These Are Not Your Grandmother’s Bedtime Stories
By Julia Rasor
Melissa Albert’s new novel “Tales From the Hinterland,” a collection of 12 dark fictional fairy tales, makes the Brothers Grimm look like child’s play.
The Hinterland realm is dark, macabre and twisted but satisfyingly so. In addition to being an excellent piece of horror fairy tale writing, the novel also has the makings of a powerful feminist piece of literature with female protagonists defying antiquated masculine narratives of outdated fairy tale stereotypes.
Despite belonging to the Hinterland series, this collection of fairy tales also serves as a stand-alone read for the classic fairy tale lover. The collection looks head-on at trauma and portrays themes of murder, homicide, suicide, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, victimization and rape — so let this be your official sensitivity warning.
The most essential short story of this collection is “Alice Three Times,” which gives an understanding of the main Hinterland series protagonist. Serving as what is arguably the most blatant example of a feminist heroine, Alice is given an opportunity to seek her truth and work towards healing her wounds.
Alice’s story is savage, ruthless and puzzling. As an illegitimate child unable to inherit a kingdom, yet still victim to a traditional royal arranged marriage, Alice takes charge and sets forth impossible trials for her suitors and then ensures her freedom by murdering her mother.
“The House Under The Stairwell” is a nod to the Brothers Grimm classic story “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” an enchanting adventure-turned-horror story. It follows Isobel, a daughter who escapes the cruel fate of a promised marriage to a masked man by releasing the ghosts of his revenge-driven dead wives and ensuring her “happy” ending by stitching together the broken bodies of her beheaded family members.
Finally, in what is arguably the most sinister story of the novel, “Twice-Killed-Katherine” follows the tale of a young witch who repeatedly comes back to life by stealing the lives of those around her in exchange for her own, only to find the greatest punishment of all was to never die again.
“Tales from the Hinterland” normalizes female portrayals that undergo trauma and gives morally imperfect characters a proper sense of agency instead of falling into a typical damsel-in-distress trope. This collection has all the makings of being a feminist piece of literature, but it falls just short of fruition. The fairy tale nature undermines the possibility for genuine feminist heroes because it’s compromised by vengeance-driven empowerment. It makes this world of fantasies ultimately one of nightmares.
Rating: 4.5/5
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: Jan. 12, 2021
Cost: $17.99 (Hardcover), $11.99 (Paperback), $10.99 (Kindle)
