Fairy Tales Written for Adults

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Gaiman, Neil - Anansi Boys
Set in present day England, this novel is a retelling of the African tales of Anansi the Trickster God. When Charlie attends his estranged father’s funeral, he learns that his father was the West African trickster god, Anansi. Charlie also learns that he has a brother who possesses his own magical powers. When his new brother comes to visit, Charlie’s life spins out of control. This book won the Mythopoeic Award for Adult Literature in 2006.

Medeiros, Teresa - The Bride and the Beast
Intent on getting his revenge on the town that betrayed his family to the English, Bernard MacCullough has been terrorizing the village of Ballybliss by pretending he’s a dragon. Left as a virgin sacrifice to appease this legendary “Dragon of Weyrcraig,” Gwendolyn Wilder ends up winning the beast’s heart instead in this light, creative version of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. The Bride and the Beast won an award from Romantic Times for Scottish Historical Romances.

Donohue, Keith - The Stolen Child
When seven year old Henry Day runs away from his New England home, he is kidnapped by the changelings. A changeling child is given back to Henry’s parents in his place. Now the two switched children must live their lives trying to figure out who they really are. Based on a poem by W.B. Yates about the legend of the Changelings, this book has won many awards.

Quinn, Julia - An Offer from a Gentleman
Set in Regency England, this retelling of the Cinderella story begins when Sophie Beckett, the illegitimate daughter of an earl, attends a masquerade to which she wasn’t invited. There she meets the handsome Benedict Bridgerton, and the two feel an instant connection. When Sophie is found out, she is ousted from her home and must work as a housemaid while Benedict spends the next three years searching for the enchanting stranger he met at the ball. Winner of Library Journal’s Best Romance Books of 2001.

Kostova, Elizabeth - The Historian
In Amsterdam in 1972 a young woman discovers that it is her birthright to find out the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler whose reign formed the basis of the Dracula myth. 2006 Book Sense Book of the Year, 2005 Quill Book Award for Debut Author of the Year.

McKiernan, Dennis L. - Once Upon A Winter's Night
In this retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, the prince of Summerland and poor farmer’s daughter Camille have fallen in love with each other even though Camille is not allowed to look at his face. When Camille tries to look into her prince’s face, it activates the family curse and her prince disappears. Now Camille has only a year and a day to search all of Faery for her lost love and free him from his terrible fate. This book is the first book in McKiernan’s Fairy Tale Novels series, which are all based on different fairy tales.

Card, Orson Scott - Enchantment
It’s Sleeping Beauty meets Russian witch Baba Yaga when modern day grad student Ivan kisses the sleeping ninth century Princess Katerina into wakefulness, and the Russian witch Baba Yaga chases the couple through time periods.

Lackey, Mercedies - Wizard of London
Isabelle Benson has learned that an Elemental Master is behind the attempts on her students' lives-and the would-be murderer is someone very close to her former flame, "The Wizard of London." This retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen takes place in London and is book 4 in the Elemental Masters series, each of which focus on a different fairy tale.

Maguire, Gregory - Mirror Mirror
In this retelling of Snow White, set in 16th century Tuscany, Bianca de Nevada finds protection from her evil stepmother when seven boulders in the woods turn into dwarves.

Dean, Pamela - Tam Lin
Set in the American Midwest in the 1970s, this retelling of the Scottish fairy tale Tam Lin tells the story of a Janet Carter, a college girl who sets out to find her lover when he is stolen by the Queen of Faery. This novel won the Mythopoeic Award for Adult Literature.

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Submitted by Marcie Beard, S524: Readers Advisory for Adults course in the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University.