As you probably know if you've been around the blog for awhile, I ADORE retellings! While I mostly enjoy all of the ones I read, there are some that definitely stand out as the most incredible and others that, well, kind of suck. Today I want to share with you the best and worst of the retellings I've read over the last few years!
AND I DARKEN - I've raved about this book a lot to my friends and on the blog! All I ever knew of Vlad the Impaler was Dracula, which was also a retelling, I guess. And I Darken took a story I knew very little about and told it with a female MC who is so ruthless and amazing that I really can't get enough! (5/5 stars | Review)
HEARTLESS - One of the best Alice in Wonderland retellings I've read, while having absolutely nothing to do with Alice. I was skeptical when I heard about this Queen of Hearts story, especially considering the depictions I'd seen of her, compliments of Disney. But Marissa Meyer made her such a sympathetic character with a heartbreaking romance that I ended up adoring! (5/5 stars | Review)
NEVER NEVER - Another story retold from the villain's POV, Never Never made me care about Hook in a way that only Once Upon a Time had previously. Of course, Peter Pan also played a big role, but seeing it from a different perspective made it brand new. I loved reading his story from start to finish and kind of wanted to cry when it was over! (5/5 stars | Review)
SPLINTERED - The second Alice retelling on my list is actually about Alyssa, the granddaughter of Alice, and it has such a unique vibe! I loved this entire series and I loved A.G. Howard's take on Wonderland itself. It's a little bit gothic, extremely artistic, and has everyone's favorite blue caterpillar, but with an amazing twist! (5/5 stars | Review)
BRIGHT SMOKE, COLD FIRE - Man, this one pains me! I loved Rosamund Hodge's first series, but Bright Smoke, Cold Fire, which was meant to be a Romeo and Juliet retelling, was just hard to read. It was super convoluted and confusing and left me not caring a whole lot about the Romeo or Juliet characters. I'm definitely giving her another chance with book two in the series, though! (3/5 stars | Review)
FLAME IN THE MIST - I know that everyone and their mother loved this book, but I didn't and it is NOT a Mulan retelling by any stretch of the imagination! The romance was super weird, the main character did nothing to impress me, and again, the "retelling" part of this retelling was nowhere to be seen. (2/5 stars | Review)
HUNTED - Yikes, this retelling was a mess. I fully expected to love it based on the author and the fact that it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it was slow and made the Beast even more of an unlikeable character. It was also the first time a BatB retelling felt Stockholm Syndrome-y to me. (1.5 stars | Review)
REIGN OF SHADOWS - In this Rapunzel retelling, the main character is a total badass who happens to be blind. Unfortunately, the book did next to nothing to show that she was blind, instead giving her magical sonar powers (?) that were never explained instead of showing how she was a badass on her own. (2/5 stars | Review)
Have you read any of these?
THE BEST
AND I DARKEN - I've raved about this book a lot to my friends and on the blog! All I ever knew of Vlad the Impaler was Dracula, which was also a retelling, I guess. And I Darken took a story I knew very little about and told it with a female MC who is so ruthless and amazing that I really can't get enough! (5/5 stars | Review)
HEARTLESS - One of the best Alice in Wonderland retellings I've read, while having absolutely nothing to do with Alice. I was skeptical when I heard about this Queen of Hearts story, especially considering the depictions I'd seen of her, compliments of Disney. But Marissa Meyer made her such a sympathetic character with a heartbreaking romance that I ended up adoring! (5/5 stars | Review)
NEVER NEVER - Another story retold from the villain's POV, Never Never made me care about Hook in a way that only Once Upon a Time had previously. Of course, Peter Pan also played a big role, but seeing it from a different perspective made it brand new. I loved reading his story from start to finish and kind of wanted to cry when it was over! (5/5 stars | Review)
SPLINTERED - The second Alice retelling on my list is actually about Alyssa, the granddaughter of Alice, and it has such a unique vibe! I loved this entire series and I loved A.G. Howard's take on Wonderland itself. It's a little bit gothic, extremely artistic, and has everyone's favorite blue caterpillar, but with an amazing twist! (5/5 stars | Review)
THE WORST
FLAME IN THE MIST - I know that everyone and their mother loved this book, but I didn't and it is NOT a Mulan retelling by any stretch of the imagination! The romance was super weird, the main character did nothing to impress me, and again, the "retelling" part of this retelling was nowhere to be seen. (2/5 stars | Review)
HUNTED - Yikes, this retelling was a mess. I fully expected to love it based on the author and the fact that it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it was slow and made the Beast even more of an unlikeable character. It was also the first time a BatB retelling felt Stockholm Syndrome-y to me. (1.5 stars | Review)
REIGN OF SHADOWS - In this Rapunzel retelling, the main character is a total badass who happens to be blind. Unfortunately, the book did next to nothing to show that she was blind, instead giving her magical sonar powers (?) that were never explained instead of showing how she was a badass on her own. (2/5 stars | Review)
Have you read any of these?
Which retellings are your favorites and least favorites?
Let me know in the comments!
