Book Review: Briar Rose

This haunting (and I do mean haunting) tale is very well-written. Jane Yolen's use of parallels is amazing, utilizing the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty throughout the book to contrast with a moving account of the Holocaust. The main characters are fictional, but the storyline is based on real events. That said, this book is a fairy tale meant for adults only, as several parts are not child-appropriate. (I read this book originally in high school and disliked it so much that I'd blocked out the storyline entirely-- it gave me nightmares.) This book also has a pro-homosexual agenda, which I did not appreciate. Re-reading it now, I can appreciate several aspects of this retelling, but it's still not a book I really want on my bookshelf.

Book Review: The Fair Folk

This elven-themed anthology contains six stories specifically written for this collection. Each one of them were thought-provoking in different and unique ways, and that's what I really loved about this book. Some stories were funny, some serious, but all were themed around faerie folk. (Not the Santa Claus kind. Think Lord of the Rings.) Edited by Marvin Kaye and published in 2007, this book is already out of print, and I can't understand why. (It's so good!) In some stories, the book does contain a few flaws (the f-word is overused by some authors). It contains stories by Jane Yolen, Kim Newman, Tanith Lee, Craig Shaw Gardner, Midori Snyder, and Patricia A. McKillip. The best place to find it will probably be at your local library or a good used-bookstore. If you're able to find it, I highly recommend this book.