Synopsis
The noted lesbian and author of Hood adds new twists to thirteen age-old fairy tales, including the story of a Cinderella who forsakes her handsome prince and runs off with the fairy godmother.
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Reviews
Grade 8 Up. Donoghue has shaped this collection around several traditional and literary fairy tales. What sets it apart from all the other retold tales is that the heroines realize that they are more interested in the princess, witch, or local farm girl instead of the prince, merchant, or woodsman. Each story is loosely connected to the next by the narrator asking another character how they came to be in a particular situation and the answer, "It is the tale of an apple" (or a handkerchief, hair, a needle, etc.) This device cleverly unites the pieces into a seamless, if lifeless, whole. The female characters, while never really demanding any emotional involvement of readers, are at least complex enough to be neither entirely good nor entirely evil. However, the male characters are all weak, stupid, boorish, or a combination of the three. This one-dimensional treatment makes for very dull reading. Like Francesca Block's work, Donoghue's writing is built on vivid images. Unlike Block, she fails to use that skill to sustain a sense of place or bring a character to life. Though Snow White, the Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Beauty, and others roam through the pages, their voices are dismally similar, with the exception of Gretel, who hasn't mastered speaking in whole sentences, and becomes, by default, the only memorable character in the book. The author must be applauded for wishing to provide teen girls enduring the painful process of coming out with characters who are reassuringly similar. However, even when these protagonists are describing their own treachery, their own fears, or their own sorrows, their emotions never break through the fog of monotone narration.?Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Search results for Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins
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Kissing the Witch : Old Tales in New Skins
Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 14555021-6
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Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins
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HarperCollins, New York, 1997
ISBN 10: 0060275766
ISBN 13: 9780060275761
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Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Clean, unmarked, unread copy in VG+ condition. Light dusting to top edge and fore edge o/w tight, sharp copy with DJ in VG+ condition. BP/Fict. Seller Inventory # ABE-1570284973666
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Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins
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Unknown. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0060275766I3N00