Fairy Tale Retellings! discussion

We have two books of the month for August due to a tie! Enchanted
and
Spinning Silver

Here you can discuss them!
Some questions for contemplation: Who was your favourite character and why? What was your favourite part? (spoiler tags for spoilers please.) Who was your least favourite character and why? Is there a part that you found especially funny/interesting/thought-provoking?

Not sure if I will get to both of these, but they sound amazing!!

You can just choose one to read if you like. :)

I read the synapsis for Spinning Silver and it didn't really seem like my type of book so I went with Enchanted instead.

I like Enchanted because even though it's clean, it still has an edge to it. The villain is shown to be truly villainous and the way the whole story was unpacked was fascinating. The fact that I enjoyed the author's writing style also helped. I really like the way the book ended too. (view spoiler)[ The part with his mother and her angel wings in the end was so touching. (hide spoiler)]

I don't have a particular favorite (It's hard to chose lol).

My favorite part (view spoiler)[ was at the end of the book after they had cut the bean stalk and Rumbold and Sunday finally got the chance to talk. The scene was cute. (hide spoiler)]

My least favorite character is actually (view spoiler)[ Sorrow. The king is a close second of course. But I like Sorrow the least out of all the character because she knew full well she was breaking the rules by doing what she did, but she did it anyways and enabled the king commit his heinous crimes. (hide spoiler)]

I found the contrast between Joy and Sorrow to be particularly interesting. It made me think about how siblings worked that they could be raised in the same home, environment, and by the same parents and still end up so differently.

Unpopular opinion here, I'm certainly in the minority. I bet plenty want to put my neck under a blunt blade of the Guillotine for what's written below.

I've been trying to read Spinning silver. I started with the audiobook first and even though the narrator was really good, I couldn't pull through. So so tried reading it instead but that was even worse. I have made several attempts ever since it was selected bofm and decided to give up on it now.

I didn't like the writing style, I found it to be tedious and monotonous. It just didn't appeal to me, it didn't draw me in.

I have read books that (in my humble opinion) had poor writing style but they were entertaining and I could therefore ignore it and keep on reading/listening.

But it didn't work for me this time around.

A book that drew me in from the first sentence and loved it ever since was Jane Eyre. From the first page, Wuthering Heights. Reading from the prologue of The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross, my mind easily flows over words and I only linger to admire and re-read well-crafted  sentences and simile.

That's the experience, the feeling I want from reading. Ease and Fulfillment.

I am so glad I joined this group! You guys are very clearly amazing people with open minds and I'm so grateful to be able to interact with you!

I've ordered a copy of Enchanted, but haven't gotten there yet. I'll come back when I do and read all your spoilers, @Noonecansinkmyship!

As for Spinning Silver, I do want to try it eventually, if only because I did enjoy her other tale, Uprooted. I'll come back when I can comment on one of them!! <3

I obviously haven't read Uprooted but as it's the same writer, surely you will enjoy Spinning silver.

As we are all different, our brains, our minds are not going to harmonize with same books and writing style, so don't let my opinions dissuade you.

I'm very picky with writing style, probably because most books I read in my youth were of the classic sort.

Noonecansinkmyship,

It is an interesting thought how people raised in the same family come out so differently.

Personality is the number one factor for sure.

Other factors, timing of birth, meaning, being first or second etc Experiences maybe. Social group? Hmm, I dunno, just thinking.

:)

Can't wait to discuss these books! I'm still waiting for my copies from the library...shouldn't be too long.

Would be lovely to hear your opinions and thoughts. :)

Fridey wrote: "Unpopular opinion here, I'm certainly in the minority. I bet plenty want to put my neck under a blunt blade of the Guillotine for what's written below.

I've been trying to read Spinning silver. I..."

I'm really happy that you feel comfortable enough with us to share all this despite your opinion being part of the minority. Any input is always appreciated and pondered over. :)

I haven't tried reading the book yet. So I can't say if I'm joining you in the minority opinion as usual yet. But considering that it's been 100% track record, you'll most likely find me patting your shoulder comfortingly in the tumbleweed ridden corner soon haha.

Wuthering Heights....I still need to read that classic. I adored Jane Eyre though! The middle killed me haha.

Nerdy Werewolf wrote: "I am so glad I joined this group! You guys are very clearly amazing people with open minds and I'm so grateful to be able to interact with you!

I've ordered a copy of Enchanted, but haven't gotten..."

We're really happy you joined us and are a part of this incredible group of people. :D I'm so happy to have found all of you guys in one of the last places I'd ever expect to find friends. :)

Don't worry. You can come back and post a comment at any time about any book. There isn't a time limit on when someone can participate in a discussion. Read on your own time. :)

I'm glad you're looking forward to my spoilers haha.

I haven't heard of Uprooted, but will definitely look into it now. Thanks for telling us about it.

Fridey wrote: "Noonecansinkmyship,

It is an interesting thought how people raised in the same family come out so differently.

Personality is the number one factor for sure.

Other factors, timing of birth, mea..."

You're definitely right and make great points. Everything from the child's personality, life experience and social groups affects how a person turns out the way they are. That's part of the reason why some parents are determined helicopters and that also affects a child's growth as well. (Which is ironic because it usually hampers a kid's growth)

Ella wrote: "Can't wait to discuss these books! I'm still waiting for my copies from the library...shouldn't be too long."

I agree with Fridey. Can't wait to heard your thoughts! (I'm sorry. I'll stop spamming now lol.)

Hahaha, well I want to participate but something always goes wrong. lol.

It's either something too creepy/scary or in this case the writing wasn't to my liking. I just couldn't pull through.

You might like it and if you don't it might be for a different reason than mine. :) (I think I only read one review that didn't like the writing style.)

Fridey wrote: "Hahaha, well I want to participate but something always goes wrong. lol.

It's either something too creepy/scary or in this case the writing wasn't to my liking. I just couldn't pull through.

Yo..."

I get what you mean about things going wrong. I'm super happy that you still share your opinion on the book even though you aren't a fan though. It brings diversity and perspective and allows us to chat more about different things.

I know what how you feel though. I didn't like the writing style for Spindle and I knew this wasn't my type of book when I read the synapsis for Spinning Silver so I chose Enchanted for now. I'll try to see if I can at least try to read Spinning Silver since I'm kind of curious if this will be the first time I disagree with you lol.

Haha, know that it's fully ok to disagree with me. :)

Hmmm, Yeah Spindle writing style was a bit much for me. :/ Spinning silver isn't to that extent, the writing was just too tedious for me. I kept falling asleep for real.

At least you know what to do if you’re suffering a bout of insomnia now. 😂

Funny, that's exactly what I was thinking. I had decided to keep that notion to myself, until now. lol!

We always appreciate a joke here haha. Don’t worry.

I finally got Enchanted from the library and finished it last night!
It was actually a re-read for me, I read it first quite a few years ago and I remember liking it, so it was nice to read again and refresh my memory.

What I liked:
the dialogue between various characters, especially Velius, Erik, and Rumbold. It was believable, funny, very well written, and such a pleasure to read!
The characters themselves were also well written and real.
As well as the descriptions (those dresses!!!). Pretty much all of it was a movie in my mind...

Didn't like as much:
Rumbold's voices in his mind...didn't really get explained as to what they were or anything. (Unless I missed something). Also creepy. And when he gets his memories back, nothing was really expanded upon and explained as far as his memory gaps.

That's about it me thinks. All in all I quite enjoyed it!

Ohh a reread! Nice. I’m glad you enjoyed the book. I really liked the friendship dynamics in the story like you mentioned. And you’re right. The dresses were to die for! I loved the descriptions. Everything was so vivid. I also enjoyed how the integral elements of the fairy telling remained, but there was still enough different to be new and intriguing.

The voices in his head where because of (view spoiler)[ his mom and because she stuck around to make sure he was alright. She attacked herself to him and was using his life force in order to stay with him to watch over him which enabled her to speak directly to his mind. That’s what I got anyways. :) (hide spoiler)]

Hmm about the memory gaps, what I got from it was (view spoiler)[ kind of like how people who suffer traumatic incidents wake up remembering nothing after a comma. That sort of thing? But I could be wrong of course. I took it as his body’s or maybe his even his mother’s attempt to help him start on the right foot after the life wrecking curse of his childhood. (hide spoiler)]

You know, if you think about it, this means that his (view spoiler)[ mom’s been hanging around him since she passed away. And considering how she attached herself to his life force to stay with him and sustain herself, this means that the only reason why he hasn’t died yet (His mother hasn’t accidentally killed him by using up his life force which can only support one person.) is because of the curse. Since the curse didn’t allow him to die or sustain permanent injury before it fulfilled itself.

So in a way, this means the curse was both a blessing and well a curse (lol) because it allowed him mother to stay with him until he found people who loved him and would take care of him in her stead which set her heart at ease enough for her to let her son go and move on as a ghost/angel. But it also, you know, ruined the poor boy’s childhood and didn’t let him have a normal life with friends and sorta ruined his mental state as a little kid and then as a teenager. (hide spoiler)] Scars run deep and you can’t reach an old dog a new trick.

In short, it’s hard to break an old habit, especially when you’ve grown up with it which is why I think the memory gaps were added to the story so he could find out who his was without his past looming over him. This way, he could find out who is without the curse, find out who he wants to be in the future, and know he’s capable of being that person and not just a traumatized messed up teen. That’s my two or more like six cents (considering how long this is lol). Food for thought though!

Noonecansinkmyship wrote: "Ohh a reread! Nice. I’m glad you enjoyed the book. I really liked the friendship dynamics in the story like you mentioned. And you’re right. The dresses were to die for! I loved the descriptions. ..."

Huh, very interesting! Thank you for your insight on that, makes sense. :)

Always happy to chat. :)