JJA Harwood’s Top 5 Fairy Tale Retellings

This may look like another Cinderella retelling, but The Shadow in the Glass offers a bit of a mashup — part historical fiction, part gothic horror, part fantasy, wrapped up in a very twisted mystery. If you thought the Brothers Grimm version was dark, the Faustian spin woven through this tale will leave you gobsmacked. Atmospheric and slightly terrifying, this chilling take on a classic makes you rethink the whole “A dream is a wish your heart makes” fantasy. Keep reading for JJA Harwood’s top 5 fairy tale retellings!

This book is a beautifully written retelling of the Russian fairy tale Marya Morevna, set in early 20^th century Russia. Marya Morevna is stolen by the sorcerer, Koschei the Deathless, and her husband Ivan must bring her back – but in this version of the story, Marya and Koschei have a past that neither one of them can quite get away from. This really intrigued me because I always associate fairy tales with an older historical setting, and it was refreshing to see something with a more industrialised spin. It’s dark and lovely, and I have to sit with my feelings for a little bit every time I finish it.

This retelling of Rumpelstiltskin is rooted in Jewish history and culture, and I really enjoyed seeing this familiar story in a new light. The original fairy tale is cleverly paired with elements of Jewish culture, and the Eastern European setting really puts a wonderful new spin on a classic. I loved seeing all the different strands of the story weave themselves together in a skilfully done ending. 

This is a retelling of The Snow Queen, one of my favourite fairy tales growing up. In this version, Gerda sets out to rescue Kay from the Snow Queen’s clutches. But Kay doesn’t really deserve to be rescued, and the robber princess she meets along the way is much more interesting. Sparks fly as Gerda continues on her quest, and Gerda and her princess have such good chemistry that at one point I totally forgot that Kay was there. A wonderful LGBTQ+ retelling told with Kingfisher’s classic wit. 

A deliciously creepy retelling of Snow White told from the point of view of the evil queen. Except in this short story, she’s not that evil, and she’s got a very, very good reason for wanting Snow White dead. This retelling also gets into the details of why, exactly, that prince was so keen on the idea of a girl in a glass coffin – I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but let’s just say that in this version, Snow White and her prince are a match made in Hell.

This is a recent favourite of mine and I absolutely love it. A retelling of The Goose Girl, this is part heist, part found family, and with a horrible gremlin of a protagonist who I completely adore. Vanja, the protagonist, stole the identity of the princess who employed her and has been impersonating the princess in an effort to buy her freedom. But a curse and an investigation conspire to put a stop to Vanja’s plans and force her to become a better person along the way. It’s a hilarious and heart-warming fairy tale that everyone should be reading.