BOOK NOOK; Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill

"They called the Hatter

completely mad.

Because he is cursed

to both remember

and to forget.

They call me mad too

Because my curse is to heal

through remembering

everything you tried

to make me forget."

As today is St George's Day, I thought I would share an alternative version of the dragon slaying prince.  In Fierce Fairytales, Nikita Gill has transformed well-loved tales and turned them into feminist works of art.  In this collection the dragon-slayer is met with a less than grateful princess who has no interest in his heroics;

"You thought I must be in need of saving? Because you are in need of a wife? How archaic and condescending."

This sums up the tone of the whole book, which takes the reader on a journey through all the fairytales and legends of childhood, giving them such a striking face-lift that the words are sure to stay with you long after you have finished reading.  Here you will meet a dragon who is the epitome of independence and freedom, an evil queen who revels in her power and reputation, a sleeping beauty who knows how to awaken herself and a Hercules who is allowed to cry. 

Fierce Fairytales is a collection of both poetry and prose, a mix of verse and short stories, all with a deeply feminist twist.  It isn't an angry collection in the way that the poet, Amanda Lovelace's work is - this book doesn't project that same style of literary fury at the reader and it is much gentler in tone.  However, the overall message is just as powerful as that of Lovelace, though I would say that I enjoyed Fierce Fairytales  much more than the Women Are Some Kind of Magic trilogy, which is very angry at times.  This book however, made me laugh, smile and cry, all at the same time. 

The poems are well crafted, the prose is powerful and each tale is skillfully put together to create a more empowering version of the stereotypes we all grew up with.  Some of my favourites were The Hatter, Waking Beauty, Gretal After Hansel, The Moon Dragon, Ode to the Catcaller Down the Street and Man Up, Hercules. I also enjoyed Svengali Girl, which for some reason made me think of modern Influencer culture, and Metamorphosis, which seemed to explore the psychological trait of Freeze, from the Fight, Flight or Freeze response to trauma. 

Fierce Fairytales is a very captivating and beautiful book, one designed to carry you away to an enchanted realm full of princesses, queens, witches, mermaids and dragons. It is a world where female power is yours for the taking.  All you have to do is find your voice, speak up and claim it! 

Happy St Georgina's Day! May your Moon Dragon always fly free! 

BB Marie x

BOOK NOOK; The Near Witch by V E Schwab

 "The wind on the moors will always be a tricky thing. It bends its voice and casts it into any shape, long and thin enough to slide beneath the door, stout enough to seem a thing of weight and breath and bone."

This is the first Easter holiday in nine years where I haven't had to write essays and assignments, so I wanted to make the most of a lazy long bank holiday weekend, by reading in the garden.  I have been enjoying the brighter, warmer spring days, sitting in my new garden rocking-chair, wrapped in a green-witch velvet cloak as evening falls, reading The Near Witch, which is a tale of superstition and witchcraft.

It tells the story of Lexi and her encounter with a strange boy who fades into smoke and air one evening.  The locals are very distrustful of strangers and when children begin to be stolen from their beds at night, Lexi has to protect her new friend.  In a small village on the edge of the moors, superstition is rife and talk soon runs to the Near Witch, a woman who was tried by a mob for her witchery and who died hundreds of years earlier.  Now she is a mere bedtime story, her name cloaked in folklore and superstition, a threat to naughty children.  

But Lexi knows there is more to this story than meets the eye. She has befriended two other witches, a pair of elderly sisters who live on the edge of the moorland, so she knows that witches are often good people, if a little misunderstood.   As more and more children disappear in the dead of night, Lexi has to try and track them down, or lose her magical friends to a fresh witch hunt.

This is a lovely book, where the moorland is like an additional character in its own right.  Here the wind sings a song of enticement, as crows caw warnings from up above and the bark, moss and stone take on a life of their own.  It is a very cottage-core novel, with  magical green-witch vibes throughout, so it is the perfect kind of book to read in the garden on a warm, sunny day. 

I didn't enjoy it quite as much as Gallant, as at times The Near Witch can feel quite slow and plodding, but as this was the author's first novel, that is only to be expected.  I did enjoy reading it, though the pacing wasn't always great and after some plodding along, the ending seemed rather rushed.  However, it is still an interesting story and a book I am happy to add to my witchy collection of novels. It is certainly worth a read if you like witchy tales and it is the ideal companion book to read in a forest or woodland setting. Happy Reading!

BB Marie x

BOOK NOOK; Gallant by V E Schwab

 

"Run, says her blood.

Stay, say her bones."

Gallant is the story of sixteen year old Olivia Prior, brought up in an orphanage and mute since birth.  She doesn't know much about her parents, only what she has gleaned from her mother's diary, which is her most treasured possession.  So when a letter arrives from a mysterious uncle she didn't know she had, inviting her to live with him at a Gothic mansion called Gallant, she is eager for a fresh start and a chance to get to know her family.

However, Gallant isn't all she hoped for. On arrival, she discovers that her uncle has been dead for some time and so could not possibly have written the letter. What is more, her cousin is hostile and doesn't want her at Gallant, a place he has claimed entirely as his own. To make matters even more distressing, Olivia can see the ghosts and ghouls that haunt the corridors of Gallant, including the sad specter of her own mother.  

Determined to stay, despite her cousin trying to show her the door more than once, Olivia must piece together the pieces of the puzzle to discover what happened to her mother, who her father was and why Gallant is so full of ghosts.  She embarks on a journey that will change her life and the lives of those around her, forever.

This is a great spooky book with an interesting protagonist.  Being unable to speak means that the dialogue is always entirely one sided, yet Olivia is a well-drawn character and the story is told entirely from her perspective, offering a glimpse into the frustrations of one who finds communication difficult.  Nevertheless, Olivia makes her feelings known quite plainly to anyone rude enough to turn their back on her sign language! 

There is no doubt that Gallant is a haunted house, but it isn't the only haunted house in the book, for there is another, far more sinister dwelling that Olivia is drawn to, one which holds the secrets to her heritage and family ties.

This is one of those books which is difficult to review, simply because I don't want to give anything away!  It is a great page turner and very atmospheric, full of shades and shadows of things that have been and could be again.  If you like ghost stories and spooky houses then Gallant will be right up your street.  It is a beautifully written Gothic tale and I enjoyed it very much. I will be reading more of this author's work in the future.  Happy Reading!

BB Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher for the purposes of review.  It is available now in both digital and hard cover formats.