"A Twisted Tale Anthology" by Elizabeth Lim et al.

Based on the title alone, it should be no surprise that this anthology features twisted fairy tales involving beloved, well-known Disney characters. Some authors have written more than one story. Some are veteran Twisted Tale authors, while others are new to the Twisted Tale franchise, but are also bestselling authors.
        What if Mulan became the emperor’s advisor? What if Mufasa survived the stampeding wildebeests? What if Prince Naveen arrived in New Orleans just to return to Maldonia right away?

A Twisted Tale Anthology (Oct. 3, 2023) Edited and with Stories by Elizabeth Lim.

   1. Cast Out by Livia Blackburne.

What if Snow White learned magic? Snow White is little more than a scullery maid. Her only friend is Dottie, a sparrow. She hears a voice calling to her, and when she stomps on her fear to investigate it, she’s led to the queen stepmother’s chambers. Here she finds the Magic Mirror, who tells her, “I am truth and honesty, the kernel of everything that is.” The Magic Mirror encourages Snow White to “harness magic to do your bidding.” She’ll have to practice hard and fast with a stepmother who wants to kill her.

   2. A First Mission by Elizabeth Lim.

What if Mulan became the emperor’s advisor? Fa Mulan did return to her family for a visit, and Li Shang did share a meal with her family. Now Mulan has returned to the city to take on the role of an Imperial Councilor of China. Chi Fu and the other advisors, all male, expect her to fail and want her to fail, as a woman. They are tasked with saving prized silkworms from flooding in Hongjing. Mulan and Shang stop to rescue villagers from the flooding with Chi Fu going on to retrieve the silkworms, anticipating that Chi Fu’s report won’t be good. He’s already been insufferable.

   3. Et Voilà by Liz Braswell.

What if Remy had met Colette first? As a woman, Colette has worked many times harder and for less pay than a male counterpart would as a rôtisseur chef at Gusteau’s, and she doesn’t feel fulfilled. She encounters a rat going through the garbage, carefully choosing discarded items, like the end of a pain couronne and a small bit of leftover brie. Remy has discerning tastes. Colette thinks herself crazy, but she takes a chance on Little Chef. Small portions emerge from the Midnight Kitchen. This might be the unexpected path she needs to make her mark. Linguini is around, but he’s a background character.

   4. The Envelope by Jen Calonita.

What if Anastasia had a change of heart? The truth is out. Cinderella and her prince are readying for marriage, as the Tremaines – Anastasia, Drizella and their mother – are shunned by the community for their maltreatment of Cinderella. When Footman Benoit brings them an invitation to the royal wedding, it’s Anastasia that greets him. Benoit understands what it’s like to be shunned and so doesn’t spurn her as others do. Anastasia’s taken on the role of maid, as Drizella and their mother are useless. When she finds a letter penned by their late father, Francis Tremaine, Anastasia feels prompted to visit his hometown of Lille. Benoit accompanies her. She meets Mathilde Boche, who may just have an offer Anastasia can’t refuse.

   5. A New Dawn by Farrah Rochon.

What if Mufasa gave up his throne? Mufasa survived the wildebeest stampede, but his body is far from mended. Simba rules the Pride Lands, but Mufasa struggles to relinquish his rule, though he was quick to forgive Scar. Simba has set patrols around the territory. The Wasaki (Evil Ones) are lions who’ve been cast out of their own prides, and they only seek destruction. Simba anticipates an attack, but Mufasa doesn’t trust Simba’s young instincts. Will Mufasa’s own pride cost them the Pride Lands?

   6. Rattle the Stars by M.K. England.

What if Jim Hawkins joined the pirates? As expected, Jim is aboard the flying ship with Captain Amelia and Dr. Doppler. Silver, the cyborg cook, is amongst them. Morph, Silver’s fist-sized pet blob of space goo, snatches Jim’s boot to get him to play, but it isn’t fun and games when he overhears Silver and crew members Scroop and Birdbrain Mary hatching a nefarious plan. They’re journeying to Treasure Planet, home to Nathaniel Flint’s legendary treasure trove. Jim doesn’t want Amelia and Dr. Doppler to be hurt. So, what does Jim think to do? Become a space pirate.

   7. A Royal Game of Chess by Liz Braswell.

What if history wasn’t quite right about the legend of Robin Hood? There’s a rumor going around that Robin Hood’s been captured, but that isn’t right, because Robin Hood is right there. Yes, I’m indicating Lady Marian. What, you thought Robin Hood was a male fox? *tsk, tsk* Lady Kluck knows the truth and encourages it. There’s an archery competition set by Prince John and Sir Hiss, thinking they’ll capture Hood for sure, or at least “his” Merry Men (like Little John). A kiss from Lady Marian is the prize, so who will be Robin Hood when Marian will clearly be in the limelight?

   8. The Secret Exchange by Elizabeth Lim.

What if Eric met Ariel after she rescued him? Staging one’s own meet-cutes sounds romantic, but when Ariel’s also sneaking around her father, King Triton, who disallows anyone going to the surface, especially his own daughters, it seems less rosy. Ariel has command of her voice, so it’s great fun to discuss the land and the sea, anything that comes to mind, with Eric. Ursula still manages to get wind of Ariel through Flotsam and Jetsam. What will happen when Ursula lets Triton know exactly what Ariel has been up to?

   9. Dust to Dust by Micol Ostow.

What if Tinker Bell was working for Captain Hook? When Tinker Bell abuses her pixie dust magic by using it to magically do her chores, she is reprimanded. In her hotheadedness, she storms away, packing a go-bag, as she doesn’t plan to return to Pixie Hollow anytime soon, if ever. She meets Captain Hook, and he gives her the encouragement she desires. Better yet, he wants her to use her magic. Against Peter Pan. She’s all for watching Peter and deducing the right moment for Hook to make his move. She’s got something of a crush on Peter, and it turns really bratty when Peter brings Wendy and her brothers. When Captain Hook and his crew attack, what will Tinker Bell’s move be?

   10. Gonna Take You There by Farrah Rochon.

What if Naveen had to get home to Maldonia? It’s early, but it’s already been a day for Tiana. Her dreams of opening her own restaurant feel stagnant. She’s saving all she can working two jobs, except now it’s one, because she just quit as Duke’s Café’s sole waitress. Her exit has her overhearing Prince Naveen and his valet, Lawrence, who’s also just quit, and right after bearing news that Naveen must return home for a family emergency. Naveen beseeches Tiana to take him to the ship at Mobile Bay, Alabama. They’ll need a chaperone, so her best friend, Charlotte “Lottie” LaBouff, accompanies them, and John, the LaBouff family driver, is their chauffeur. Their trek to Mobile Bay isn’t a straight course. Tiana knows her dream, but what is Naveen’s?

   11. Fates, Three by Jen Calonita.

What if the triplets visited the Witch? The triplets are now 16, and Merida is doing her own thing. Hamish is the planner/plotter, Hubert is the warrior-in-training who works out a lot, and Harris devotes his time and attention to his studies. Hamish is ever the mischief-maker, but his brothers aren’t as readily excited about plots anymore. He does get them to eat the stolen cranachan, and he has a plan to impress Clan MacGuffin when they come to feast with them. It involves massive butterflies, and it backfires. Desperate not to get sent to their great aunt, the triplets visit the Witch, who’s under her usual guise of a wood-carver. They want a wish that not only keeps them away from the relative, but also prevents them from turning into bears. What will the Witch brew up?

   12. A Dragon in the Snow by Kristina Pérez.

What if Madam Mim and Merlin went to school together? Madam Mim (Morrigan of Gurnard) is the Lyceum of Enchantment’s (on the Hidden Isle) star pupil. Her lilac-colored hair betrays her Shadow Magic, which is why she likes the Wildwood where there’s no one to judge her. Merlin (of Dalriada) is new to the Lyceum, his magic seems to come naturally to him, and he likes Mim. Taliesin is the Chief Mage there, teaching and advising. The Solstice Competition this year will be duels to become the next Royal Mage to Uther Pendragon and train under the inimitable, outgoing Royal Mage Niniame. If they must meet in the final duel, whose magic will prevail?

   13. The Journey Home by Farrah Rochon.

What if Belle had to take her father’s place at the fair? When Maurice is waylaid by an injury, Belle decides it’s on her shoulders to get her father’s latest invention to the fair at Annecy. It chops wood into clean logs. With trusted Philippe, their horse, with her, she is confident she can make it to Annecy and correctly demonstrate Maurice’s invention. Her father tells her to keep to the path, and she means to, until there’s a downed log across the path. She goes around and gets stuck. Gaston and LeFou cross her path. Gaston will help her, but only if she dines with him. Can Belle get herself out of this rut without resorting to Gaston’s muscular manpower?

   14. Call It a Hunch by Jen Calonita.

What if Hercules’s first day as a god didn’t go as planned? Prayers are coming Hercules’s way, but he doesn’t know how to hone in on one person’s voice, nor does he know how to grant their requests. Everyone’s too busy to help him: Zeus, Hera, Athena. Athena’s angry that her statues are being stolen from around the city, and she’s about to bring a terrible storm down on it. Hercules’s girlfriend, the mortal Meg (Megara), has been hired to find the perpetrator. She was hired to find one statue, but now several are missing! She needs this job. After all, it’s not easy finding work after you’ve been trapped in the Underworld. How will Hercules and Meg handle their respective first day?

   15. The Reluctant Prince by Liz Braswell.

What if Bambi didn’t want to be the next Great Prince of the Forest? The Great Prince of the Forest is decided. He’s passing on his mantle to Bambi, his son. Bambi doesn’t want to be the prince. He associates being the prince of the forest with being an aloof deer and an absent father. Bambi’s about to become a father, probably to twins!, and he wants to be present in their lives. He wants to stay by Faline’s side and remain best friends with Thumper and Flower. They will all encourage him to be the prince, but it’s Faline’s words that will resonate the most.

   16. The Rose and the Thorns by Elizabeth Lim.

What if Aurora knew the truth about her curse? For almost 16 years, Princess Aurora has been reminded daily that she must be so careful. Spindles in the kingdom have been outlawed since Maleficent spoke her curse upon the baby princess, but it isn’t only spindles that Aurora must avoid. They won’t even let her use so much as a butter knife. Flora, Fauna and Merryweather look over her well, and Merryweather relents her tight grip, so she can learn some defensive skills (like archery). Prince Phillip has been her betrothed since they were little, but they’ve grown up as best friends. Is Phillip her true love’s kiss? They might well find out when the confrontation with Maleficent comes about.

Concluding Thoughts: Overall, this is a well-spun fantasy anthology that will please many Disney fans. As one of those Disney fans who also loves twisted fairy tales, I enjoyed these short stories. There are elements of things familiar with twists of things new. Some stories take place after the canon and so don’t disrupt the original narratives, while others offer an expanded backstory. All showcase creative, new details. We all know that they do not replace the originals, but instead, give us fresh takes on familiar stories. When it comes to twisted tales, do you enjoy updated spins and perspectives, or do you adamantly prefer the originals?

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 12

Not to be left out, middle-grade (MG) novels have been making their run on my bookshelves. Here is 2019’s third MG compilation.

Escape from the Isle of the Lost (June 4, 2019) by Melissa de la Cruz.

*This is the fourth novel in a series.*

Oh how far they’ve come! Where once Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos looked toward nothing but living up to their wicked upbringing and villainous parents, they have made positive names for themselves and are looking toward graduation. Mal is Lady Mal, learning the customs of Auradon royalty at her boyfriend’s side, Auradon’s King Ben. Evie, ever a delight, has expanded into creating custom graduation gowns for her classmates and is working toward saving for something specific. Jay, never knowing what it meant to be a team player before Auradon, finds himself with an unbelievable option: go pro with R.O.A.R. or pursue it at university? And Carlos, well, Carlos is a year behind the other three, so he’ll remain at Auradon Prep, but he’s got a charming girlfriend in Jane, daughter of Fairy Godmother. It’s too bad that Uma hasn’t been seen recently. What evil is she plotting beneath the waves? Hint: She’s found threads of magic and convinces Hades to team up with her. Will she finally overtake Mal and exact her revenge?

            The fourth Disney Descendants novel, “Escape from the Isle of the Lost” is as delightful as a confectionery full of sweets. This middle-grade novel isn’t the type where evil curdles your insides and makes you want to keep the light on. There is maniacal laughter, threatening words and even a mind-controlling spell, but the tone continues to side with the light. Fun, adventure and friendship continue to rule the story (as does the teenage king). A must-have for current fans; potential new fans will want to start the series at the beginning.

            Book One: Isle of the Lost

            Book Two: Return to the Isle of the Lost

            Book Three: Rise of the Isle of the Lost

The Poe Estate (Sept. 15, 2015) by Polly Shulman.

*This is the third novel in an unofficial series.*

When her parents fall on hard times, Susannah “Sukie” O’Dare and her parents move in with her 91-year-old Cousin Hepzibah in the ancient, spacious Thorne Mansion. Rumor is that it’s haunted. And it is. Hepzibah understands Sukie where her parents wouldn’t. Sukie can see and communicate with her deceased sister, Kitty. As in life, Kitty aims to protect Sukie, but ghosts can’t change, so it’s upsetting as Sukie changes. Kitty often appears at will, but Sukie can summon her with a whistle she gave her before her death. It turns out that Sukie doesn’t only have a sensitivity to Kitty’s ghost. There are objects that she responds to when she touches them. She even finds out she can fly on a Hawthorne broom, which has been in the family for generations. She meets Dr. Elizabeth Rew and Andre Merritt of the New-York Circulating Material Repository at a flea market, along with their large “dog,” Griffin, and they become an invaluable help, along with classmate Cole Farley, who has seemingly matured from the boy who tormented her in the past. Sukie (“Spooky,” according to Cole) and Cole may have descended from fictional literary characters and are themselves connected by Windy (Sukie’s relation) and Phinny (Cole’s relation), whose story is tragic and also unfinished. With the help of her new friends, can Sukie find Windy’s treasure? What will Sukie discover about literary materials being “real,” including entire haunted houses, and her family’s own Thorne Mansion?

            Succeeding Shulman’s “The Grimm Legacy” and “The Wells Bequest,” this is a delightful middle-grade edition to that set. I have loved the modern fantasy of each of the stories,  the humor and the adventure, the lilt and imagination. Hints of a youthful budding romance are present but not noisome. Though I haven’t read most of the stories referenced, I enjoyed how cleverly Shulman wove in all the literary references. It’s always fun to see familiar characters from the other stories, though it can be read as a standalone. It’s its own treasure of supernatural shenanigans and fantastical exploration. I don’t expect I’d be alone in wishing that the New-York Circulating Material Repository were a real place, where I could check out the seven-league boots or a magic carpet or maybe just stay overnight in a haunted house and meet the retired repositorian neighbors living in other haunted houses in the Poe Annex. Walk quickly through the Lovecraft Corpus, though.

            Book One: The Grimm Legacy

            Book Two: The Wells Bequest

Reflection: A Twisted Tale (Mar. 27, 2018) by Elizabeth Lim.

*This is the fourth in a series and the first of them featuring a different author.*

When one male is conscripted into service from each family, Fa Mulan steals away into the night to take her injured father’s place. She goes with nothing more than her father’s armor, his sword, Mushu – the family’s guardian dragon – and Cri-Kee – her lucky cricket. They ride Khan, her trusty steed. Women do not serve in the military, so she goes as Ping, the son that her family never talked about. Mulan proves her mettle as Ping and is dedicated to her regiment, so when Captain Li Shang is grievously wounded, she travels to Diyu to bargain with its ruler, King Yama. (Diyu, in Chinese mythology, is their underworld.) She travels there with ShiShi, the guardian of the Li family, normally noted as a great stone lion. King Yama declares she can bring Shang back, but only if she makes it before sunrise, otherwise she will remain in Diyu forever and neither her family nor her friends will ever know what befell her. The obstacles in their way will try to trick her into remaining, trap her or even cause her death. Time already seems too short. Will it be just enough to save Shang and herself? Or will she soon count herself among Diyu’s residents?

            In this twisted tale from Disney and author Elizabeth Lim, the beloved “Mulan” classic is turned on its head. I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I was pleased that I enjoyed the tale. It was fast-paced and maintained Mulan’s warrior strength while still giving her something to grapple with. This tale is an adventure where the girl saves the boy; no damsels-in-distress here! As it’s Disney, the readers know that any ominous situations are going to right themselves later, so there’s no reason to worry about the fate of the characters. I enjoy a twisted fairytale done well, and I thought this one was done tastefully. Readers will recognize scenes from the 1998 film as flashbacks to Mulan’s life, thus making the character even more familiar.