A Continuation: A Guest Post by Marissa Meyer
Part forbidden romance, part witchy murder mystery, this is a fairytale retelling brimming with danger, magic and suspense. From fake spells to investigating a mysterious death, this makes for a gripping page-turner. Read on for an exclusive essay from author Marissa Meyer on writing The House Saphir.
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The House Saphir (B&N Exclusive Edition)
The House Saphir (B&N Exclusive Edition)
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Hardcover
$16.99
$19.99
This Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition includes an alternate cover, designed endpapers, and an annotated chapter.
Marissa Meyer, the #1 national bestselling “Queen of Fairytale Retellings” is back with a thrilling tale based on the legend of Bluebeard.
This Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition includes an alternate cover, designed endpapers, and an annotated chapter.
Marissa Meyer, the #1 national bestselling “Queen of Fairytale Retellings” is back with a thrilling tale based on the legend of Bluebeard.
When I was five years old, my grandma gave me a small book of fairy tales. The first story in that book was The Little Mermaid, and for my little developing brain to discover that Hans Christian Andersen’s tale was so very unlike the Disney movie of the same title was . . . well, a little soul crushing, actually, even though it also became one of the most formative things that I read in my entire childhood, inspiring an obsession with fairy tales that continues to this day.
But the tale of a self-sacrificing mermaid wasn’t the only one that stayed with me. Another story in the collection was “Bluebeard,” in which a girl marries a seemingly normal and oh-so-wealthy aristocrat. Only later, while exploring his glorious mansion, does she open the door to a forbidden room and discover the murdered bodies of his previous wives. Soon after, her husband—furious that she disobeyed him—looks to make her his next victim. I can still clearly recall the illustration on the pages of that little “children’s” book: the protagonist pleading for her life while her husband, looking extra villainous with that unnatural blue beard, grips her hair in one hand and raises a sword with the other. In the background, her brothers (who inexplicably look like two of the Three Musketeers) rush to save their sister from her impending doom.
It left an impression.
THE HOUSE SAPHIR is not a direct retelling, but more of a continuation. It takes place a hundred years after Bluebeard’s death (at the hands of those would-be Musketeers). Now, Bluebeard’s ghost has returned and his great-great grandson, a handsome count, would do anything to be rid of the ancestor whose dark reputation has long tarnished their family name. He opts to hire Mallory Fontaine, a renowned witch and expert on the Saphir murders, to send the spirit back to wherever he came from.
But Mallory has a few secrets, not the least of which is that . . . she’s really more con artist than witch, and while she may be able to see and speak with ghosts, she doesn’t know the first thing about exorcisms. But ignorance and a lack of recognizable skills has never stopped her before.
In addition to the story of “Bluebeard,” I also drew inspiration from other murder-centric fairy tales—most notably “The Robber Bridegroom” and “Fitcher’s Bird”—and weaved together various elements of symbolism that appealed to me, along with heroines who don’t need as much saving. Many readers will also pick up on a heavy gothic romance influence. I was salivating to write a creaky, atmospheric haunted house, full of quirky ghosts, dangerous monsters, and the sort of vibes that demand a cup of mulled cider by the fire.
And now I warmly welcome readers into this crumbling chateau, where somber piano melodies echo through the halls, blood occasionally spills forth from the courtyard fountain, and sinister blue eyes follow you from shadowy portraits.
Welcome, Readers, to The House Saphir.
