![]() ![]() Kipin’s two-color illustrated borders build cumulatively and fascinatingly, culminating in a double-page spread for each story. Only the Ravkan stories offer substantial local flavor, though Zemeni Ayama is brown-skinned while the Fjerdan mermaids are fair. The Fjerdan “When Water Sang Fire” provides a villain origin story for “The Little Mermaid” that owes far more to Disney than to Hans Christian Andersen it’s nevertheless gorgeously otherworldly. (It also replaces candy with mouthwatering meals: “crispy roast goose,” “butter-soaked blini,” “black bread spread with soft cheese,” “hot tea laced with sugar,” “sweet rolls with prune jam.”) From the island nation of Kerch, there’s “The Soldier Prince,” a retelling of The Nutcracker that raises questions about the selfhood of magical creatures. Three are set in the Russia-like Ravka, including “The Witch of Duva.” This “Hansel and Gretel” variant plays on stereotypes about villainy held by protagonist Nadya. ![]() Six reimagined fairy tales set in the Grishaverse.īardugo returns to the setting of Shadow and Bone (2012) with both original tales and familiar ones retold. ![]()
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