolen’s other works.

*thank you to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

3 stars.

"How to Fracture a Fairy Tale" How could you not want to read a book with that title? I love fairy tales so of course as soon as I saw this I just had to request a copy. While I hadn't read anything by Jane Yolen, I have read many good comments and reviews of her books. So I was rather interested in this for both of those reasons. Unfortunately, I was a little let down. While I liked some of the stories, there were a few that didnt really hold up for me and were just average. Still none of the stories were bad which is why I'm giving this 3 stars instead of 2. Would I still read another of Jane Yolen's books? Yes, yes I would. If you are in the mood for a retelling, or a fracture as Jane Yolen puts it, then this is an alright collection and because they are all such short stories, you can pick up this book and put it down as often as you like. It's pretty good for when you dont have much free time but still want to get some reading time in.

This was quirky cute. It’s olden fairytales with newer twists, short for little burst reading so you don’t have to read it all at once you can read a tale or two then set it aside for a bit. I’m a huge fan of fairytales so this would be a must have for any fairytale enthusiast collection.

This is the perfect read for anyone wanting a Disney antidote. Such refreshing retelling, you will fall in love all over again. With a delightful narrative voice throughout, the reader will never stop at just one tale.

I really enjoyed these twisted fairytales. The length of the stories was perfect. I will definitely recommend this book at my library.

Jane Yolen does it again, particularly her short taking place during the Holocaust. I've been a fan for as long as I've been bookselling, and Jane Yolen makes our job INCREDIBLY easy! This is simply an amazing read!

Jane Yolen's writing style is amazing and really grabbed me from the very beginning. The lyrical and atmospheric writing had me in awe at times. I am a lover of fairy tales, and this collection of retellings was by far my favorite of any that I have read in the past. I will be recommending this collection to all of my friends and all of the wonderful people at my bookstore as well!

The stories in this book ranged from a 2 to a high 4 for me. Some were super interesting gems and others I just didn’t “get”. Still, it left me wanting to read more Jane Yolen in the hopes of finding more of those gems! I don’t think it’s a “rush out and buy this” book but if you like fairy tales and/or short stories I think it’s worth a try!

I love fairy tell retellings and had high hopes for How to Fracture a Fairy Tale. I enjoyed some of the new mythologies that I wasn't familiar with. There are a lot of beautifully twisted fairy tales here but there are also many that are just weird. I definitely wouldn't recommend this to younger readers as there is a lot of age-inappropriate themes and could be triggering for sensitive readers. I do, however, understand that as with a lot of original fairytales, in true Brother Grimm style, they bear little resemblance to Disney's watered down versions. While I wasn't expecting wholesome fairy tales, some of these were a bit harsh and gritty. Some of the stories felt way too short and left me wanting more. Others seemed to drag along. Overall, a good read for those who are looking for a new twist on old stories but not something that I would reread.

I jumped at the chance to read this early. I love all fairy tales, even those who have been re-imagined with new endings. Jane Yolen is a masterful storyteller and keeps the stories dark yet charming which is a difficult balance. There are stories from Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm, Native American stories, Greek Mythology, Japanese folk tales, Celtic mythology and more.

They remind of the old Fractured Fairy Tales. There is a Snow White located in West Virginia and many other tales from around the world. I read an advance copy on my kindle and I’m pre-ordering it to add it into our geography studies.

The title alone caught my attention, and then when I saw that this book was written by Jane Yolen, I knew I had to read it!

In an introduction by Marissa Meyer, she writes, "There is a history of tales told and retold that spans centuries--even millennia--and reaches to all corners of the globe."

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale, by Jane Yolen, is a collection of short stories and poems based on familiar fairy tales--but altered in fun, creepy, and imaginative ways. Yolen explains, "A fracture is a break . . . [it] can hurt like a sprain or reveal like a geode being split apart to show the jewels within."

Yolen takes well-known fairy tales and splits them apart, sometimes leaving them still quite familiar and other times shining a light from an unfamiliar angle to reveal new truths and possibilities.

This collection is a perfect choice to read when you have only a few minutes at a time to devote to the book. Read it while you're waiting at the doctor's office, or waiting in line to pick up your kids, or waiting anywhere!

Some of my favorite lines from the book:

"I felled her with a single blow of the fry pan."

"Of course he had the big bran-muffin eyes and the sled-jump nose and the gingko-leaf ears that identify a troll immediately."

"Instead she floated like a swan and the river bore her on."

3,5 stars

I will admit that I have never read anything by Jane Yolen before. But when this cover with that title, I mean how can you pass up How to Fracture a Fairytale as a title, passed me by I knew I had to give it a shot. This book is a collection of short stories Jane Yolen has read over the many years of her career. She is in her seventies. I had no idea.

A lot of these stories have been published in other anthologies before because of various prompts and anthology ideas. This book puts all of the explanation per story in the back. I think it would have done my reading a lot of good had each story had their explanation right after. There were some interesting things to read in there and each explanation came with a poem. Some of those had been published before too. Others were written just for this collection. It just felt weird to have all of the explanations in one go, like a big info dump.

There is a variety of stories in here, all retellings of fairytales or mythologies. Cinderella was however quite a reoccurring one with at least 3 stories based on it. It was fun to see though how each story was twisted a bit. My personal favorite of those three was Cinder Elephant as the main character here was fat. Unfortunately there was also some bodyshaming going on in this story which she does slightly address in her explanation but not enough.

I think what I liked seeing most was how a bunch of the stories had a Jewish character or Jewish influences. Jane Yolen herself is Jewish and I thought that was great to see. One does not often see Jewish characters in fantasy. With that came however some heavy topics like the concentration camps.

I had a large fondness for the story Mama Gone. I suppose that cut into my own mom heart. The emotional feelings along with the rising of a vampire. Of having to say goodbye. But there were also funny bits like the wolves in retirement home and a goat nurse.

Overall I think this is a great collection of short stories and poems to read if you enjoy fairytales. Yolen certainly has her own style and twists she makes. Not every story hit home for me, but what didn’t hit for me will hit for someone else. It is certainly worth the effort. But be aware of some heavy hitting subjects and triggers.

Note: I received a copy of How to Fracture a Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am an absolute sucker for a retelling (as noted, in the fact that I participated in #retellathon this year). So, it should go without saying that I jumped at the chance to get an ARC of How to Fracture a Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen.

Jane Yolen's name sounded familiar to me, but I'm unaware of any of her works & I'd have to admit that this short-story collection was a fantastic introduction to her writing.

Jane Yolen’s writing is beyond fantastic in each of these fairy tale retellings & with each story, her voice seamlessly changes to blend into the next fairy tale. Some are read in a more modern tone, while others read like the fairy tales that we are familiar with. I’ve also noticed that some of these retellings were based on stories I couldn’t quite place; thankfully, the afterwords dives deep into each story. Jane Yolen’s collection expands from Chinese Folklore to Greek Mythology.

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale definitely takes creative license. For example, we get a retelling of the Three Billy Goats Gruff, but instead of hearing it as the troll is the villain, whilst the goats are the victims — we get the bridge’s point of view. Yes, what we might consider as an inanimate object, is actually telling us this story. & plot twist! Those darn goats are the bad guys here.

As Jane Yolen is Jewish, there is quite a bit of Jewish representation here. Although I’m not #ownvoices when it comes to being Jewish, I absolutely adored that this was something that How to Fracture a Fairy Tale contained.

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale consists of several stories that stood out, but unfortunately, there were some that hung back in the shadows. My favorites include: Once a Good Man, Cinder Elephant, The Bridge’s Complaint, Happy Dens, and Stepping Sides through Eternity.

Although I’m only rating this book THREE STARS, I definitely understand how this collection can be well loved by others.

I often don't have too much to say about collections such as these, because often their stories are too easily spoiler-able to go into too much detail. What I will say is that this collection goes above and beyond the usual culprits when it comes to fairytale retellings and truly draws from a range of inspirations.

My absolute favourite of the collection is the idea of retelling 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff' from the perspective of the bridge. Personal anecdote time! My family used to play this game when I was very little whenever we went out onto the moors. Somewhere there is a picture of tiny Judith about to dash over the bridge, presumably while my mother sang the troll song which I do recall to this day, some eighteen years later. So that story touched a place in my heart. I think that the sheer number of fairytales covered in this collection should ensure that most people have a similar experience.

There are always going to be a mix of stories, some stronger than others, but I would say that, on the whole, there were more stories I enjoyed than stories I didn't - which is pretty much all you can ask for from a compilation.

I think this would make a lovely gift for the fairytale enthusiast in your life (it might be you). What I particularly appreciated was the author's notes at the back of the book, which just gives you a little bit more insight into the background of the story or her own process in writing it. I'm a sucker for reading about backgrounds and inspirations so this was a big selling point for me.

My rating: 3/5 stars

I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What is there to say except “Jane Yolen wrote it.”? As with all the books of hers that I have read (no, I haven’t read them all), she catches hold of you and pulls you in. Some are traditional in feel, others make me want to go back and explore the originals again so I can try and see how she changes and morphs them about. I enjoyed every one!