Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Fairy Tale Stories

Disclaimer. I’m specifically talking about the writing in these books. Because actually there are a lot of books written like fairy tales meaning they’re usually in third person and things like scary witches or toes and heals being cut off are mentioned with very little emotion. While I don’t specifically want retelling it's okay if they are one.

Now The Game is ON!

The last Dragon Slayer by Jasper Fforde

Now before anybody gets angry I know that I wasn’t terribly impressed by this book. But in my defense it was mostly because of that awful, awful ending. 

Frankly everything else, the writing, the world building, the dialogue was pretty well done. It was equally unique seeing as how it was a fairy tale written in a modern day world with both magic and technology.

The Hollow Kindom by Clare B. Dunkle

I loved this book. Though I will admit that the beginning was pretty slow. 

Still the beautiful writing and funny characters were amazing especially coupled with the enchanted world under the hill. It reminded me of stuff like the ballad of Tam Lin.

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

Look I know this is a middle grade book but I read it so many times as a kid. What’s not to like! A dragon that collects stained glass windows, a main character who likes to sew, and a prince who was absolutely hilarious. 

There were actually several sequels but I don’t remember them too well. I don’t think they were bad per se but the first one was definitely the best.

Basically Everything by Gerald Morris

This one was my favorite

This guy is incredibly underrated! He wrote stories featuring separate Knights of the Round Table, you know Lancelot, Galahad, etc. 

I read these so often when I was a kid and I can still remember actual dialogue from several. “Please if I were a witch I’d have turned you into toads by now. Oh wait! You are toads! I must be a witch after all!”

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

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Because a list of fairytales will never be complete without mention of Gail Carson Levine. I actually own all of her ‘how to write’ books and I am continually impressed by her classiness! And I love how Ella was both cursed and blessed at the same time 

(depending on who you asked I suppose)

Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill

I figured I’m kind of cheating here because it’s not quite as ‘fairytale-esque’ as some of the other people. More lord of the Rings, less Snow White. 

But you know what I looked up the definition of fairytale and it says ‘a children’s story about magical and imaginary beings and lands’ so going by that the only thing I’m stretching is the children’s part. After all the book features a war with a literal mad man in control of a Roman-like army and giant vampires that would kill you for the mere pleasure of it.

Ivy’s Ever After by Dawn Lairamore

This is one of those books that you pick up randomly thinking it’s kind of cutesy and then end up grinning like a moron for the rest of the week because it was just so good. I actually found a hard copy of this book at my Library’s books sale and it has a very honorable spot on my bookshelf. Much like Ella Enchanted the book took a fairy tale trope 

(getting blessed by fairy godmother is now in a tower guarded by a dragon) and then starts messing with things. There’s a terribly improper princess, a truly despicable prince, and an adorably timid Dragon that is far too scared to so much as snap at somebody much less breath fire at them.

Basically Eldridge 

Two Princesses of Bemarre also by Gail Carson Levine

Yeah okay I know it’s another Gail Carson Levine but I just could not justify leaving the Two Princesses of Bemarre off this list. I adored this book and I would still consider it one of the perfect examples of the modern fairytale genre.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Now I know that this was technically a retelling but it was a beautiful one and I don’t care. And hey! it’s not a Top Ten Tuesday unless I break my own rules.

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Actually everything by Patricia C. Wrede but Dealing with Dragons was the book that inspired the whole list after I was rereading it last Friday. So basically if you haven’t read anything by Wrede do so immediately because her brilliance cannot be condensed into such a tiny paragraph.