I love a good set of fairytale retellings and this one did not disappoint! There are your standards, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella. But I loved the take on Bluebeard (a story I wasn’t familiar with!) and Hansel and Gretel. I also thought Peter Pan being told by Wendy and what happened to their relationship was wild! I am impressed and will be adding it to my classroom library!

This fantasy/dark fantasy anthology will delight readers who are fairy-tale fans. Each tale is "twisted" into a new one, with fascinating results. this was a really enjoyable read and would be a great addition to a middle-grade/YA library collection.

I love his take on fairytales! My favorite was probably the one on Red Riding Hood! He has such a unique perspective, and reading his middle grade series School of Good and Evil I knew I wouldn't be disappointed.

i did not enjoy this book that much, i enjoyed the storyline, but i feel like the writing is what threw me off. often times i felt confused and almost bored, this has potential but i just wish the writing style was better

The file did not work in Adobe Digital editions. Images were split between pages and I could not scroll from page to page. Not sure if the problem was with the file or with the software. I rated the title 3 stars to keep my review neutral.

Retellings of fairy tales are definitely a favorite of mine, so a collection of short stories was definitely on my 'to read' list (one of my favorite books of all time is just one such of these). Shorts give us a way to love of leave each story, but each one shows the power of perspective in stories and the ability of a story to change depending on the details included. The themes are relevant to modern culture, although I would direct this one to older readers as the themes are quite dark and will not resonate as well with younger readers. For a Literature exploration, this is a valuable addition to the cannon or fairy tale retellings. If nothing else, read the Peter Pan story! You will not be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for letting me review this book.

The book has a twisted versions of classic fairy tales. Rapunzel, Cinderella, Blue Beard, and even Peter Pan make an appearance to name a few.

These tales take the original tales and turn them on their heads. Most of them are dark and have different lessons to learn than from the originals. I found them all to be intriguing and unique, and they represented diverse characters. Each tale was fascinating as they portrayed characters in a new light.

I wish I could go into more detail, but I don't want to spoil any of them.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fairytale retellings are some of my favorite fiction writings of all time, and some of these stories are now added to my favorites while some aren't. I think each story has something for everyone, even if it didn't turn out to be a favorite. There is a great deal of diversity and inclusion throughout the book, often completely inverting the original story (thinking very specially of Snow White), or having the setting in a completely different culture than the original tale, which is excellent.

I will say, it's been a long time since I read a middle grade book (I teach high school English), and I was surprised by the number of dark themes included in this set of stories (especially Red Riding Hood and Bluebeard). I do hope this is published with content and trigger warnings. See below for more details (the Good, the Meh, and the...well that was interesting).

The Good - Peter Pan is from older Wendy's point of view and the story I connected with the most (I even teared up a little). Hansel and Gretel shows how successful women can be demonized by a jealous mob (aka, she's a witch!). Red Riding Hood, where being a woman (stereotypically beautiful or not) is basically a curse; either you are "eaten" by men, or are a disappointment to them, and a way to survive to to take care of and look out for your fellow women (this one was a bit emotionally heavier than most of the others).

The Meh - I love the concept of the Snow White story (breaking the cycle of racism and prejudice by refusing to back down), and I actually just wish there was more to this one; a bigger, more detailed story is needed here. The Little Mermaid is from Ursula's point view, and basically just explains how she became a "witch." Beauty and the Beast (which is my favorite fairytale). Rumpelstiltskin, and Sleeping Beauty are forgettable.

The...Well That Was Interesting - Bluebeard is a story that's going to stick with me, which I guess is a good thing. It's just an emotionally tough read. Rapunzel had some good points, but overall this story just didn't have the same feel/flow as the others. I liked the whole "found family" aspect of Jack and the Beanstalk, but this is another one that overall, didn't flow well and and personally, I couldn't sympathize too much with Jack until the end.

This book is overall worth the read. It's imaginative and includes themes for readers of any age. Plus, that cover art (and I suspect the finish illustrations too) are/will be fantastic.

I love retellings of fairy tales. That being said this book (as with so many like it) had some really great stories, some 'meh' stories, and some that I did not like at all.

The book starts off strong with Red Riding Hood, has a somewhat strong middle with Hansel & Gretel (even with the evil stepmother angle), and ends on a high note with Peter Pan. I found myself emotionally invested in the Peter Pan story in a way I did not with any of the others. I would have put Cinderella on that list, but in the end it was kind of a letdown - the lesbian relationship kind of comes out of nowhere and as a result feels like it was just thrown in so that the author could appear more diverse.

Snow White was just okay. I liked the message of the importance of representation at the end, but I was annoyed that the dwarves introduced Snow White to the prince in the first place when it was clear he was shallow and could be drawn in my nothing more than a beautiful face.

Sleeping Beauty and Bluebeard just felt like the author was trying really really hard to be edgy.

Little Mermaid could have been better had it not felt like he was just making fun of the Disney movie.

Rumpelstiltskin and Rapunzel were pretty forgettable.

Beauty and the Beast was a disappointment. I never liked the Beauty character so I didn't end up caring about the ending she created for herself.

I was extremely disappointed with Jack and the Beanstalk. Jack's mother is portrayed as the this awful woman because she's been made bitter by her husband's gambling and abandonment and her son's laziness. He couldn't even work up the energy to work in order to save his beloved cow. But yes, everything is all her fault. Jack finds his replacement father and gets to live happily ever after while his mother is killed and forgotten.

Exploring the world outside A School for Good and Evil, Soman Chainani presents a collection of engaging stories which will delight and spook readers. The subversion of typical fairy tale tropes is a welcome addition. Recommended.

Not your Disney fairy tales. Beasts and Beauty retells familiar stories with dark twists. Twists I have come to expect from Soman Chainani after reading the School for Good and Evil. Some stories I liked more than others but each story contains detailed imagery, interesting characters, and even relevant social concerns.

I really enjoyed these retellings/adaptations of fairy tales. There are some more mature elements that I think would make this more for ages 13+ . The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan have endings that I enjoy better than the original and Disney. And the characters all feel more fleshed -out or given more personality than the originals. All in all, it's great, but I would be hesitant to include it in my 7th grade classroom.

I could only make it through the first two stories before having to stop reading in disgust. The Red Riding Hood story was clearly an allegory for rape (wild boys devouring girls) and then the Snow White story had racist depictions of Black people and basically had the message that only white skin is beautiful. I'm shocked that something like this was accepted by an agent and then sold to an editor, has a whole team working behind it and *no one* has clocked it. I can see that Chainani was trying to be edgy and subvert these stories to make them powerful for girls, but he completely missed the mark.

This book provided imaginative fairy tale retellings. All were good, although none really stuck out as being exceptional retellings. A solid addition to any fairy tale enthusiast's collection.

I loved how these fairy tales turned to the dark side. These stories are a perfect match for middle grade readers craving something a little edgier. The author really got creative with the twists and did a great job matching the stories to new settings.

Much gratitude to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for a review!

I was floored by this book! Like others, I thought it was going to be another retelling of Red Riding Hood but it's a fairy tale collection, and each story is captivating and enthralling. Soman Chainani presents the book with a letter at the start along the lines of how tiresome the old tales are and utterly irrelevant to actual people. And this collection is a profound statement and restructuring of those tales perfectly executed! I don't believe I've ever encountered Chainani's works before, but now I'm ready for them.

As someone who has studied literature, I can confidently say this book is well done and is meant for a wide audience. Are you a parent looking for bed time stories with characters strong of heart? A tween tired of the unattainable perfect and flawless princes/princesses? A person of any age that wants to see a fairy tale hero that's not blonde haired and blue eyed? Or do you want to see the person behind the label "evil?" You'll find it all here.

And this book is illustrated! The copy I received didn't have the finished art yet. But, oh, I am so looking forward to it! I will definitely be purchasing the ebook and the physical book as well!

There is nothing ground breaking in this collection of fairy tale retellings but it's a solid addition to the genre. I enjoyed most of the stories although some were stronger than others. I particularly enjoyed The Hansel and Gretel retelling and I could have skipped the Jack and the Beanstalk. Extra points for the great cover art!

Soman Chainani has delivered an electrified reimagining of fairy tales, where quite frankly, the word 'reimagining' doesn't quite do the vignettes justice. His 'Dear Reader' introduction evocatively sets the stage of a writer in the midst of quarantine, who says that, while enduring days in isolation, "fantasies would have to find new outlets". The fairy tales are full of twists and jagged turns that reshape the familiar by layering the tales with feminist thinking and a level of rationality not usually seen in stories of princesses, princes and archetypal villains. In addition to the overall cleverness, the language itself is saturated with vivid imagery and luscious language, taking readers to places not rooted in the Anglo-Saxon locales that are far too familiar and Disney-fied. From a teaching standpoint, the stories offer educators a chance to supplement readings on myths, fables and fairy tales, creating a critical lens that give voice to the 'other', that play with point-of-views and allow students to explore alternative endings and thinking.

I love how Soman Chainani's mind works. Somehow, he takes fairy tales that we all know and love and changes them into something that is completely new. Creative and creepy, these are not your average fairy tales just as Chainani is not your average author.

I'm a bit disappointed about this book. I love Chainani's books, but for some reason this one wasn't doing it for me.