Retellings of fairytales and folklore have found a foothold in modern media. Think ACOTAR, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, and Cinderella Is Dead. These titles and more prove the lasting power that fairytales hold over our collective consciousness, but we are not strictly confined to retelling tales of the past. Though fairytale and fantasy are traditionally considered separate literary genres, a subgenre of fantasy blends the two: fairytale fantasy. Although an assumed prerequisite of fairytales is that the intended audience will be children, fairytale fantasy expands the boundaries of this fantastical genre, making these stories palatable for the young, the old, and everyone in between.
What is Fairytale Fantasy?
Fairytales are one of the few literary art forms where a pedantic approach is not only accepted but encouraged—without a moral to the story, you don’t have a fairytale—and this remains true with fairytale fantasy. Although not such a hard-fast rule, fairytale fantasy relies on fairytale tropes, conventions, and motifs within a fantasy setting, one of which is the ability to teach a moral lesson. This may include retellings like The Raven and the Reindeer, original plots that borrow from fairytale conventions like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and expansions of fairytale characters like The Snow Queen’s Shattered Mirror. (Notice how each of these examples plays a spin on The Snow Queenw and yet tells vastly different stories.) The capacity to retell fairytales in this subgenre is not strictly limited to Grimm stories or those involving the fae. This genre also considers various folklore from around the world, a favorite of which is The Wraith and the Dawn, a retelling of A Thousand and One Nights.
Some may argue that any modern fairytale will automatically fall under this category rather than being lumped in with traditional fairytales. To a degree, this might be true. One modal aspect of traditional fairytales is the oral tradition that later transformed into literary fairytales. Likewise, there’s a certain ambiance of language used in traditional fairytales that often feels forced when combined with modern written vernacular. Likewise, the idea of intertextuality that is pervasive in most (if not all) post-modern literature insinuates that there’s no way to create an original story, fairytale or not. Instead, we paste together, whether intentionally or not, the ideas we’ve consumed throughout our lives to create a new amalgam.
To me, though, classification and organization mean less than the contents of the story. I’m looking for a compelling story with fully realized, complex characters and features we find more in fairytale fantasy than traditional fairytales.
Common Tropes
As we’ve already discussed, fairytale fantasy relies heavily on tropes, conventions, and motifs commonly found in fairytales while painting them with fantasy settings and mechanics. Fairytale fantasy erases the claim that the entire story is just a fable and grounds these characters in a more immersive setting. If you decide to dive into writing a fairytale fantasy, you might consider incorporating the following tropes:
- Royalty: Fairytales often feature members of royalty. While traditional fairytales are usually centered around the plight of an unfortunate princess, fairytale fantasies can feature a variety of protagonists, whether that’s a prince, king, queen, or someone who is royal adjacent. Consider shifting the perspective of a classic fairytale from the princess to her maid and see what magic you conjure!
- Magic: Speaking of magic, it’s almost required that fairytale fantasies rely on arcane powers. Sometimes, this takes the form of a powerful sorcerer who curses the protagonist, and sometimes, the protagonist learns to wield powerful spells. While traditional fairytales rarely explore the source of this magic, you, the author, wield the power to craft complex, original magic systems. Go all out with it and see what unique rules you can come up with.
- Happily Ever After: Most stories, regardless of genre, require a happy ending—or at least an ending that trends toward happiness. Readers simply aren’t satisfied by bleak endings, although I personally believe there’s room to explore that realm of emotions. Fairytale fantasies adhere to this standard more than other genres, but happily ever after doesn’t have to conclude with a royal wedding and a kiss. Think of non-traditional ways to imply happiness.
Why I Like Fairytale Fantasy
Fairytale fantasy offers us a chance to rewrite the wrongs of the past. Have you ever come across a fairytale with a moral that didn’t gel with your personal belief system? You can spin that moral quandary on its head by digging into the intricacies of the original story and turning those circumstances on their head. Notice how so many modern retellings shift the power of salvation onto the damsel in distress rather than her knight in shining armor. You can fit classic stories to fit within the zeitgeist of the moment.
Why YOU Should Explore Fairytale Fantasy
Fairytale fantasy has the capacity to inject new forms of representation into old stories. When writing fairytale fantasy, we get the opportunity to paint a more colorful picture—in more ways than one! Think about the racial, sexual, and gender representation your target audience wants. How can you write a story that everyone knows in a way that everyone can enjoy and relate to? Other themes you might consider when you pick up the quill are:
- Revisionism: Some fairytales are simply outdated—I said it! Although that may make the original story fall out of favor with modern audiences, you can always revise the problematic aspect. In fact, you might write the exact opposite. Conversely, you might change the beloved aspects of a fairytale.
- True Love: Remember how Aurora could only be awoken by true love’s kiss? (As did Snow White, Frog from The Frog Prince, Ariel, Fiona, and many, many more.) True love is a notion carried throughout fairytales, solidified by a kiss or another action that proves their unadulterated feelings. What does true love look like to you, and how can you paint this in a modern way? My challenge to you is to consider love from a minority point of view, such as through the lens of asexuality or aromanticism.
- Repentance: Most fairytales delve into repentance in some way, whether that’s through showing that any sin can be forgiven or that forgiveness is never an option. Modern morality teaches us to forgive and forget, but your characters don’t have to do either. At their heart, fairytales teach us something. Your fairytale fantasy should, in some way, seek to do the same, but don’t trap yourself within the confines of modern morality. Explore the things we’re taught not to do, too, for a more compelling story.
Fairytale Fantasy Novels We Love
We all know that many of the fairytales Disney raised us on actually have quite dark origins. Take, for example, Cinderella. As told by the Brothers Grimm, Cinderella’s stepsisters actually cut off parts of their feet to fit into the shoe. How grim. Donna Jo Napoli’s Bound returns to this macabre version of Cinderella. A retelling based in China, Bound follows Xing Xing as she is forced to take care of her half-sister, who bears the painful foot bindings given to women who will one day be married. I read this book when I was in junior high school, and I was so fascinated by how the golden hues of Chinese culture painted the Cinderella archetype. If you want a unique spin on Cinderella, I recommend this book.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine is widely regarded as an excellent book due to its unique take on the classic Cinderella fairy tale–but Cinderella is cursed. I’ve read this book in elementary school and created a clay sculpture of Ella because of how amazing she was. Ella herself is a strong-willed and relatable protagonist who–despite her curse–displays resilience, intelligence, and independence, serving as an inspiring role model for readers. Levine’s writing style is filled with humor and wit, making the book enjoyable for both children and adults. The characters are well-developed and multifaceted, with nuanced and believable relationships that add depth to the narrative. I couldn’t recommend this book more!
Russian folklore and fairytales contain so many interesting ideas that are often unknown to western audiences. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is a great way to step into some of these unfamiliar elements while still experiencing the fairytale feel! This story is set in medieval Russia and follows a female lead who can speak to animals. The conflict is set by the Orthodox Christian church’s attempt to completely erase beliefs in such things. This is the first book in a series, so there’s plenty of reading to uncover unknown fables and lore!