"How to Fracture a Fairy Tale" is a microcosm of the numerous folktales the author, Jane Yolen, has written throughout her career. Everyone has heard and/or read at least one of her folktales without realizing they were written by her. Jane Yolen's variants of folktales are just as enjoyable as the "classic variants" such as "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," "Hansel & Gretel," "The Little Mermaid," "The Pied Piper of Hamelin," etc.

Fairy tales are one of the original methods of storytelling. Since people began telling each other stories, some parts of each story were kept for substance and the rest were changed in favor of both the storyteller and the audience. Think of how each country/region has its variant of "Cinderella." And, how many cartoons had "fractured" fairy tales within an episode for the audience's entertainment?

"How to Fracture a Fairy Tale" consists of "fractured" folktales you may or may not have heard or read as a child by Jane Yolen. Reading different variants of the familiar, but altered tales rekindled my enjoyment for folktales and reminded me as to why I continue to enjoy them. For me, reading "Sleeping Ugly" as an adult brought back memories of when I first heard the tale as a child. The "explanation" of how the author has been able to write so many new tales from the older ones, which is after the Introduction and before the selection of tales, is worth reading as well because it provides insight as to how others such as Robin McKinley, Rick Riordan, and Disney fracture and retell these older tales. This collection of tales can be enjoyed by readers of all ages due to its familiarity.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jane Yolen is the Queen of fairy tales, and this collection is proof! She manages to find new and different ways to make the stories fresh while keeping them recognizable.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this short story collection eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

how to fracture a fairy tale (Jane Yolen)

Title: how to fracture a fairy tale

Author: Jane Yolen

Publisher: Tachyon Publications

Publication Date: TODAY!! (paperback/e-book)

ISBN: 978-1616963064

Source: NetGalley

While I have read many of Jane Yolen's works, most have been her novels.  It has only been recently that I have been reading her short stories.  This collection has 28 varied tales.  In addition, the end of the book has author reflections on how the stories came to be along with some of her poetry.

This collection didn't resonate with me as much as the emerald circus collection did.  I only loved about half of them.  The others not so much even though I could appreciate the skill of the writing.  I will try to give ye an idea of the bare bones and thoughts on me favourites:

"Snow in Summer" - a Snow White retelling with a fantastic answer to what happens to the evil queen.

"The Moon Ribbon" - this one has a bit of Cinderella (which I know) and a bit of The Princess and the Goblin (which I don't).  It was weird but I rather liked it.

"One Ox, Two Ox, Three Ox, and the Dragon King" - this was the seventh story in the collection and the first one I really loved.  It tells the story of dragons from a Eastern perspective but with a Western solution.

"Brother Hart" - this tale was apparently based on the Russian/ Grimm story of Little Brother, Little Sister.  I am not familiar with that tale at all but I loved this story.  It deals with transformations and loving sibling relationships.

"Sun/Flight" - a tale based on the Icarus myth.  I didn't love it but I found it oddly beguiling and interesting.

"Slipping Sideways Through Eternity" - this is a story about a girl who goes back in time to the Holocaust with the help of Elijah.  Powerful and compelling"

"The Foxwife" - this story features a kitsune.  Ever since I read shadow of the fox, I have loved takes on the kitsune Japanese folk tales.  Yolen also recommend foxwife by Kij Johnson.  I will have to check that one out.

"The Faery Flag" - this is based around the Faery Flag legend of Scotland about the McLeods on the Isle of Skye.  I got tired of faery stories a while back.  This was a breath of fresh air.

"One Old Man, with Seals" - this one is based on the Greek shapeshifter, Proteus but set in 20th century America.  It has a lighthouse and the sea.  Awesome!

"Sleeping Ugly" - an absolutely lovely fracturing of Sleeping Beauty.  The ending!

"Green Plague" - a fun mix of frogs and the Pied Piper of Hamelin.  Silly and fun.

"The Unicorn and the Pool" - it has an unicorn!  Short and bittersweet.

"Sule Skerry" - this is a tale of selchies of the Scottish Islands inspired by the song "The Great Selchie of Sule Skerry."  Lovely.

"Cinder Elephant" - another Cinderella retelling where our protagonist is overweight and a bird watcher.  This was a lovely, wonderful tale.  The poem and description about writing this tale was absolutely fabulous as well.  I think this was me favourite.

"Mama Gone" - a fairy tale about vampires that is both sad and sweet.  Seriously.

I be very grateful to have a chance to read these stories.  While I didn't love every story, I do have a few new favourites of hers.  Arrrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Tachyon Publications!

Goodreads' website has this to say about the book:

Fantasy legend Jane Yolen presents a wide-ranging offering of fractured fairy tales. Yolen fractures the classics to reveal their crystalline secrets, holding them to the light and presenting them entirely transformed; where a spinner of straw into gold becomes a money-changer and the big bad wolf retires to a nursing home. Rediscover the tales you once knew, rewritten and refined for the world we now live in―or a much better version of it.

To visit the author’s website go to:

Jane Yolen - Author

To buy the collection go to:

how to fracture a fairy tale - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

Previous Log Entries for this Author

a plague of unicorns (Captain’s Log – Young Adult Fantasy)

a glory of unicorns (On the Horizon - Fantasy)

the transfigured hart (On the Horizon  - Young Adult Fantasy eArc)

the emerald circus (On the Horizon - Literary eArc)

A collection of fractured fairytales that have been stitched back together using questionable morals and unlikely endings. Some of the fractured fairytales are recognisable at a glance, some take a little longer to be recognised. Although I did enjoy the stories at first, it gets old and boring very quickly.

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!

I am a big fairy-tale lover, so when I saw this book, I knew I needed to get my hands on it! However, most of the stories were just average and nothing special. I would have loved if Jane somehow wrote them all to connect at the end, but since most of them are different I suppose that wouldn't make much sense.

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!

This was a pretty solid collection of stories. There were some duds, as is to be expected, but then you get some gems like the Holocaust time travel one about Elijah and the one about the Good Man (I already deleted my arc and now I don't remember the names, sorry). I've always been a Yolen fan and, after Emerald Circus, I was really disappointed. This collection reminded me why I like her so much.

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.