Once Upon A Time: A Contemporary Fairytale

Fairytales have always been one of my favorite types of stories.  Anything can happen in a fairytale—a frog could really be a prince, an apple, one of the healthiest fruits, could be poisonous, a grandma could be eaten by a wolf and live to tell the tale, and glass slippers could actually be comfortable to dance in.  Several months ago I came across a TV series on Netflix that takes the phrase “anything can happen” to a whole new level.   After the first episode of ABC’s Once Upon a Time it became clear this show was not going to depict fairytales how they were told to me as a child.  The creators of Once Upon A Time retold fairytales like no other storyteller has, and in so doing, has told one of the greatest contemporary tales. 

I once had a college professor tell my advanced creative writing class, “Every story has already been told.  All you have to do is write it better.”  Arguably, Once Upon a Time has reinvented some of the best contemporary fairytales.  Every story in Once Upon a Time has been told, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Cinderella, Rumplestiltskin, and so on.  Twisting these stories, Once Upon a Time sheds new light on fairy tales, and keeps viewers guessing what will happen next. 

The main story woven throughout the episodes is Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.  Instead of the innocent princess we meet in Disney’s version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Once Upon a Time introduces us to a new version of this classic character.   Snow White is portrayed like today’s Tiana from Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, or Rapunzel from Disney’s Tangled.  She isn’t the sweet, innocent girl we meet in most Snow White stories.  Once Upon a Time’s Snow White is pure and kind, but she’s also brave, fearless, and a bandit at one point in her life.  The Evil Queen, Regina from Snow White, is mean, ruthless, and literally tears people’s hearts out.  However, unlike the original telling of Snow White, she changes.  Regina vanquishes the Wicked Witch, saving Snow White’s baby; she also helps defeat Peter Pan, who is one of the most evil characters on the show.  Once Upon a Time modernizes the princess and makes the evil queen a rounded character. 

The fact that the show twists the stories, and at times leaves them unrecognizable from the version we knew is not unique.  The Broadway play Wicked portrays the Wicked Witch of the West as a good person who very few people understand.  Donna Jo Napoli takes fairytales and myths, and puts her own flavor into them. Napoli’s Beast, is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Likewise Breathe is a retelling of The Pied Piper. The 2012 movie Mirror, Mirror depicted the Snow White story, with Snow White turning into a bandit, learning swordsmanship, with a spirit to take her kingdom back.  The evil queen, in this version, is more developed than most stories of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

What makes Once Upon a Time a more interesting story than other retold fairytales, including Mirror, Mirror, is the fact that, as mentioned before, it melds different fairytales together.  For example, when Snow White is on the run from The Evil Queen, she bumps into Little Red Riding Hood.  Together, these two friends, along with Granny, “conquer” the wolf, who wreaks havoc on the village.  The Evil Queen meets Tinker Bell who tries to help her realize she can still have a happy ending.  In doing this Once Upon a Time puts a unique spice into the fairytales so viewers can’t predict which character will show up next, or who will fall in love with whom.  Rumplestiltskin is actually the beast Belle falls in love with, The Evil Queen is also Ursula, and who would have guessed The Evil Queen would fall in love with Robin Hood?     

The combined fact that Once Upon a Time twists and melds fairytales together is something that has rarely been done before, and has never had so much popularity.  This could possibly be a breakthrough in the way traditional fairytales are told.  Or this could be a onetime thing, which will never be replicated to this scale again.  I am excited to find out what Once Upon a Time throws at us in the upcoming Season 4 starting this Sunday.   

The Brothers: A Glimpse of the World Before

Have you ever read a book about an event you attended but have no recollection of, no pictures to prove you were there, no documents, and no living mortal can vouch for your attendance?  I recently completed such a book—Prologue: The Brothers, the first volume in The Great and Terrible series by Chris Stewart.

This book takes place in the premortal world and tells of the great battle fought between Satan and the children of God.  Stewart takes great literary license when describing the premortal world, because as he says, “The simple fact is that we know very little of what life was like for us in the premortal world . . . ” (Stewart xi).  In this world four siblings struggle to decide what side to take during the war in heaven.  Satan is cunning and deceiving, while the leaders of God’s army preach truth and light.  Each sibling faces trials that prepare him or her for their mission on earth.  The reader glimpses the mind of Satan and how evil he is.  They also glimpse the salvation of our Savior and how much faith we as his brothers and sisters put into His promise of coming to earth and leading a perfect life, suffering and then dying for us so we could return to live with God again. 

While reading about this battle of wits and words I couldn’t help but wonder where I was during this war.  Did I ever cross over to Satan’s side then come back as some characters did?  Or was I one of the valiant ones who always knew that Christ’s plan was the one in which we could truly gain salvation.  Was I ever a missionary or a leader who carried His word to those who were fence sitters?  Or was I a fence sitter myself?  Did I have friends who chose to follow Satan and are now working against me?  These and other questions pressed on my mind while reading.

No other book that I read has caused me to ponder where my place was during the time the book took place.  I can read a historical fiction book about 9/11 or the events of the ensuing war and remember where I was when these events took place.  I can look back on my journal and reflect on the feelings I had, my views on it, and my thoughts of the future.  But I have no earthly record of what happened to me during the time and setting of The Brothers.  This is why this book made me ponder as I did.

Because of this single fact I found this book extremely interesting.  Despite the fact it lacked a solid story line, or had wordy descriptions of the setting, The Brothers is a book worth reading.  The characters are believable.  The four siblings aren’t all the valiant type you would expect them to be.  Some have questions and some falter.  Because they aren’t perfect they are relatable. 

Above all I believe this story is worth reading because it makes you think.  Whether you believe we existed as spirits before we came here, or whether you even believe in a god, I would highly recommend this book.  It makes you think of your calling in life, what we are here to do, and our relationship to God and our fellow men. 

Fortune Cookie

Fortune Cookie

By: Josi S. Kilpack

A letter from San Francisco.  A burned body. An estranged sister.  And lot’s of secrets.  Mix them all together for two minutes and you have a recipe for a murder mystery you won’t want to miss! 

Summary

Sadie is busy putting the final touches to her wedding, which is only three weeks away, when she gets a letter in the mail from San Francisco.  The only person she knows there is her estranged sister, Wendy, who didn’t even come to their father’s funeral.  Sadie is hesitant about letting Wendy back into her life… until she realizes Wendy isn’t around to hurt her anymore.  Plus there’s a mystery that needs solving, and new food to be eaten.  Sadie soon uncovers twisted truths about her sister’s past, and meets people who definitely have a motive for murder. 

The Depth of a Relationship

I think more than anything Fortune Cookie explores the relationships. 

Ji and his family:  Ji does things out of duty and not so much because he loves what he does.  He works hard to honor his father-in-law and to provide a comfortable living for his daughters.  He married Lin Yang out of duty, never growing to love her.  Sadie helps Ji begin to see the reality of his miserable his life, and that it will continue to be miserable if he continues to do everything he does out of duty.

Ji and Sadie: Meeting a nephew you never knew you had.  That’s a surprise, especially when you find out your nephew lived a completely different life than you, and much of it because of the bad parenting of your sister (his mother).  Ji doesn’t have to accept Sadie into his life, and Sadie knows that.  In fact several times it appears as if Ji is pushing Sadie away.  This relationship hangs by a thread throughout the book, and Sadie must fight for it to stay together.

Pete and Sadie:  Revisiting San Francisco brings back a lot of hard memories for Pete.  It was a favorite vacation spot for him and his late wife, Pat.  Sadie and Pete not only have to work together to solve this mystery, but also to keep their relationship alive and well.  Pete must come to terms with Pat never coming back, and instead, having Sadie by his side for the rest of his life. 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I love how these mystery books are more about relationships than they are about the mysteries.

A Personal Investment

There has been one other book in the Sadie Hoffmiller series where one of Sadie’s family members has been deeply involved in a case.  This caused Sadie to put everything she had into solving the mystery.  Fortune Cookie has the same personal investment involved.  This time the family member is the one who is dead, not the one being accused.  Because of this Sadie puts more of an effort into solving the mystery.

Personal Review

This book is one of the best books in the series, not because it’s a page turner, but because of what Sadie learns about herself and her relationships with those around her living and dead.  I love Sadie’s strength and love she has for others.  Before I thought Sadie was a little selfish in her relationship with Pete.  Fortune Cookie brought the unselfish side out in Sadie.

Escape to Terabithia

Being ten years old can’t be too hard.  Most of your life revolves around play, chores, and school.  But being ten can still have it’s difficulties: bullies, annoying teachers, not fitting in, secret loves, secret hobbies, and fears you’re ashamed to admit.  You would need a Terabithia—an imaginary, or physical, place where you can be yourself, leaving the worries of the world behind. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, not only explores the adventures and lives of two 10 year olds, but also shows how each of us has our own Terabithia.  Terabithia represents something different for each child; for Leslie it was a place of refuge, for Jess it was a place to grow.

It was Leslie’s idea to create a place where she and Jess could be themselves.  In fighting off giants, invaders, and paying respect to the spirits of Terabithia, Leslie finds refuge from the school kid’s teasing.  She was a dreamer and made fun of for it. She day dreamed in class (Paterson 44), she read books and recounted the stories to Jess, her hobby was scuba diving, not “watching game shows on TV” or “reading Good Books” like all the other girls (Paterson 33).  It was only in Terabithia that Leslie was truly able to let her imagination and freedom loose, allowing her true self to show.

For Jess, Terabithia was a place where he faced his fears.  As a boy, Jess thought he was supposed to be tough, not some wussy who was afraid of a swollen creek, getting beat in a race, or of the woods.  By facing his fears in Terabithia he grows and becomes a leader.  Perhaps the biggest fear that Jess faced was going to Terabithia without Leslie.  “Jess tried going to Terabithia alone, but it was no good.  It needed Leslie to make the magic.  He was afraid he would destroy everything by trying to force the magic on his own . . . (Paterson 65).  But in the end it is the very magic of Terabithia he feared wouldn’t come to him should he go to Terabithia alone, that ultimately destroyed his fear.  After Leslie’s death, Jess enters Terabithia alone.  At first he struggles to find the magic, telling the spirit of Leslie that he’s “just a dumb dodo” (Paterson 119), and in honor of, the deceased queen.  The spirits, he said, accepted his offering, and the words he spoke “had the ring of the sacred grove in them (Paterson 120). He alone produced the magic he feared he couldn’t create.

In a way Jess feared Terabithia.  He didn’t quite grasp the magic the way Leslie did.  He wasn’t the one to come up with the idea to make the pine forest sacred, or fight off the invaders of Terabithia.  Leslie was the one who always told stories to Jess.  Jess was a follower and listener.  When Leslie died Jess could have abandoned Terabithia, thinking that it wasn’t magical without Leslie.  Instead, Jess became the ruler.  He crowned his younger sister, May Belle, Queen of Terabithia, bringing his own magic into Terabithia (Paterson 128).

Each of us has a Terabithia where we can escape from the world to be our true selves, or a place where we go that allows us to conquer our fears.  It may not be a physical place, it may be a situation, an event, or it could take place inside our own heads.  Nevertheless, Terabithia will always make us grow, and will always be our safe haven.

~
“Between the two of them they owned the world and no enemy, Gary Fulcher, Wanda Kay Moore, Jancie Avery, Jess’s own fears and insufficiencies, nor any of the foes whom Leslie imagined attacking Terabithia, could ever really defeat them.” (Paterson 40).

Works Cited
Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. New York: HaperCollins, 1977. Print

There's Nothing Better Than a Good Book

On Facebook I saw several people ask for good books to read.  So I threw together this list of some of my favorite books.  Enjoy! 

Life of Pi

By: Yan Martel

Genre: Contemporary

Rated: PG-13 for some animal violence

Book Club Worthy: Yes

 If you liked the movie, you’ll the love the book!  The book goes into more detail of when Pi is in India, exploring different religions, explaining the zoo, connecting religion and zoos, and finding himself.  I suggested this book to my mom and she couldn’t put it down.

Watch for my review on this book this summer.

Till We Have Faces

By: C.S. Lewis

Genre: Mythical/Fantasy

Rated: PG

Book Club Worthy: Yes

Set in a barbaric town, Till We Have Faces, retells the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, this time from the point of view of on of Psyche’s sisters.  It explores the dimensions of love, both possessive and romantic.  I loved the depth of this book, the way it made me think, and the reality of the characters.  Lewis truly carves a masterpiece.  It’s a must read for everyone.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

By: E. Lockhart

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Rated: PG

Book Club Worthy: Yes

A coming-of-age book, Frankie discovers she doesn’t want to be the stereotypical girlfriend of gorgeous senior Matthew Livingston.  She doesn’t want to be told what do to, what to wear, and how to act.  So when she finds out about his male-only secret society, Frankie takes matter into her own hands, showing Matthew, his secret society, and her boarding school the power behind a female mind. 

Bridge to Terabithia

By: Katherine Paterson

Genre: Children

Rated: PG

Book Club Worthy: No

A classic children’s book, this story touched my heart.  Jess is entering the fifth grade, and he knows he’s the fastest runner in the school . . . until he gets beat by the new girl in town, Leslie.  They form an unlikely friendship and discover the land of Terabithia where they reign as king and queen.  Leslie shows Jess a new meaning to life, full of stories and adventures.

This is a great book to read with the kids. Look for the review on this book, coming soon! 

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

By: Mary E. Pearson

Genre: Young Adult, Utopia

Rated: PG (There is some swearing in it)

Book Club Worthy: Yes

Jenna Fox has been in a comma for the last year and half.  She doesn’t remember anything about her life prior to the accident, or the accident itself, and no one is willing to tell her what happened.  The Adoration of Jenna Fox explores the relationship between parents and children.  I loved this book so much I couldn’t put it down, and neither could my mom. 

After you’re done reading it, read my essay on it. 

Lemon Tart

By: Josi S. Kilpack

Genre: Mystery

Rated: PG

Book Club Worthy: No

Sadie Hoffmiller loves baking and cooking and keeps up to date with everything going on in her neighborhood.  When her new friend and neighbor, Anne Lemon, is found dead in the field behind her house, and her two-year-old son, Trevor, is missing, Sadie is one of the first to know.  Sadie is convinced she has valuable information for investigators in regards to Anne’s murder and Trevor’s kidnapping.  However, they don’t want to hear what Sadie has to say.  In fact she becomes a suspect!  Sadie bakes her way through scrumptious cookies to delicious brownies in order to find out who is really behind the murder and to clear her own name.

If you are looking for a book to simply enjoy pick up Lemon Tart.  There isn’t an underlying meaning.  It’s simply a book about a fiery widow who solves a mystery. 

Read my review on it.

I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You

By: Ally Carter

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Rated: PG

Book Club Worthy: No

Cammie Morgan attends the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women.  It’s not your typical boarding school though.  Instead of learning basic math, chemistry, and English, they learn the ins and out of spydom.  They break CIA codes, learn chemical warfare, and the martial arts, just to name a few subjects. 

In the small town by their school lives a regular boy.  Cammie, a not-so-regular girl, falls for him.  What happens when a future spy does the unthinkable and starts to date a regular boy?  Her friends confirm to her that it’s riskier to fall in love than to hack into the president’s computer. 

I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You, is a fun and exciting read.  I’d highly recommend it if you don’t want to read a book that will make you think too hard.

Harry Potter Series

By: J.K. Rowling

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy

Rated: PG – PG-13

Book Club Worthy: Yes

Already read the whole series?  Great!  Read it again!  Don’t have time to read seven books.  Pick your favorite one and read it. 

Haven’t read these books yet? Have you lived?  GO TO THE LIBRARY RIGHT NOW AND CHECK THEM OUT!  You haven’t lived until you’ve read the Harry Potter series.

Shackles of Honor

By: Marcia Lynn McClure

Genre: Romance

Rated: PG

Book Club Worthy: No

Though McClures writing isn't Ernest Hemingway, she can weave a great story.  If you’re looking for a fun, clean, sappy romance, this is a great choice. 

Cassidy Shea’s life is blissful. She has a secret lover, wealth, and beauty.  But when Mason comes to the Shea mansion to take Cassidy away, her life is turned upside down.  Secrets follow her wherever she goes, and uncertainty hides in the shadows.  Maybe these secrets and uncertainty are the very things that may bring Cassidy the happiness she seeks.

The Secret Journal of Brett Colton

By: Kay Lynn Mangum

Genre: LDS Fiction

Rated: PG

Book Club Worthy: Yes

If you haven’t read this book, you need to.  Warning, it can be a tearjerker! 

Kathy Colton dislikes her older brother Brett.  Though he’s dead her family talks about him all the time.  He died when she was a baby, and because of that no one remembers the first word she said, when she cut her first tooth, or even her first birthday.  Then on her sixteenth birthday she finds his journal; life as Kathy knows it changes. 

At the same time Kathy is supposed to be tutoring some stuck-up jock on the football team.  Worse is that he’s Mormon. 
Mangum laces the story of a dying brother, and a coming-of-age sister into a masterpiece that’s hard to forget.