So what are your favorite fairy tales?
Cinderella! I've always loved that story for some reason. It's always been my favorite! I also really love the tale of Sleeping Beauty. Rupunzel is also a really good one.

Are you a fan of Disney's animated classics?
Absolutely! Though not all of them. Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are probably my favorites. I didn't like the Little Mermaid very much and I did not like The Princess and Frog at all. Maybe it's because I'm so used to the old fairytales that the new style and take on the Disney fairytales now take some getting used to...

What are your favorite retellings?
I have to go with Ella Enchanted. It's a Cinderella story I really enjoyed. I pretty much love all Levine's work especially Princess Sanora and The Long Sleep. I've always loved that story in particular! But I've read lots of retellings and there are a lot of really good ones out there!

If you were only able to have read one fairy tale in your life, which one would it have been? Cinderella hands down!!!!!!!!

The most recent Fairytale I read was Beauty Sleep. One of those Once Upon a Time books. It was the Sleeping Beauty version. It was alright of course but the twist at the end was so odd that I didn't know what to think of it.
And a few month back I was reading the Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry. It's a very very loose Cinderella tale which I enjoyed.

The most recent Fairytale I read was Beauty Sleep. One of those Once Upon a Time books. It was the Sleeping Beauty version. It was alright of course but the twist at the end was so odd that I didn't know what to think of it.

True that! And really, Dokey doesn't ever offer up satisfying explanations for any of the odd occurrences in the book, does she? What she does give us always seem more like excuses.

I'm pretty sure there are some I'm familiar with but what exactly is the definition of a fairy tale??

TheGeneral: good question.

I saw “Beauty and the Beast” last week, the one with real actors [Rebecca du Mornay]. And I noticed a few religious parallels. In Beauty’s first dream, the prince tells her, “Look for me, even if I’m hiding. See with your heart and don’t trust your eyes” [my memory]. I instantly thought of Jesus, who was basically in disguise during His 33 years on this earth. If people had seen Jesus then as He appeared before Peter, James, and John during the transfiguration, and before John in Revelation, they would have fallen at His feet either in awe or in dismay. But in Isaiah 53 and the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion, how did Jesus appear? Almost ugly – a beast – because of His sufferings. Peter and others had to see Jesus with their hearts in order to behold His glory. The same is true today. We must see Jesus with our hearts; this means walking by faith, not by sight [2 Cor 5]. To unbelievers, Jesus is a beast. To Christians, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. You know what’s ironic? Jesus is beautiful. We are [at least I am] beastly. And about the hiding part ... read Jeremiah 29:13.

Has anyone else noticed this? The religious nature of some fairy tales, like Pinocchio for instance.

I forgot about The Princess Bride. I liked it when I was younger, but I tried watching it last year on cable TV and the plot seemed silly.

Haha, wow, lys. What a review! I'm surprised the author got away with using the fact that the Beast was Native American as his "beastliness". But I guess if they have the heroine totally rejecting the idea in the end and going completely native... Don't feel bad about not bringing up the Once Upon a Time series---I almost didn't, but felt they deserved a mention.

I hope you enjoy the book, GtG!

Good question, ww. I have no clue what non-Christians think of the teind conversation.
And if I ever run across a spare copy of any of Mrs. Doman's books, I'll pick one up for you (if my sisters don't steal it first ). Though, it is probably best if you don't get your expectations/hopes up too high about them.

Hm, Bella, I don't think Princess Sonora was my favourite, either.

I don't think I've ever ready Beauty Sleep, arabesque. And you liked The Amaranth Enchantment? I, eh, read it a bit ago and was not impressed. I wrote, "Neither original nor good particularly. (Nor clever!)". I may have been a bit harsh on it, though, I suppose. Peter was my favourite character, but then he went all cliched.

Eh, I'm not quite sure either, TheGeneral.

Mhm, yes, I have noticed the parallels between Christianity and fairy tales/legends at times, 220Christian. It would be a fascinating thing to study.

I wonder if non-Christians find [the teind discussion] jarring or if it flows logically within the story for them.

I don't think it jumped out at me until the third or fourth reading, though at that point it was like "Whoa! How did I miss that..."

Bella, the juvenile humour in the Princess Tales was a big turn off for me too. I guess I'm glad I don't remember very much about the story, and I wouldn't particularly recommend a re-reading.

*nitpicks with lys over his explanation of The Little Mermaid plot*

I wrote R. J. Anderson about The Little Mermaid parallels in Knife. She wrote back and said she wishes she had been that clever. But, on the other hand... she wrote back!!! And there are parallels, there really are...

So what are your favorite fairy tales? *sigh* I don't know where to begin! I've always been a sucker for Beauty and the Beast, I love The Snow Queen, Sleeping Beauty, Thumbelina (Little Tiny), etc., etc...

Are you a fan of Disney's animated classics? I liked them when I was little, but I appreciate the little humorous bits alot now that I didn't notice when I was little. My favorites are actually not disney: The Swan Princess and Thumbelina

What are your favorite retellings? I've got to say The Fairy Tale Novels by Regina Doman (The Shadow of the Bear, Black as Night, Waking Rose, and The Midnight Dancers). Any Shannon Hale retelling comes in close second. I love her stories!

If you were only able to have read one fairy tale in your life, which one would it have been? The Ordinary Princess. It's just so sweet. Or else The Snow Queen, by Hans Christian Anderson.

Ella Enchanted used to be my favorite retelling, but I've read it recently and found that it doesn't satisfy me as much as it used to. Ella almost jumps out and shouts in your face that she's going to do the rescuing and be the heroine. She's very, for lack of a better word, feminist. And at the end of the book,

It's a good book, but bits of it don't ring true. Ella seems to try too hard. I've only been seeing this recently, but it just isn't...solid.

So what are your favorite fairy tales? I've always really loved Repunzel, and Beauty and the Beast.
Are you a fan of Disney's animated classics? No, the originals are so much better and more interesting, imho.
What are your favorite retellings? Shannon Hale's The Goose Girl, Ella Enchanted, Ice,

If you were only able to have read one fairy tale in your life, which one would it have been? I'm going to go with sweeet and say The Ordinary Princess, actually.

I really like the "Red Fairy Book", the "Blue Fairy Book" etc. There's soo many obscure fairy tales in there that I never would have read otherwise. The illustrations are pretty neat too.

Val, ah, you've read The Goose Girl too? It's one of my favorite books, in fact I've in the process of rereading it.

I've checked out The Ordinary Princess from the library, and I must say, I'm quite enjoying it so far.

From answers.com:

A fanciful tale of legendary deeds and creatures, usually intended for children.
A fictitious, highly fanciful story or explanation.

Alright now I know

So what are your favorite fairy tales? Anything by Hans Christian Anderson!

Are you a fan of Disney's animated classics? Yeah, a lot of the old stuff from my early childhood... I don't like any of the new stuff though!

What are your favorite retellings? I don't really get this question but I'll just say The Little Mermaid (Walt Disney version).

If you were only able to have read one fairy tale in your life, which one would it have been? Hmmm... a tie between The Ice Queen and The Little Mermaid (original), both by Hans Christian Anderson.

Please note that this Special Feature will be closing Saturday, January 23, after which you may post about Fairy Tales in the Books thread.

I love fairy tales so much! I also enjoy writing them (even though mine aren't very good!)