Ten Queer Fairy Tale Retellings Worth Reading

As a queer woman growing up, it was pretty easy to criticize all things fairy-tale. Perhaps there was good reason for that, as mockery of all things Disney has grown popular in recent years.

The truth was that no matter how sugary and over-the-top fairy tales were, the biggest flaw was an inability to see people like myself in their pages or on television screens. That bitterness kept me away from fairy tales right up until the discovery of a pivotal genre: queer fairy-tale retellings.

Queer retellings have grown increasingly popular over the years. The breadth of mythological tales gives authors room to add their own spin, transforming old heteronormative stories into something fresh and exciting.

To celebrate Adult Fairy Tales Week, we rounded up the best queer fairy-tale reads, ranging from young adult romance to spine-chilling horror, that deserve to be read at least once.

11
Cinder (2012) by Marie Sexton

Cinderella? Try Cinderfella.

Marie Sexton wrote a short novella reimagining the classic tale, staying true to the original while adding a fun, gay twist. Eldon Cinder wants only to see his friend, Prince Xavier, one last time at the royal ball. Only women are invited to dance with the prince, however. Eldon visits a local witch who grants his wish with a huge catch.

Marie Sexton takes a camp approach while keeping enough edge in the prose to prevent Cinder from feeling ridiculous. The story runs on the short side, but that enhances the pacing and makes Cinder an easy read to finish in one sitting.

10
Unburied Fables (2016) by Creative Aces Publishing

What is better than one queer fairy-tale reimagining? Multiple of them. Featuring authors ranging from students to seasoned professional writers, Unburied Fables tackles classic fairy tales like Beauty and the Beast alongside lesser-known, non-Western tales.

As with any anthology, the quality of each story varies. That variety makes Unburied Fables intriguing, offering something for everyone from a polyamorous twist to an aromantic protagonist who does not want to be in a fairy tale at all.

9
The 100 Nights of Hero (2016) by Isabel Greenberg

The 100 Nights of Hero is a graphic novel following Cherry, a noblewoman whose husband, Jerome, wagers her in a bet with his friend Manfred. If Manfred seduces Cherry in less than 100 nights, he wins her and the castle. Fortunately for Cherry, her maid and lover, Hero, keeps Manfred at bay with epic tales of love and betrayal.

While not a traditional retelling, The 100 Nights of Hero offers a sapphic, feminist reimagining of The Arabian Nights. Isabel Greenberg supplies a vivid art style and a darkly humorous narrative.

8
More Than Enough (2017) by Elizabeth Wambhein

While many queer retellings of classic fairy tales take a romantic approach, Elizabeth Wambhein takes a different path with Beauty and the Beast.

Instead of Belle, the story follows Petra, a gardener at the country manor of Prince Fier, a noble known to be more beast than man who was abandoned years earlier. Is Fier truly gone, and what does that mean for Petra?

Complex and sweet, Elizabeth Wambhein unpacks the original tale in an innovative way.

7
Peter Darling (2017) by Austin Chant

The idea of a magical place where nobody grows up sounds exciting in childhood. As Austin Chant explores in his queer retelling of Peter Pan, the fantasy does not live up to reality. After 10 years away living in the real world as Wendy Darling, Peter returns for a new adventure.

Peter Darling has Peter grappling with what it means to be Peter Pan and leader of the Lost Boys while staying true to the original magic. Peter also finds plenty to love in his old rival, Captain Hook.

6
The Magic Fish (2020) by Trung Le Nguyen

Trung Le Nguyen draws on the whimsy of fairy tales like Cinderella and The Little Mermaid in a graphic novel debut that bridges a communication gap between Tien, a young boy, and his Vietnamese immigrant parents.

Through fairy tales, Tien’s parents improve their English over time while growing closer to their son. Trung Le Nguyen addresses queerness and cultural clashes with empathy and intelligence.

5
Cinderella Is Dead (2020) by Kalynn Bayron

Cinderella Is Dead is set 200 years after the original tale. 16-year-old Sophie lives in a world where women are seen and not heard, and if they are not picked to be wed by a man at the annual King’s Ball, they disappear.

Kalynn Bayron weaves a dystopian fantasy tackling homophobia, misogyny, and racism that reframes the original story as horror.

4
Malice (2021) by Heather Walter

Sleeping Beauty features a young girl cursed by an evil sorceress to prick her finger on a spinning needle and fall into an everlasting sleep, awakened only by true love’s kiss. Malice shakes up that concept by having Princess Aurora fall for the sorceress who cast the curse.

While featuring enemies-to-lovers themes, Malice focuses on redeeming the sorceress Alyce. A sequel, Misrule, continues the duology.

2
The Grimrose Girls (2021) by Laura Pohl

Laura Pohl reimagines classic fairy-tale protagonists as young women who become the talk of Grimrose Académie after their friend Ariane dies. They soon discover more about her death and themselves in a gritty and fantastical tale filled with diverse characters.

Source: Polygon