The World’s Best Frozen Fanfic

Out of all the Disney films, Frozen has the largest and most passionate fandom by some distance. This can be highlighted by the large volume of fanfiction based on the film, with almost 11,000 Frozen fanfics on fanfiction.net alone, and sites such as ArchiveOfOurOwn, Wattpad and Tumblr featuring even more Frozen-related stories. As a medium dominated by writers with little professional experience, fanfiction has a reputation for being very poor-quality. Some of this snobbery is justified, as many of the fanfics published on these sites are badly written, gimmicky and full of ridiculous changes and twists. However, several of the so-called “amateur writers” can provide stories which are worthy of comparison with the source material. Given the sheer volume of Frozen fanfics, it is possible to find dozens of high-quality ones if you look hard enough. These fanfics include straightforward sequels, stories which retell the events of the film from a different perspective, and ‘Alternative Universe’ stories that place our familiar characters into new world. Out of all the Frozen fanfics on the internet, the best is probably Frozen Wight, an epic 74 – chapter, 295,000 - word fan sequel created by an author called Thebandragoness. This fanfic blends comedy and drama to create a unique and enjoyable story for Anna, Elsa and all their friends and enemies. Not only is it worthy of being compared to the original film, it even surpasses it in a variety of areas. Fanfics tend not to receive detailed examination outside of the online fanfiction community, but Frozen Wight deserves to be shared with the wider world. This article will examine the story in greater detail to figure out why it is so excellent.

Frozen Wight is available on Fanfiction.Net and ArchiveOfOurOwn.

What’s it About?

Due to its epic length, Frozen Wight is split into four parts. The format is like a TV miniseries, with each part combining individual smaller adventures with a set of greater arcs and storylines which span the entire fanfic…

Part One (Chapters 1 - 15) – After the events of the film, Anna and Elsa must adjust to the recent set of changes to their life, as they try to keep Olaf under control and help Anna regain her lost childhood memories.  Meanwhile, volatile Ice Harvester Adrian becomes increasingly suspicious of Elsa and plots a coup against her with magical assistance from a mysterious figure…

Part Two (Chapters 16-37) – Elsa tries to cope with the pressures of being a queen, Anna’s attempts to pair her with dweeby bodyguard Fritz, and the threat posed by a sinister demon. However, a snowwoman called Mary, an imaginary friend from her childhood, comes to life and begins creating trouble.  

Part Three (Chapters 38-59)  – Elsa befriends a boy called Daniel with the same ice powers as her, but Anna becomes increasingly suspicious of him. Daniel helps Elsa take on the flamboyant dark fairy Brandr, but she soon realises that Daniel has a terrible secret and is plotting to use Elsa in a plan to gain revenge on the world which has shunned him.

Part Four (Chapters 60-74) – After Daniel takes away all of Elsa’s happy memories, she creates a second eternal winter and becomes increasingly dangerous and erratic, so Anna is forced to team up with Mary in a bid to cure her older sister. Meanwhile, an old enemy plots to escape jail and gain revenge on Anna and Elsa, but his schemes don’t go to plan…

Review

Frozen Wight is very hard to review in the traditional format, due to its large number of characters, themes and storylines, so this review will break things down a bit and highlight some of the things which make this fanfic a must-read for any writer, regardless of whether or not they are interested in fanfiction or Frozen…

Unique and Interesting Tone – Frozen Wight possesses a distinctive tone which builds off Frozen’s signature blend of comedy and drama to create something that is unique, but still reasonably close to the approach of the source material. After a brief prologue to introduce the sinister Wight, the story literally begins where Frozen left off, tying up all the loose ends left by the conclusion of the film. We see Elsa get properly introduced to Kristoff and Sven, learn what happens when Olaf meets the people of Arendelle, and find out how Hans’s misdeeds were exposed. This opening sequence establishes the tone of Frozen Wight pretty quickly, with silly and broad comedy getting combined a more serious exploration of Elsa’s fears and anxieties. From there, we go on to seeing Elsa face a variety of issues, ranging from renovating the castle and dealing with an incompetent and sexist Royal Council to fighting angry rebels and a demonic monster. The combination of mundane problems and extreme ones puts greater pressure on Elsa, and her range of responses provides her with much greater depth and nuance. It also manages to make Arendelle into an interesting and unpredictable world which is worth staying in for all 74 chapters.

Although the characters and story are the main strength of Frozen Wight, the creative writing also helps to elevate it. We get numerous great descriptions throughout the story, and there are several moments when the narrative voice intervenes to add some extra comedy. The contrast between extreme comedy and extreme drama should be jarring, but they are balanced really well. The comedy comes primarily from the characters and their dilemmas, ensuring that there is an element of truth and realism to it. Meanwhile, the most serious sections of the story contain bursts of wit and dark humour to keep things from getting too miserable. A list of some of the best lines from the fanfic can be found at the end of the review, but it barely scratches the surface – each chapter has plenty of unique and memorable descriptions and dialogue…

Love of the Source Material - It is obvious throughout this fanfic that Thebandragoness is a keen Frozen fan with a very detailed knowledge of the movie. Virtually all the characters from the original film are included here, from Anna, Elsa and Olaf down to the little kid who moaned about having to wear smart clothing to Elsa’s coronation day. Although this story is not a musical, the iconic songs from Frozen still make their presence felt, with brief excerpts of 'Love is An Open Door' and 'Fixer Upper' appearing, and several references to 'Let it Go' (including Olaf talking about his view of the famous sequence). We also get a variety of Easter eggs, including plenty of allusions to Frozen merchandise and material deleted from the finished film. There are sneaky references to Anna and Elsa’s appearance in Once Upon A Time and several spin-off books for children, and a few characters from classic Disney Animated films have cameos. If you are sick of all the Disney Animation references, there are also amusing references to other films, such as The Princess Bride and The Avengers.

A good portion of the comedy in Frozen Wight takes on a surprisingly meta tone, with various parodies of the Frozen fandom and plenty of digs at the preposterous romantic pairs frequently found there. One of the comedic highlights is a small subplot involving Anna and Elsa’s encounters with an artist who spends his time creating and selling “illicit paintings” (i.e erotic fanart) of Elsa with various romantic partners. There are also scenes with a couple of royal guards, Morten and Henrik, who spend their time discussing rumours about Elsa’s romantic life. These jokes at the expense of Frozen’s fandom could easily be mean-spirited, but even the most avid fans can realize how ridiculous all the romantic ‘shipping’ can get, and the mockery in this fanfic stays on the right side of the line between affectionate and cruel. Frozen is a pop-cultural phenomenon as well as a movie, and the acknowledgement of its unique status in the Disney canon allows Frozen Wight to be more than another continuation of Anna and Elsa’s story.

Big and Mature Themes – The comedy in Frozen Wight is used to balance out the darker excesses of an often serious story which provides a more detailed understanding of Elsa and her inner turmoil. This fanfic was initially called ‘The Trials of Elsa’, so it is no surprise that Anna’s troubled but brilliant older sister takes centre stage in this story. Elsa’s cyromancy (ice powers to you and me) is the overarching focus of this story as she struggles to come to terms with an incredible gift which stayed suppressed for so long. Having to deal with Olaf, Marshmallow and a new array of snow creatures feeds into Elsa’s uncertainty over how to use her powers, and this creates a lot of comedy and drama. One of the prominent threads running throughout the fanfic is Elsa’s struggle to deal with a drought affecting Arendelle. With climate change becoming an increasingly urgent issue following the heatwaves which affected the Northern hemisphere over the summer, this subplot feels incredibly timely, as Elsa ponders the ethics of using the fairytale equivalent of Geoengineering to solve the problems faced by her kingdom. You do not need cyromancy to understand Elsa’s fears and insecurities, and this is what makes her such a compelling protagonist.

The serious elements of the story are pretty heavy and disturbing at points. Elsa’s fragile mental health is a central issue in Frozen Wight, particularly in the second and fourth parts. In the second part, Elsa’s battle with Mary’s toxic influence provides a disturbing representation of the intrusive thoughts that often afflict obsessive or anxious people, with Mary forcing her to act on her worst instincts.  Mary corrupts Elsa through a mirror, echoing Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen (the inspiration for Frozen) and the damage she causes highlights the fact that losing control of your own mind can be scarier than any demon or snow monster. In the fourth part of the story, things get even worse as Elsa’s happy memories are removed, turning her into a paranoid and dangerous character who begins sliding into monster territory. Elsa’s extreme turmoil is explored in a disturbing amount of detail. Parallels are drawn between Daniel and the numerous real-life predators who destroy women’s lives to live out their fanatical fantasies, and this make it clear that Elsa is as much of a victim as a villain in this section of the story. The scenes where she loses control and starts freezing her friends are genuinely disturbing, because we know that her breakdown is based on fear rather than malice. Things reach their climax when Elsa accidentally hits Anna with an extra-potent version of the “Frozen Heart” curse from the first movie, making things even more difficult for Anna, as she seeks to prevent Elsa from losing control of herself and her powers for good. Anna’s race against time to save herself and Elsa is intense and dramatic, with a powerful resolution which  makes the eventual happy ending all the sweeter.

In addition to providing drama and philosophical conundrums, Elsa’s struggles are used to generate plenty of important messages. Beneath all the chaos, the primary message of Frozen Wight is an excellent one - you should never let tragedy and trauma define you. Elsa’s relationship with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and the rest of the “Frozen Family” emphasizes the need to preserve our bonds with the people who can support us when things get difficult. These messages are consistent with the themes and ideas explored by the original film, but take them far further to provide a more sophisticated and detailed examination. Elsa is a role model for many people with mental issues, and the exploration of her struggles here gives this fanfic an emotional impact and maturity. Like most fanfics, Frozen Wight is aimed at older audiences, but whilst many of these stories misuse the “more adult” tone, Frozen Wight gets the balance correct, adding more drama and danger without feeling gimmicky or needlessly shocking.

A Strong Supporting Cast – Although Frozen Wight is primarily about Elsa and her powers, its grand scale and elaborate narrative means that the other characters from the Frozen Universe also get plenty to do. If Elsa is the primary protagonist of Frozen Wight, then Anna is a pretty powerful deuteragonist. The emphasis on Elsa over Anna leads to some changes in their dynamic. With her attempts to play matchmaker for Elsa and Fritz and a newfound obsession with punching all her enemies in the face, Anna gets a lot of quirky and goofy moments, and can border on being a comic sidekick at times. However, when push comes to shove and Elsa needs her help, Anna proves to be the kind, brave and tenacious protagonist we all know and love, fully earning her heroine status. A traditionally-built, inanimate snowman with handprints over the heart becomes a powerful symbol of Anna’s unconditional love for Elsa, and the scenes in which it is used are the most powerful and moving in the fanfic. The bond between Anna and Elsa is the one thing which made Frozen truly iconic, and Frozen Wight treats this important relationship with the respect it deserves.

It is not surprising that Elsa’s snow creatures also have a prominent role. Olaf is his usual blissfully happy, heat-obsessed self, and gets some hilarious lines in this story. We learn about his inability at keeping secrets and get a running gag about his obsession with the curse words which he hears Anna using once too often. Hearing the innocent and childlike Olaf use profanities which rhyme with “witch” and “wrap” is one of those things which should just be cheap, lowest-common denominator humour, but turns out to be hilarious due to his total lack of awareness or malice. Elsa’s intimidating snow monster Marshmallow has an expanded role as well, as we learn about his relationship with Elsa – beneath his menacing exterior, he loves his creator just as much as Olaf does. In addition, we get several mini-Marshmallows, a set of talking birds made from pure snow and a living, walking snowball who provides some much-needed cuteness during the intense later chapters.

Anna’s allies from the original film also get some memorable moments, although they are somewhat less significant compared to the more complex and entertaining characters surrounding them. Kristoff retains his “anti-social straight man” personality and gets some good lines, but he and Sven are slightly overshadowed by the other members of the cast. Pabbie retains his role as the magic expert, providing exposition to make the complicated magic and mythology easier to understand. Although he generally uses his magic to help Anna and Elsa, Daniel eventually forces him into doing things which create problems for our protagonists. Meanwhile, the rest of the trolls get involved in the romantic tangles at the centre of the story, providing unreliable advice for Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Fritz. Given that he is one of the most overused characters in Frozen media, the eccentric Sauna salesman Oaken appears surprisingly little in this story. However, the character is given various identical-looking cousins who run other businesses in Arendelle and generate a lot of extra silliness – Thebandragoness could have easily ran this concept into the ground, but thankfully manages to handle it carefully. Overall, Thebandragoness stays true to the essence of Frozen’s main characters and gives them a lot of great new material.

Great New Characters - There are also a variety of interesting new characters to enjoy. Aside from the villains (mentioned in further detail below) the two most prominent are Anders, the chief of staff, and Fritz, an awkward young bodyguard hopelessly infatuated with Elsa. Anders is a stereotypically posh and stuffy assistant and gets a variety of dry and snarky lines, but the caring and compassionate elements of his personality still shine through. When he is forced to babysit Olaf, he initially finds the wacky snowman insufferable, but soon begins to form a sweet little friendship with him. Fritz is another major source of comic relief in the story, getting involved in a complex romantic subplot involving Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, a bullying and macho bodyguard, and a sickeningly sweet member of staff. Whilst the romantic subplots are relatively convoluted and can feel like filler at times, they yield a lot of great comedy. With his ghastly mother, a complete lack of social skills and a job he is hopelessly unqualified for, Fritz is incredibly out of his depth in the royal world, but he is likeable enough to root for, and its pretty satisfying when things finally start to go his way. Besides these characters, other new additions to the Frozen universe include Mrs. Dale, Adrian’s wise and kind wife, and Admiral Klaus, a tough military man who has his own personal reasons for taking interest in Elsa’s cyromancy. Both of these characters are engaging and three-dimensional, with revelations about them later in the story add to their depth and complexity.

Excellent Villains - Whilst the villains are one of the weakest aspects of the original film, the villains in Frozen Wight are among the highlights of the story. There are six main villains (seven if you count “Evilsa” – the brainwashed and crazy version of Elsa from Part 4), of whom four are completely original characters. These four new additions are all memorable antagonists who present Anna and Elsa with formidable challenges. Daniel is the best of these, representing an excellent evil counterpart to Elsa whose tragic past has driven him insane and turned him into a nihilistic demon who has decided to embrace the death and destruction he associates with his ice powers. Mary has one of the biggest character arcs in the story, as she goes from demonic creature seeking to control Elsa to vulnerable and sympathetic snowwoman who realises that her fears and anxieties are not so different from Anna’s. Both characters are given depth through a variety of flashback sequences, which explain how they came to pose a threat to Anna and Elsa. These sequences add horror and tragedy to Frozen Wight, with Daniel’s backstory being especially harrowing – his behavior may be deplorable, but it is certainly easy to understand how he ended up becoming a monster. In contrast to Daniel and Mary, Brandr has no internal depth or complexity, but is still a twisted and entertaining villain. With his fast-talking, obnoxious personality and complete disregard for human life, he feels like a more extreme version of Hades from Hercules and is as much of a scene-stealer as this description implies. Adrian is a smaller villain, only causing trouble in the first part, but still has a considerable impact, particularly when we find out WHY he wanted to kill Elsa. This devastating revelation fuels Elsa’s doubts and uncertainties about her powers and adds depth to a villain who previously seemed like a prejudiced thug. It needs to be stated that none of these villains are suitable for children. Brandr’s flamboyance means that he is the closest to a traditional Disney baddie, but this is still a character who boasts about killing a child cyromancer and plots to replace all of Arendelle’s little children with demon changelings. The total lack of family-friendliness gives this story a bite which provides urgency and high stakes to prevent this being an excessively upbeat and silly farce.

Compared to villains like Daniel and Brandr, The Duke of Weaseltown Weselton and Prince Hans, the two villainous characters from the original film, no longer feel like threats, and their portrayal in this story reflects this. Weselton was always more of a boorish and ridiculous ‘hater’ rather than a true menace, and Frozen Wight stays true to this characterization. During the second part, Elsa is forced to negotiate with him to form a new trading agreement, leading to a lot of the awkward and amusing comedy generated by forcing our protagonists to be nice to someone who they find totally insufferable. Needless to say, the uneasy business partnership does not work out. It is a lot more surprising to see Hans played for laughs as well, but this is handled really well here. Most Frozen  fanfics portray Hans as a troubled but redeemable young man or a completely evil supervillain, so it is refreshing to see this one try something different, and the material is funny enough to justify the more comedic interpretation. The Hans we see here is still a scheming sociopath, but feels pathetic instead of threatening, as he spends most of his time formulating impractical and ill-conceived plots from within his jail cell whilst picking his nose and getting increasingly miserable about the fall from grace that he brought upon himself. The confrontation between him and our two sisters towards the end of the fanfic is incredibly one-sided, demonstrating how far Anna and Elsa have come over the course of the story. It’s telling that whilst Weselton and Hans are mere sideshows in Frozen Wight, their portrayal here is more interesting and entertaining than they were in a film where they were the central antagonists.

What Are the Negatives?

This is an excellent fanfic, but it has its flaws as well, and whilst these are relatively minor, they are still worth mentioning. The epic approach of Frozen Wight is one of its strengths, but also generates some problems. The second and third parts can get a little baggy at times, with the issues of Anna and Elsa’s daily life sometimes distracting from the bigger picture. The mythology of this story, involving magical swords fuelled by hate, evil fairies and a mythical cyromancer called Mother Winter who turned the entire world into a snowy wasteland, is incredibly convoluted and not easy to follow, going against the fairytale simplicity which makes Disney films so appealing. There is also a problem with the otherwise excellent final chapter. The concluding scene involving Daniel reuniting with a figure from his past ends his story on an ambiguous but surprisingly hopeful note (Without going too far into spoiler territory, his final fate is similar to that of The Moon King in Kubo and the Two Strings). However, it would have been more satisfying to intercut this with Anna and Elsa’s final conversation together, a simple, moving and sweet scene where Anna provides Elsa with support as she comes to terms with the awful ordeal she went through over the fourth part of the story. Ultimately, the most powerful element of  Frozen Wight is  the unbreakable bond between two sisters and seeing them put their handprints on Anna’s snowman one last time would have been the perfect full stop for this tale.

What Else has TheBanDragoness Written?

Thebandragoness has provided two sequels to Frozen Wight. They are considerably shorter, but still packed with the humour and drama that are the author’s trademark. Anatomy of A Snowwoman is centred on Mary and her struggles to find meaning in her life. It continues in the tone set by Frozen Wight, with Elsa travelling to a kingdom who worships her as a goddess and dealing with a mysterious force which turns all her snow creatures (even Olaf!) into rebellious monsters. Fritz: The Musical centres on Fritz’s romantic misadventures and features parodies of numerous famous Disney songs. Both of these stories have plenty of great moments, and are worth checking out, but Frozen Wight is still the best story in Thebandragoness universe by some distance, due to its epic scope, great humour, powerful dramatic moments and its excellent depiction of Anna and Elsa’s sister dynamic.

Verdict

Although there are times where it feels a bit excessive and self-indulgent, Frozen Wight is a must-read for Frozen fans, and even those who despise the Disney megahit will find something to enjoy in this fanfic. With its creative combination of funny, sad, scary and heartwarming, the story deepens our appreciation of the characters in the Frozen universe whilst also adding some excellent new elements to their world. Ultimately, Frozen Wight sets an extremely high bar for Frozen 2, and it provides proof that committed and talented amateur fans can provide a sequel capable of standing toe to toe with the best from Hollywood.

Best Lines

 “Here’s a secret. All politics is just a bunch of old rich people who hate each other being locked in a room to argue about boring legal stuff” (Chapter 1)

“In the span of a week, the castle had gone from a quiet, dignified albeit empty, house of royalty to a place where sentient snowmen ran amok and princesses dated hairy mountain men. It was starting to dawn on Anders that the only thing standing between order and hair-splitting madness was one elderly and overworked butler” (Chapter 3)

“Anna: Discussing Talking Snowman philosophy is great and all, but can we please get back to fixing my brain now?” (Chapter 6)

“Anna: When you ran away just now, I was so scared, I didn’t know what you were going to do, and, well, between today and yesterday, I guess we both almost lost each other. And all I could think of was how we needed to build a snowman again because… if we built the snowman, then…then you would know…that  I don’t care what happens, or what you’ve done, or what you think you’ve done. I love you no matter what.” (Chapter 15)

"Anders thought back to the conversation he'd had with Elsa the previous day. He was glad to see she'd dealt with the issue in her own unorthodox way. He just wished her way hadn't involved freezing the whole castle, that was all. Sudden, drastic change and finicky old men didn't agree with each other." (Chapter 17)

“Olaf: I’m great at keeping secrets! Like the time I promised Marshmallow I wouldn’t tell anyone he wants to wear women’s clothing!” (Chapter 29)

"Anna glanced back long enough to scream "Evilsnooooooowmaaaaaaan!"

Okay, Kristoff was seriously confused. But then an ice-creature charged after her down the hallway, and he pieced things together.

Lesson Learned: Never try to surprise Anna. She will outdo you every time" (Chapter 33)

"Brandr: Please, must this end in violence? […] Wait, who am I kidding? I love violence." (Chapter 37)

"Olaf: First Elsa wears boy clothes, then I wear girl clothes...What a day for gender roles, right? Wait. Do snowmen have genders?" (Chapter 55)

“Anna had learnt a valuable lesson. No matter how bad a person could seem, they can always realise their mistakes and find redemption.

Except Hans. Screw Hans. Anna hoped he was having a miserable time in prison.” (Chapter 65)

“Morten the Guard: Why can’t the queen stay single, huh? Her life seems fine without romance in it! And its not like there aren’t already a gazillion royal chicks out there who turn romance into their defining trait! Why can’t Queen Elsa stay special? Why can’t she be a strong, independent person?” (Chapter 74)

10 Disney Darkfics for Horror Fans

(Warning: Disney movies are famous for being family-friendly fun, but these darkfics are NOT suitable for younger or more sensitive audiences. All the darkfics listed here are consistently dark and disturbing, with a few containing scenes that could upset even the most enthusiastic horror fans. If you're into the horror genre, then you shouldn't have a problem with these darkfics, but if you aren't, tread carefully...)

Even though they have become synonymous with overly upbeat and sanitized family entertainment, all Disney films contain plenty of dark elements. These have inspired numerous fanfic authors, who have used Disney films as the basis for darker and edgier fanfics known as darkfics. These take full advantage of the creative freedom provided in the world of fanfiction, emphasising the darker aspects of the source material whilst tackling topics which could never be discussed in a family-friendly animated musical. Many of the best Disney darkfics belong to the horror genre. In order to be considered horror, a work must generate a consistent and pervasive atmosphere of terror and unease, unsettling audiences and playing on their worries and anxieties. Horror stories usually depict vulnerable and defenceless characters having to face seemingly unstoppable monsters who embody and represent widely-held fears, but some works in the horror genre are told from the perspective of these monsters.

This article lists the best horror darkfics based on Disney films, highlighting the fact that even the most optimistic fairy tales can inspire works which are legitimately disturbing and scary. Numerous darkfics were considered for this list, but only 10 could be chosen. Thus, a number of excellent darkfics were not included. Five of the best darkfics omitted from the main countdown are instead listed as Honourable Mentions. The 10 which made the list are inspired by a variety of Disney movies ranging from Snow White to Moana. They represent an array of horror subgenres, featuring zombies, ghosts, serial killers, and other scary elements. However, they are all creative, atmospheric and disturbing, drawing on the influence of Disney's characters and stories in an unusual and twisted way whilst also being excellent works in their own right.

Honourable Mentions

• Fairest (By Afterandalasia)

Based On: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

• She Had Winter In Her Heart (By Raziel12) 

Based On: Frozen

(Also available on Fanfiction.net)

• The Most Dangerous Game (By Jadewolf)

Based On: Moana

• Until She Wakes (By ShamanicShaymin)

Based On: Sleeping Beauty

• Within These Walls (By Beta Gyre)

Based On: Tangled

The Top 10 Disney Darkfics For Horror Fans

• After The Kiss  (By ChokolatteJedi)

Based On: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

(Plot: After Snow White's Prince wakes her from the enchanted sleep, he looks forward to enjoying his happily ever after with the beautiful princess. However, there is now something strange about Snow White, and the Prince gradually comes to realise that bringing her back to life had unexpected and disastrous consequences...)

Disney's version of Snow White popularised the notion of 'True Love's Kiss' - the idea that a kiss from a love interest could literally have the power to bring a seemingly dead character back to life. Most criticisms of this concept have centred on the idea that its unrealistic for a kiss from a near-total stranger to have so much power. However, After the Kiss takes a very different approach - what if True Loves Kiss was problematic because it interfered with the natural order of life and death? This unnerving question inspires a unique and creative spin on the zombie genre.

Fairy tales about the perils of waking the dead are not unusual. The Brothers Grimm story The Three Snake Leaves used a similar premise, showing a princess being resurrected by magic and becoming evil. However, After the Kiss is far superior to The Three Snake Leaves, due to the careful set-up. At first, Snow White's inability to sleep and increasingly pale skin are dismissed as minor problems, but as time progresses and her condition gradually worsens, the Prince's growing fear and unease is resoundingly vindicated. The climactic visual of a completely zombified Snow White, with her seven dwarves converted into feral henchmen, is chilling proof that a kiss which seemed to save Snow White has actually destroyed her. Ultimately, After the Kiss provides a creative spin on the zombie genre which teaches us that the magic associated with fairy tales can have awful side effects and needs to be examined carefully...

• Ariel's Revenge (By Untherius)

Based On: The Little Mermaid

(Plot: Eric gets trapped in a parallel world where he is imprisoned and tortured for months by a sadistic alternate version of Ariel. The real Ariel manages to rescue Eric from this world and bring him back to life, but eventually comes to realise just how badly his ordeal has affected him...)

Out of all the darkfics on this list, Ariel's Revenge is the most unpleasant by some distance, containing cannibalism, animal cruelty, sexual abuse and plenty of gore. It certainly succeeds in its purpose of upsetting, disturbing, and disgusting readers. The first half of the story sees Eric become the victim of a creepy siren who looks almost like Ariel, but has suspiciously grey skin and an unsettling voice. She also does things that the real Ariel would never even contemplate, such as abusing Eric in a variety of ways whilst eating his flesh piece by piece. Once the real Ariel arrives, the story shifts to her perspective, showing just how Eric's experiences have destroyed his relationship with her. The graphic violence and the near-total lack of explanation for Eric's plight gives this story an incredibly nightmarish feel, and the fact that we care so much about Ariel and Eric makes it even crueller.

In the comments section accompanying the story, Untherius claims that Ariel's Revenge is a rebellion against "all that cutsie Disney Princess stuff". You could say that about almost all the darkfics mentioned in this article, but with its gruesome violence and unrelenting misery, Ariel's Revenge is an especially vicious response. However, the compelling story, unnerving central monster and consistently unsettling atmosphere elevate Ariel's Revenge above other NSFW "Torture Porn" fanfics and earn it a place on this list. More sensitive readers should stay as far away from Ariel's Revenge as possible, but if you have a strong stomach and a taste for more extreme types of horror, then this harrowing story is worth checking out.

• Dark As Snow (By Anysia)

(Also available on Fanfiction.net and Tumblr)

Based On: Frozen 

(Plot: Desperate to escape from her lonely life with her troubled, reclusive sister Elsa, Anna Arendelle gets impulsively married to seemingly perfect widower Hans Westergard. However, life with Hans in his lavish estate isn’t the fairy tale ideal she expected, and Anna soon finds herself becoming increasingly close to his stable hand, Kristoff. But Hans is keeping a dark secret, hidden inside a mysterious locked room, and it could endanger everything Anna holds dear…)

Dark as Snow already appeared on an earlier list on this blog (which showcased the best fairy tale mash-ups), and its a real pleasure to talk about it again. It is one of only two multi-chapter darkfics mentioned in this article (Within These Walls is only an Honourable Mention) and the extra length allows it to develop the characters and build up tension and mystery. The decision to do a version of Angela Carter's iconic short story The Bloody Chamber (probably the best and most popular adaptation of the twisted Perrault fairy tale Bluebeard) featuring the characters from Frozen in the key roles is genuinely inspired, as both tales play on our fears that impulsively getting engaged to a person we don't know might be an incredibly bad idea. Needless to say, Dark as Snow delivers this message in a manner which is far closer to The Bloody Chamber than Frozen. In fact, the version of Hans featured in Dark as Snow - a sadistic, manipulative control freak whose depravity knows no bounds - is probably the scariest and most twisted villain on this list, which is a pretty impressive achievement.

Many of the most terrifying moments in Dark as Snow (such as the scene where Anna enters the locked room and finds out what happened to Hans's previous wife) are adapted pretty closely from The Bloody Chamber. However, Anysia manages to put her own spin on them, and the violence here feels genuinely brutal and unsettling. One of the main reasons for this is her ability at getting inside Anna's head and allowing us to feel everything she feels. As a result, we sympathize with Anna and really feel sorry for her as her fairy tale dream turns out to be the most horrible nightmare imaginable. When she finally fights back in the climax, it is a wonderfully satisfying moment. Dark As Snow is an excellent horror story, but it also succeeds as a romantic drama (Anna's relationship with Kristoff provides some much-needed sweetness and warmth), a psychological thriller, a coming-of-age tale, and a feminist statement about a woman gaining the courage to stand up to the ultimate abusive husband. In short, it's proof that fanfics can be as exciting and enthralling as the works which inspired them...

• Death Of Her Heart (By Lord Wezel)

Based On: Frozen

(Plot: When Elsa accidentally struck Anna in the heart with her magic, it turned her into a cruel tyrant. In order to get her revenge, she makes Elsa into her slave and uses her magic to turn all of the kingdom to ice...)

In Frozen, Elsa is a compelling character because of her ability to control ice and snow, but these powers are incredibly dangerous, and mastering them is no easy task. The idea that Elsa's powers can kill people if she loses control of them has inspired many a darkfic, but Death of Her Heart puts a disturbing new spin on the idea. In this story, Elsa's inability to control her ice powers doesn't kill Anna, but it does something even worse - Anna's heart is not just frozen, it no longer exists, and she has now become a merciless monster with nothing but hatred for Elsa...

Death of Her Heart features some impressively cold winter imagery, and the blank, immobile perfection of the frozen wasteland created by Anna is pretty creepy. However, the primary source of horror is seeing a character like Anna turn into a cruel and sadistic monster. From the beginning, the descriptions and dialogue highlight how Anna has turned truly heartless, with all the "once-glorious life" in the kingdom eradicated for the sake of a pretty visual. The violence is certainly uncomfortable to read about, with Anna chaining Elsa up like a dog and carving snowflakes into her arm, but the scariest thing here is the extent to which Anna is willing to make Elsa suffer for her mistakes. With its grim central concept and an ending entirely devoid of hope, Death of Her Heart is an incredibly bleak read, but the powerful writing and the overwhelming sense of tragedy make it impossible to forget...

• Do You Want To Build A Snowman? (By VulpineTrickster)

Based On: Frozen

(Plot: When they were playing as children, Elsa lost control of her ice powers and accidentally killed Anna. As a result, Anna became a ghost who continues to haunt her older sister...)

As we all know, Frozen begins with Elsa accidentally injuring Anna with her ice powers, causing the rift between the two which defines the movie. Numerous horror darkfics take this opening sequence and use it as the basis for stories which ask the question "What if Anna had died in that accident and returned  to haunt Elsa as a ghost?". Out of the numerous darkfics in this subgenre, Do You Want To Build A Snowman? is probably the best. At under 500 words long, it is the shortest story on this list by a considerable distance, but every single syllable is used to show how creepy and threatening this version of Anna is. The story focuses on Elsa and her efforts to avoid responding to this version of her sister, with the short, simple sentences and effective use of present tense building a sense of dread before Elsa finally snaps. When we finally see Anna and her horde of hideous snowmen (any fanfic which can make us frightened by the phrase "I like warm hugs" deserves praise) it is definitely worth the terrifying build-up. In the horror genre, less is usually more, and Do You Want To Build A Snowman? demonstrates how unsettling a short, simple story can be with just a few creepy images and ideas...

• Don't Go Into the Woods, My Love (By Afterism)

Based On: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Tangled

(Plot: Rapunzel is a young woman with healing hair, imprisoned in a tower by a domineering mother. Rapunzel has been hearing stories about how dangerous the forest is, centred on the mysterious princess who inhabits it and seems to have total control over all the plants and animals. However, she soon realises that this princess is an ally rather than a threat...)

Don't Go Into The Woods, My Love is the only darkfic on this list which combines two different Disney films into a single narrative. This is handled pretty effectively - Although Snow White and Rapunzel are kept apart for the majority of the story, it is easy to believe that they can exist in the same universe. Both Snow White and Rapunzel are associated with the mysterious and magical German forests which inspired the Brothers Grimm, and these are portrayed in a wonderfully atmospheric fashion. Afterism succeeds in making us believe that the forest is truly alive, and that Snow White has unusual powers and capabilities far greater than the average princess. There is more than enough dark and twisted imagery for this fanfic to be classified as a horror, including feral dwarves, blood turning into vines, and a floor laid with bones and apple cores, but these all fit this world perfectly, enhancing the distinctive combination of beauty and terror which makes this story so alluring...

Don't Go Into the Woods, My Love perfectly fits the literary subgenre of dark, feminist modern fairy tales pioneered by Angela Carter. This version of Snow White is sinister, mysterious and almost monstrous, but she is also a powerful, independent and compelling character able to destroy foolish princes with ease. A brief scene where she meets a young boy obsessed with being Prince Charming really demonstrates that she is not the helpless victim traditionally associated with both fairy tales and the horror genre. Rapunzel's side of the story could have been developed in a bit more detail (her links to the forest need to be foreshadowed more clearly) but the scene where she stands up to her mother is impressively nasty, and it's easy to buy the fact that she has an irrepressible bond with Snow White, given their incredible powers. Don't Go Into the Woods, My Love is probably the least conventional story on this list, and this is what makes it so appealing. Instead of being about the suffering of helpless protagonists, it is about two assertive women creating their own unconventional world, and anyone who stands in their way can expect to be in plenty of trouble...

• Inquisitive (By Ephemeral_Everlast)

Based On: Alice In Wonderland

(Plot: Alice wants to experience a totally nonsense world, but when she ends up in Wonderland, she finds herself out of her depth in a world full of strange and creepy creatures such as the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts. It is not long before she learns that she has to be careful what she wishes for...)

Alice In Wonderland takes place in a fantasy world defined by its total lack of rules, Although the Lewis Caroll story and the Disney film which it inspired are primarily comedic, there is something pretty terrifying about a world which is impossible to control, and Ephemeral_Everlast is skilled at exploiting this. Inquisitive really emphasises the nightmarish aspects of Wonderland, as Alice finds out the hard way that a world she hoped would be fun and colourful is actually completely hideous.

The changes which turn the familiar tale into an adults-only darkfic are disturbingly subtle. The Cheshire Cat now has fangs, the 'Unbirthday' cake of The Mad Hatter seems to be alive, and the bullying Flowers emit poison. Most importantly, the story emphasises Alice's thoughts and feelings. When seen from her perspective, the Queen of Hearts is a pretty scary character - she's essentially a tyrant who wants to behead a little girl for no reason. The basic storyline is unchanged, but Inquisitive is a far shorter, leaner story - like Alice, it wants to get out of Wonderland as soon as possible. However, the simple descriptions used by Ephemeral_Everlast are evocative and succeed in generating an uneasy and menacing atmosphere. As Alice becomes increasingly confused and scared, we see that a child like her cannot belong in a land devoid of order and reason. Overall, Inquisitive does an effective job of showing how sinister a world as strange and crazy as Wonderland can be.

• Kohuru (By Jadewolf)

Based On: Moana

(Plot: Two foolish young warriors enter the underworld of Lalotai in a bid to enjoy the ultimate adventure, but soon find themselves regretting this decision when they come across the monstrous giant crab Tamatoa...)

In Moana, the villainous giant crab Tamatoa is played mostly for comedy, but for many people, coming face to face with a fifty-foot tall, flesh-eating creature is no laughing matter. In Kohuru, the warriors Temana and Rahiti find out the hard way just how scary Tamatoa can be. When two impulsive youths take on a giant monster, we all know that it is not going to be a fair fight, but for viewers who primarily remember Tamatoa for singing 'Shiny' or taking a dig at The Little Mermaid, seeing how nasty he gets in Kohuru is quite a shock. The meeting between Temana and Tamatoa starts with a fast-moving fight, but as Tamatoa asserts control, the bravado of our two protagonists is replaced by uncontrollable fear, as they discover what Tamatoa is truly capable of...

The strongest aspect of this story is the way in which Tamatoa is upgraded from Disney villain to horror movie monster. He retains his hatred of Maui and his belief that humans are little more than tasty snacks, but the humour is almost entirely stripped away - Tamatoa's dialogue is acidic and vicious, as he takes his frustrations out on the two unlucky humans who try to fight him. Temana and Rahiti are also depicted effectively - they are foolish enough to deserve a harsh punishment, but sympathetic enough for their gruesome fates to be genuinely distressing.  Darkfics allow Disney villains to become far more violent and threatening, as the constraints restricting their behaviour in a family film are entirely eliminated. After reading Kohuru (or The Most Dangerous Game, a similar story from the same author) it is going to be a lot harder to regard Tamatoa as merely an eccentric, gold-obsessed nuisance...

• Seven For A Secret  (By Orphan_account)

Based On: Cinderella, Tangled, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

(Plot: A collection of seven stories about Disney characters whose search for a happy ending instead leads to a world of pain and misery. These include 'The Legend of the East Kingdom', in which Cinderella's deal with the fairy godmother has disastrous side effects, 'Leashed', where Rapunzel proves unable to control the growth of her hair, and 'Egalite', where Belle becomes a victim of the French Revolution...)

Whilst all the other darkfics on this list tell a single story, Seven for a Secret contains SEVEN different tales which all ruthlessly subvert the hopeful and optimistic approach associated with the original Disney films. Instead of bright songs and comedic side characters, we are treated to scenes showing Belle being executed by revolutionaries ("Madame Guillotine had no love for happy endings."), Rapunzel getting permanently trapped by her hair and wasting away in her own filth, Aurora's kingdom being wiped out by plague, and Jasmine getting her right hand cut off. Orphan_account provides us with a selection of protagonists who are sympathetic and engaging, but they ultimately all prove unable to avoid their awful fates, with the vivid and powerful descriptions highlighting the cruelty of the stories.

The extent to which Seven for A Secret can be classified as a horror darkfic is a matter for debate. 'The Legend of the East Kingdom' (which combines Cinderella and Sleepy Hollow), 'Siren Song' (A story from Eric's perspective, where Ariel is reinterpreted as a murderous siren) and 'The Woman in White' (Where Snow White's singing has deadly effects) fit the horror genre perfectly, the other four stories are predominantly miserable rather than scary. However, they are certainly disturbing enough to qualify for this list (a story doesn't have to be horror to be considered horrifying) and the tragedies experienced by the protagonists fuel a variety of mundane fears regarding disease, violence, and the loss of control. The stories in Seven For A Secret are incredibly grim on their own, but when put together, they generate a fanfic so vicious that the it has managed to appear on a number of on-line lists recognising it as one of the nastiest Disney darkfics of all time - a feat which even Ariel's Revenge couldn't manage...

• The Glass Princess   (By JessicaJ)

Based On: Sleeping Beauty

(Plot: Once upon a time, Prince Philip failed to save Princess Aurora and her kingdom from a curse placed on them by the wicked Maleficent. Two hundred years later, he returns to Aurora's decaying kingdom in a bid to make amends, only to find out the hard way that it is not as devoid of life as he expected...)

In most retellings of Sleeping Beauty, it's not just the titular princess who is put into an eternal slumber, but the whole of her kingdom. In The Glass Princess, this concept is developed to disturbing effect. When Prince Phillip (not named in this version) arrives at the derelict kingdom, he finds out that all the humans and animals present when the curse struck have been reduced to skeletons. JessicaJ even highlights the odious stench of the bodies, extending the oppressive atmosphere beyond the visuals. An equally creepy sight is Aurora herself, now turned into the titular glass princess, eerily pale and "as close to nothing as she can possibly be". These visuals show just how destructive the curse has been, and allow the story to resoundingly distance itself from lighter versions of Sleeping Beauty...

The Glass Princess centres on a protagonist who is already dead inside, but Phillip's complete guilt at failing to save Aurora and the kingdom gives the story a sense of direction which allows the grisly visuals to have a greater impact. The conclusion is a grim little sting in the tale, but it fits perfectly - the only way for Phillip to bring life to The Glass Princess is by paying the ultimate penalty for his initial cowardice. The Glass Princess is a gloomy and intense experience, but the excellent descriptions and creative ideas make it a compelling and rewarding read. 

Combining Fairy Tales: Top 10 Universes, Crossovers and Mash-Ups

We are all familiar with a wide range of fairy tales, and their numerous retellings. However, sticking to just one of these stories can be a bit limiting in a world where people are always looking for something new. One quick way of providing the unique product which audiences want is by making a story combining two or more familiar tales in a new way, and many talented authors do this in order to make their contributions to the fairy tale genre stand out. The resulting stories can be referred to as 'combination tales', and there are more than enough examples of 'combination tales' for them to be considered as a full subgenre. There are three ways of combining numerous fairy tales and fairy tale characters into a single story: Universes, Crossovers and Mash-ups.

Universes – The simplest way of combining fairy tales is by placing all the characters we know in a single world. This environment is generally modern in nature, designed to contrast with the rural traditions of fairy tales. The main source of appeal in these universes comes from seeing familiar characters react to the pressures of an unfamiliar world.

Crossovers – Similar to Universes, but with a few differences. These tend to focus on combining a select number of stories instead of depicting an entire world, and they are set in a more conventional fairy tale environment in which woods and witches lurk around every corner.

Mash-Ups - In the world of music, Mash-Ups feature the lyrics of one song being laid over the music of another. The 'combination tales' listed here do something similar, often putting well-known characters from one tale into another story.

There are numerous examples of stories in all three categories. As in any subgenre, 'combination tales' range from brilliant to terrible. However, this article will showcase only the ten best of these. These prove that different fairy tales can be combined into a single story which is unique, creative and fascinating in its own right. This list includes comic books, novels, plays, films, TV series and even a couple of fanfics, but the diverse range of works highlighted represent the very best examples of this subgenre.

Universes

• ·         Fables

(Plot: Thousands of years ago, characters from our favourite children’s stories were forced to flee their homelands when a creature called The Adversary invaded them. They now live in modern-day New York, forming a community called Fabletown. One of the most important citizens there is Snow White, the assistant of Fabletown’s mayor King Cole. In addition to protecting her fellow “fables” and hiding them from the “mundys” (ordinary humans), she has an eventful personal life, including a romance with Bigby Wolf - a sheriff keeping his lupine and homicidal instincts in check - and a strained relationship with her troublemaking sister Rose Red.)

Vertigo Comics have been behind comic books such as Preacher and The Sandman (the latter created by the legendary Neil Gaiman), and the stylish and edgy approach of these cult favourites is applied to the world of children’s stories in Fables. Created by Bill Willingham with the aid of various illustrators, the first issue of Fables was published in 2002, with new issues being published monthly until the series concluded on issue #150 in 2015. Fables started with a relatively mundane murder mystery story which introduced us to our main characters and their world, then gradually expanded in scope until the final issues, which depict Snow White and Rose Red preparing for the battle which will lead to the destruction of Fabletown. In between, our protagonists face numerous conflicts and adventures, and a wide variety of characters get smaller, self-contained stories.

Like other Vertigo Comics properties, Fables is something of an acquired taste, with plenty of gore, sex and swearing. However, there is enough charm and creativity to prevent things from becoming too unpleasant, and plenty of great characters for us to care about. Snow White is a fascinating protagonist, who is tough and intelligent, but she struggles to deal with the traumatic events which have defined her past, and repair her relationship with Rose Red. Meanwhile, Bigby is a moody antihero whose love for Snow White and desire to protect Fabletown make up for his numerous objectionable traits. Apart from the protagonists, the most memorable supporting characters include a womanising Prince Charming who has slept with every "Fable" princess he has ever met, and the likeable Frog Prince, Flycatcher, AKA Prince Ambrose. Due to its large and memorable cast and distinctive tone, Fables has become one of the most successful series created by Vertigo Comics, spawning numerous spin-off comics, graphic novels and even a video game during its long run.

• ·       Once Upon A Time

(Plot: On the night of her 28^th birthday, cynical bounty hunter/ bail bondswoman Emma Swan is visited by a child called Henry, who reveals that he’s the son she gave up for adoption a decade ago. Emma takes Henry back to his hometown of Storybrooke, but Henry tells her that the inhabitants of Storybrooke are actually fairy tale characters, transported there after the Evil Queen placed a curse upon Snow White. Although Henry and his mysterious adoptive mother Regina are initially the only two people aware of this, the rest of the residents, including mysterious pawnbroker Mr Gold and warm-hearted teacher Mary, soon begin to recall their pasts in the fairy tale world. Across subsequent series, the inhabitants of Storybrooke get involved in various adventures involving new dark forces and several curses and mysteries…)

Given that they have created some of the most iconic fairy tale films of all time, it is no surprise that Disney have been behind several works in which characters from multiple fairy tales interact in a single world. Their TV movie Descendants featured the children of famous Disney heroes and villains attending school together, but their most successful attempt at combining the fairy tale characters we love into a single universe is Once Upon a Time, which has aired for six seasons on the Disney-owned channel ABC, with the first of these airing in 2011. The series was created by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, who previously helped write the hit TV series Lost. Like Lost, Once Upon A Time features elaborate storylines and character arcs which can be confusing to the uninitiated, but it has developed a large and passionate fanbase who are drawn to the universe it depicts and its messages about the value of love, family and happy endings.

The most notable aspect of Once Upon a Time is the large cast of memorable characters, who often prove far more complex to be than the archetypal fairytale characters they are based on. The most prominent of these are Emma, a tough everywoman whose experiences in Storybrooke inspire her to fight for the inhabitants of the town, and Regina, who starts out as a conventional vampish villain, but soon evolves into a more sympathetic figure. The residents of Storybrooke have also met a wide variety of characters from famous stories ranging from Frozen to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Across its run, Once Upon a Time has been nominated for a total of 91 awards, winning 9 of these, including Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi at the 2016 Teen Choice Awards. A seventh series will start airing in the autumn, but this will be a “soft reboot”, centred on the now grown-up Henry. It will retain some of the core characters, such as Regina and Hook, but others such as Emma and Snow White are no longer part of the main cast.

• ·       Shrek

(Plot: Shrek is a giant green ogre who prefers to live as far away from others as possible. However, his swamp gets invaded by fairy tale characters (including the fast-talking Donkey) evicted from their kingdom by the tyrannical Lord Farquaad. In a bid to get his swamp back, Shrek makes a deal with Farquaad – he and Donkey will rescue Princess Fiona, a sassy princess imprisoned in a tower due to a mysterious curse, and bring her to Farquaad to be his bride. Shrek manages to complete the first part of his task and free Fiona, but things get complicated when they begin to develop feelings for each other...)

None of the projects on this list has had as much impact as Shrek, which revolutionised the animated genre in 2001. At the time, Disney’s films had become too formulaic and had lost a lot of their signature charm, so when rival animation studio Dreamworks (owned by former Disney head Jeffrey Katzenberg) released Shrek, its irreverent humour meant it represented a breath of fresh air. Shrek was adapted from a 1990 picture book written and illustrated by William Steig, but screenwriters expanded the 32-page story to feature-length by creating a more elaborate plot, with fairy tale characters such as Pinocchio, The Big Bad Wolf, and The Gingerbread Man playing a key role. The inclusion of these familiar figures enhanced the movie’s parody of established fairy tale conventions, and there were numerous jokes at the expense of Disney. However, for all the crude and subversive aspects of Shrek, the CGI animation was incredibly advanced for the time, and the film had an excellent message about the importance of inner beauty.

Due to its ability at combining edgy humour with an appealing, family-friendly story, Shrek proved a major hit, winning the first ever Academy Award for Best Animated Film. In 2004, it was followed by Shrek 2, which added a Zorro-inspired take on Puss in Boots and a villainous Fairy Godmother to the universe, and introduced viewers to Far Far Away Land, a fairytale kingdom with more than a passing resemblance to modern-day Hollywood. It proved to be every bit as popular as the original, making over $919 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing animated film to date. The two subsequent sequels (released in 2007 and 2010) failed to match up to the high standard set by these two movies, but Shrek remains popular today, and Dreamworks have been spending the last few years developing a revival of the franchise.

• ·         The Lunar Chronicles

(Plot: Cinder is a cyborg* in the polluted, plague-ravaged futuristic city of New Beijing. Scarlett is an impulsive teenager from France whose grandmother has just gone missing. Cress is a computer expert who has been imprisoned on a satellite since childhood. Winter is a rebellious princess whose facial scars do not conceal her inner beauty. These heroines will have to team up to take on the tyrannical Queen Levana of the planet Luna, who plans to take over the earth.)

(*for those too addicted to fairy tales to understand technical terminology, this means she’s half-human, half-robot)

Most of the fairy-tale “universe” stories mentioned here feature fairytale characters in the modern world or (in the case of Shrek) a fairy tale world that has more in common with the present than the past. However, The Lunar Chronicles goes even further, setting its retellings of fairy tales such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel in the far future. The Lunar Chronicles franchise consists of five novels (as well as several shorter stories and a couple of graphic novels) written by Marissa Meyer. The first three novels in The Lunar Chronicles (Cinder, Scarlet and Cress) introduce us to our misfit protagonists, the fourth (Fairest) is told from the perspective of the villainous Queen Levana, and the series climaxes with an epic finale, the 827-page Winter.

A former fanfiction writer, Meyer understands her teenage audience very well. Although The Lunar Chronicles uses the same basic ‘teens vs. tyrants’ storyline of major YA (Young Adult) literary franchises such as The Hunger Games and Divergent, it also has the epic storytelling and memorable characters needed to stand out in a crowded genre. Cinder, Scarlet and Cress are relatable protagonists, with enough quirks and flaws to feel realistic and well-developed. The combination of fairy tale characters and sci-fi tropes is also effective. Whilst the two genres seem totally different, they both rely on building atmosphere and appealing to our fascination with the unknown. This means that, in spite of the frequent use of technical terminology and the complex relationships at the centre of her work, Meyer manages to maintain the of the underlying mystique and charm of the classic stories which inspired her. Overall, The Lunar Chronicles is an entertaining series which highlights the enduring appeal of the fairy tale protagonists who feature in it.

Crossovers

• ·         A Tale Dark and Grimm

(Plot: Hansel and Gretel are reimagined as the children of a monarch, who cuts off their heads in order to bring his faithful servant back to life. Hansel and Gretel quickly get resurrected, but their experience (understandably) causes them to run away and look for parents who won’t kill them. However, in the world of fairy tales, such perfect parents turn out to be incredibly hard to find, and Hansel and Gretel end up battling witches, dragons, curses and even the devil himself…)

It is difficult to dislike a story which begins with the line “Once upon a time, fairy tales were AWESOME!”, and this novel by Adam Gidwitz succeeds in demonstrating that fairy tales are not as sweet and innocent as many moral guardians want us to believe. A Tale Dark and Grimm has often been compared to Lemony Snicket’s much-loved A Series of Unfortunate Events, as it revels in the notion that it may be too dark and gory for sensitive readers, featuring numerous warnings advising the faint of heart to stop reading. Much is made of the fact that A Tale Dark and Grimm preserves the bloody content of the classic Brothers Grimm stories, but it also maintains the simplistic, earthy and unpretentious tone which makes them so appealing.

A Tale Dark and Grimm weaves together several Brothers Grimm stories in which children are treated in ways which would make modern audiences uncomfortable. Almost everyone knows about Hansel and Gretel, but only fans of the Brothers Grimm are familiar with tales like Faithful Johannes, The Seven Ravens and Brother and Sister. The common theme of “children in peril” which unites these stories allows them to be combined into a single engaging and effective narrative, as our two protagonists end up stuck in a variety of dangerous situations and realise that they have to grow up quickly in order to survive. The darkness of the fairy tales used is balanced out by the comedic narration and a narrative with the excellent message that children are more intelligent and self-sufficient than adults give them credit for. Unsurprisingly, A Tale Dark and Grimm has been a huge hit with older children since it was first published in 2010, and it even managed to appear on the New York Times’ prestigious Bestsellers list. Adam Gidwitz has since written two follow-up stories (In A Glass Grimmly and A Grimm Conclusion) which have stuck with the winning formula, featuring various child protagonists navigating their way through fairytales both familiar and obscure.

• ·         Into the Woods

(Plot: A baker and his wife learn that their inability to have a child is the result of a curse placed on them by a witch. In order to break this curse, the duo have to bring her a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. Their quest leads them to Little Red Riding Hood, (who encounters a wolf on her journey to find her grandmother) Jack (who wishes to regain the cow he sold for five magic beans), Rapunzel (seeking to leave her tower and explore the outside world) and Cinderella (who wishes to attend the King's Festival and escape her cruel stepmother and stepsisters). Initially, all these characters are able to obtain the happy endings they seek. However, their impulsive actions eventually lead to disaster, as the Baker’s marriage starts to fall apart, Rapunzel proves unable to cope with the outside world, and a rampaging giant seeks revenge on Jack…)

Stephen Sondheim is one of the most iconic songwriters in the musical theatre genre, renowned for his clever lyrics, intricate melodies, and his ability at creating compelling musicals about dark and unconventional subjects. Sondheim’s talents are in full display in Into the Woods, which premiered on Broadway in 1987. James Lapine, (who previously collaborated with Sondheim on Sunday in the Park With George) wrote the script, but Sondheim is the person most responsible for making Into the Woods such an iconic musical. The 14-minute prologue to Into the Woods, which introduces us to the characters and their wishes and kick-starts the plot, highlights just how talented Sondheim is, as he creates a distinctively mysterious world and memorable characters using complex musical techniques, amusing wordplay and even a bit of rapping. Other notable songs from Into the Woods include “Hello Little Girl” (The Big Bad Wolf’s enjoyably creepy attempt to seduce Little Red Riding Hood), the moving “No-One Is Alone” and the closing number “Children Will Listen”. This impressive music is used to soundtrack a creative and intelligent deconstruction of the fairy tale genre.

The most notable feature of Into the Woods is its inspired use of the Two-Act structure which defines modern theatre. The First Act blends faithful retellings of four classic fairy tales, which preserve their darker and gorier aspects (Cinderella’s story is based on the Brothers Grimm version, rather than the softer and simpler Charles Perrault version which inspires most adaptations), with the adventures of the baker and his wife, two ordinary people who end up having a significant influence on the familiar characters. The First Act ends happily, with the dreams of the protagonists coming true, but in the Second act, these dreams turn into nightmares. Today, in an era when fairy tales are expected to be dark and edgy, many of the twists which shocked those expecting more a conventional fairy tale narrative (protagonists get killed by the giant, Cinderella and Rapunzel’s Prince Charming’s both turn out to be shallow philanderers) no longer feel so subversive. That said, Into the Woods will always remain a great musical, due to the brilliant songs, the fascinating characters and, most importantly of all, the timeless and valuable messages about the impact of fairy tales on our children and the consequences of pursuing your dream without considering the long-term effects this could have. There have been several major productions of Into the Woods over the last 30 years, and in 2014, it was even adapted into a film featuring an all-star cast which included Meryl Streep, James Corden, Johnny Depp and Chris Pine.

• ·         Kissing the Witch

(Plot: This collection features thirteen stories, which put unique twists on European fairy tales ranging from Cinderella and Donkeyskin to The Snow Queen and The Little Mermaid. These include a story about Cinderella realising that she cares more about her fairy godmother than any prince, and one which explains why the Evil Queen wanted to kill Snow White. However, these tales are connected far more closely than they initially appear to be…)

Emma Donoghue is best known for her 2010 novel Room, which was recently-adapted into an Oscar-winning film, but she has also provided a number of short story collections, of which Kissing the Witch is the most notable. Kissing the Witch sounds like yet another collection of revisionist takes on fairy tales, but whereas most works in this crowded genre consist of an anthology of standalone stories, Donoghue combines her tale into a single chain of interlinked narratives. Each story ends with the protagonist asking a question about another central character, and that character then tells them their own tale. Donoghue described this device as “a simple ploy” to make the stories “more marketable”, but it allows Kissing the Witch to stand out (it also allows the anthology to qualify for this list). This structure also pays tribute to the role of women’s folklore in shaping the fairy tale genre.

Kissing the Witch starts with its unusual spin on Cinderella, with establishes some of the major themes of the collection. In addition to showing Cinderella rejecting her Prince in favour of the beautiful Fairy Godmother, it focuses on her doubts and insecurities, with her earlier servitude forced upon her by negative voices in her head rather than a wicked stepmother. After this, we learn about how the fairy godmother had to deal with her own inner demons, and a sense of inadequacy which made her feel as small as Thumbelina. The chain of fairy tales continues from here, going from Rapunzel to The Snow Queen to Hansel and Gretel, before finishing with an original story about a witch who, in spite of her reputation has no magical powers”. The transitions are usually highly effective, giving increased depth to the characters and the world which they inhabit, and the ease with which a secondary character from one story becomes the protagonist in the next proves that the wide range of women in fairy tales have more in common than most casual readers would think. Kissing the Witch uses its unconventional structure to update fairy tales for more feminist times whilst also highlighting their origins as oral narratives and old-wives tales.

Mash-Ups

• ·         Dark as Snow

(Combines Frozen and The Bloody Chamber)

(Read Dark as Snow here. It can also be read on ArchiveOfOurOwn and Tumblr)

(Plot: Desperate to escape from her lonely life with her troubled, reclusive sister Elsa, Anna Arendelle gets impulsively married to seemingly perfect widower Hans Westergard. However, life with Hans in his lavish estate isn’t the fairy tale ideal she expected, and Anna soon finds herself becoming increasingly close to his stable hand, Kristoff. But Hans is keeping a dark secret, hidden inside a mysterious locked room, and it could endanger everything Anna holds dear…)

In theory, the idea of combining Frozen, Disney’s most successful movie, with The Bloody Chamber, Angela Carter’s adults-only take on Bluebeard, sounds ludicrous. However, this fanfic, from the author Anysia, blends the two into one atmospheric and enthralling story. Essentially, Dark as Snow is a straightforward retelling of The Bloody Chamber with characters from Frozen in the lead roles. Anna becomes the protagonist, whilst the villainous Hans takes on the role of The Bloody Chamber’s sinister Marquis. Kristoff and Elsa are also central characters, with Anna’s relationship with Kristoff providing some much-needed sweetness to contrast with the dark and grim tone of the rest of the tale. Dark as Snow includes many of the most memorable elements from Carter’s story (the red ruby necklace, the bed surrounded by mirrors, the book full of sexually sadistic pornography), whilst also sneaking in a number of references to Frozen. If you are familiar with The Bloody Chamber, the allusions to that story are a real treat, but even if you aren’t, this is still a great work on its own terms.

The writing is excellent, with vivid and evocative descriptions that really add to the atmosphere and thus increase tension. Anysia is also great at getting inside Anna’s head, and really makes us care about her and hope that she gets a happy ending. Dark as Snow is definitely not suitable for children, and it is often genuinely scary. Hans is upgraded from the scheming nuisance of Frozen into a truly terrifying monster, and this fanfic contains a number of disturbing scenes where he inflicts acts of physical and sexual violence upon Anna. However, adult readers who can endure moments like these should definitely check this story out. With its memorable, well-developed characters, powerful descriptions and an excellent feminist message, Dark as Snow is proof that a fanfic can be every bit as impressive as a more professional work of fiction.

• ·        The Coachman Rat

(Combines Cinderella and The Pied Piper of Hamelin)

(Read The Coachman Rat here)

(Plot: A rat seeking to explore the human world is accidentally transformed into a human coachman as part of a spell from a fairy godmother which turns scullery maid Amadea into a beautiful princess so that she can attend the Royal Ball. After Amadea’s eventful night at the ball, Robert turns back into a rat, but maintains his ability to speak. However, his gifts soon attract the attention of unscrupulous revolutionary Devlin, who exploits Robert’s power of speech in order to carry out a bloody coup. After Amadea is killed, the fairy turns Robert back into a human, enabling him to plot revenge on Devlin and his supporters.)

Even when competing against stories like Into The Woods and Dark As Snow, The Coachman Rat is the darkest 'combination tale' mentioned in this article by some distance. Written in 1989 by English author David Henry Wilson, it takes one of the most iconic stories of wish-fulfilment in fiction and ruthlessly shatters the upbeat ideals which it represents. The idea of telling the story of Cinderella from the perspective of an animal sidekick seems rather whimsical, but this incarnation of the tale takes place in a world of plague, superstition and witch-burnings. Initially, Robert’s quest to become human permanently has some amusing aspects, but then Amadea and her prince get gruesomely executed. Once Robert is made human again, The Coachman Rat reveals itself as a variation on the Pied Piper of Hamelin, as he gains the ability to summon and control an army of rats using a recorder. Robert uses this power to strike back against the kingdom which wronged him, but soon finds himself alienated from both humankind and his fellow rats.

It goes without saying that Robert is the most important character here, as his initial fascination at the power and influence of humans is replaced by disgust and hatred when he realises what they are truly capable of. Robert’s first-person narration conveys his loss of innocence effectively, as he recalls a variety of awful events with the cold, matter-of-fact detachment of a protagonist whose quest to learn and discover has ended in total tragedy. If you like your fairy tales to be escapist and optimistic, then The Coachman Rat is definitely not for you. However, its bold approach and hard-hitting messages allow it to stand out, providing a harsh reminder that the innocence embodied by fairy tales cannot survive the cruelty and violence of the real world.

• ·        The Tangled Princess Bride

(Combines Tangled and The Princess Bride)

(Read The Tangled Princess Bride here)

(Plot: With their parents both away on royal business, the task of looking after Zachary and Rose falls to their grandfather, the King of Corona. Deciding to read them a bedtime story, the King chooses a tale called The Princess Bride from an anthology series called the Nineteen 80’s. This story is about the relationship between Rapunzel, a girl with magical hair, and the stable hand Eugene Fitzherbert, who get involved in an incredible adventure involving fencing, revenge, chases, escapes, true love, miracles and all sorts of exciting stuff. Soon, Zachary and Rose begin to notice parallels between the protagonists of The Princess Bride and their parents…)

Based on the novel by screenwriter William Goldman, The Princess Bride is one of the best-loved fairy-tale films of all time, with its wonderfully quotable dialogue (including iconic lines such as “As you wish” and “Inconceivable!”), memorable characters and playful sense of humour. Its blend of comedy, fantasy and adventure has inspired numerous fairy-tale films, such as Disney’s 2010 hit Tangled. This story highlights how much Tangled was influenced by The Princess Bride by inserting Rapunzel, Eugene and all their friends and enemies into Goldman’s story, leading to a gloriously chaotic and enjoyable adventure.

Rapunzel and Eugene fit perfectly into the shoes of Buttercup and Westley, and their eternal love for each other gives the story heart to accompany the comedy. Like the two films which inspired it, The Tangled Princess Bride takes great pleasure in celebrating the familiar fantasy tropes whilst pointing out how ridiculous they can be, leading to plenty of silliness and tonnes of anachronistic humour. Highlights include an unusual wedding ceremony presided over by a highly inebriated priest, a wonderfully over-the-top climactic battle involving dozens of famous Disney characters, and an interlude where the King of Corona gets the wrong page and accidentally reads the children an extract from a story called Tangled Die Hard…

Fairy Tales and Fanfiction

A Personal Introduction

In addition to my love of fairy tales and Disney films, I am a very passionate fan of fanfiction. In this article, I will discuss why I love fanfiction so much, and how it ties into my interest with fairy tales.

This article will often diverge from the fairy tale/classic mythology focus of this blog in order to discuss TV, film and literary franchises which have inspired particularly large and prominent fanfiction communities, such as Sherlock, Harry Potter and Twilight. However, there will still be significant emphasis placed on fanfiction based on classic stories and ‘fairy tale’ films. A further guide to which works are discussed on this blog can be found here.

A Brief Guide to Fanfiction

Fanfiction can be defined as stories which centre on characters from existing books and films. Within this field, there are numerous subgenres, including: ‘Shipping’ (fanfics which pair two characters in a relationship which tends to be romantic in nature), AUs (stories set in an alternate universe), ‘Fix Fics’ (stories which rectify issues with the source material) and straightforward sequels and prequels.

As long as there have been stories, authors have tried to respond to them explore the worlds and characters they depict from a new perspective. This has fuelled a number of classic stories, ranging from Virgil’s Aeneid to The Wide Sargasso Sea (Jean Rhys’ re-interpretation of Jane Eyre) which have placed characters from an existing story into a new one. One of the most famous examples of this is Tom Stoppard’s play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which tells the tale of Hamlet from the perspective of two peripheral characters. When established authors and directors create new stories in familiar universes (examples of this range from Anthony Horowitz’s Sherlock Holmes story A Touch of Silk to J.J. Abrams' reboots of the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises), the end product is often described as fanfiction. However, when fanfiction is discussed on this blog, it will almost entirely be the work of amateur authors. The concept of a ‘professional author’ emerged in the 18^th century with the birth of the full-length novel, and this led to literary fans trying to emulate the work of their idols. With the onset of the internet age, Fanfiction reached new heights of popularity. There are a number of online forums where these writers share their work, with the three most prominent fanfiction sites being Fanfiction.net. Archive of Our Own and Wattpad.

Differences Between Fanfiction and Fairy Tales

One difference between fanfiction and fairy tales is their perspective on character. Fairy tales often rely on moral certainties, with protagonists who are defined by their purity and innocence. The emphasis tends to be on the story and the moral lessons which it contains, meaning that the characters primarily exist to move from event to event and highlight the story’s messages.  In contrast, there are many fanfics which focus on the inner thoughts and feelings of characters and emphasise ‘angst’ and other extreme emotions in a way which most fairy tales don’t. As many fanfics are based on films and TV, writers often take advantage of the new medium and aim to get into the protagonist’s head in a manner which is difficult to do in the visual medium of film, or the plot-based medium of fairy tales.

In addition, whilst fairy tales are generally family-friendly, fanfiction is primarily aimed at teenagers and adults. Fairy tales are primarily designed to be read to children. Though they contain some violence, this is often depicted in a very simplistic style. We hear about the gruesome things which happen to the villains, but we don’t actually see them. Furthermore, whilst fairy tales often have sexual symbolism and undertones, they almost never depict sex itself. In contrast, fanfiction has a reputation for relying too much on graphic sexual content. This perception has been encouraged by the dominance of ‘shipping’, which tends to be romantic in nature. Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is among those to associate erotic fanfiction with the form in general, as he once complained about stories which show “me and John Watson floating in space on a bed handcuffed to one another”. The perception that fanfic authors are focused on sex over story has also been encouraged by the infamous erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey, which began life as a Twilight AU called ‘Master of the Universe’. The notoriety of E.L. James' signature story has led to significant attention to its provenance, and as ‘Master of the Universe’ fulfils many of the stereotypes associated with fanfiction, it has reinforced perceptions surrounding the genre.

However, the most problematic difference between the two forms of story is their legal status. Fairy tales are in the public domain (as are almost all works from before the 20^th Century), as enough time has elapsed since the author's’ death to allow people to use their work for any purpose without having to pay royalties. This is one reason why it’s so easy for studios such as Disney to adapt them into their own stories. In contrast, most works of fanfiction are based on the creations of living authors. This makes their legal status ambiguous, although the fact that they are non-commercial works means that creating them can be considered an act of ‘fair use’ and thus, they seem to be exempt from legislation concerning plagiarism and copyright infringement. Whether authors support them or not is a matter of personal taste. The likes of J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer have endorsed fanfics based on their work (albeit with some reservations), but other prominent authors, such as Annie Proulx and George R.R. Martin, have been vocal about their distaste for fanfiction, expressing the belief that it disrespects the world they created, and arguing that it is lazy to write a story centred around pre-existing characters. These complicated issues mean that the world of fanfiction is focused on relatively small and exclusive communities, unlike fairy tales, which are designed to provide lessons for a wide audience.

A Wide Range of Genres

The term ‘fairy tales’ refers to a form of story rather than a genre. Therefore, whilst fairy tales have plenty of common tropes (such as the use of fantasy elements and supernatural creatures), they can belong to a wide range of categories. For example, Hans Christian Andersen’s collection of stories include satire (The Emperor’s New Clothes), adventure (The Snow Queen), romantic tragedy (The Little Mermaid) and social realism (The Little Match Girl). This diversity of genres also applies to fairy tale films. Most Disney films seem to belong to a distinct genre of their own, as they combine adventure, comedy, romance and music into a joyous and entertaining package. Meanwhile, Shrek is primarily a comedy, whilst Snow White and the Huntsman assumes a dark fantasy style. There are even a number of ‘fairy tale’ films in the horror genre, such as In the Company of Wolves. This highlights the manner in which the term ‘fairy tale’ can cover a truly diverse range of stories.

Fanfiction also incorporates a variety of genres.  Fanfiction.net classifies stories by putting them in categories ranging from Adventure and Family to Spiritual and Tragedy.  The fact that a single story can inspire works in so many subgenres indicates the universal appeal of the characters, the world they inhabit, and the stories which can be told with them. It may seem totally incongruous to imagine Disney princesses in a Sci-Fi story, but on Fanfiction.net, Frozen (which is, by some distance, the Disney film which has inspired the most fanfics) has 83 fanfics in this category. Many fanfic authors recognise that best characters are able to retain the traits which make them unique and appealing across a wide range of stories, and this has encouraged them to place familiar protagonists and antagonists into unfamiliar genres. Therefore, the field of fanfiction, like the fairy tale genre, is defined by the infinite possibilities it offers.

The Impact of the Source Material

Throughout history, fairy tales have been used to communicate messages and beliefs which are important to the storyteller. They often teach morality to audiences, with virtue and selflessness being rewarded, and disobedience and dishonesty being ruthlessly punished. As fairy tales convey important messages in a clear, fascinating and engaging fashion, they can have a significant influence on the world view of those who read them or listen to them being told.  Another visible example of the importance of folklore is Mythology. Though the stories of gods and heroes from ancient Egypt and Greece have survived due to their compelling characters and plotlines, they had great significance within their own cultures, as they could be used to teach people about the wider world. The predominance of creation myths across the globe to explain natural phenomena leads to a greater degree of insight into the unique and beautiful features of the world which are too often taken for granted. Fairy tales and myths are perfect examples of the way in which stories can be used to allow the messages and ideas which mean the most to the storyteller to be transmitted to a wide audience.

Fanfiction is also motivated by the desire to make people appreciate something which the storyteller finds important, though in this case, the thing which the storyteller finds important takes the form of an existing book, film or TV show. In recent years, fanfiction has been increasingly recognised as a means to demonstrate passion for a work and can even increase publicity for it. The 2012 animated film Rise of the Guardians was not a huge success on its initial release, making an underwhelming $306.9 million worldwide. In contrast, Frozen made roughly $1.276 billion worldwide the following year. However, when fans noticed the similarities between Rise of the Guardians protagonist Jack Frost and Frozen’s Queen Elsa (For starters, they both have the power to control ice and snow), fanfics shipping ‘Jelsa’ as a couple became incredibly popular. On Wattpad alone, there are over 6,800 stories about the duo. This means that Rise of the Guardians has gained the attention of numerous Frozen fans who had previously not given the movie a second thought. Some producers have deliberately tried to use fanfiction to promote their works. Many Star Trek fanfics have been published in print, and in order to promote the introduction of a new character in the drama series The United States of Tara, the cable channel Showtime created an entire fansite devoted to her fictional creations. Fanfiction exists because fanfic writers are enthusiastic enough to devote time and effort to stories about their favourite characters. These displays of passion demonstrate the power and appeal of the source material, just as retellings of fairy tales and myths are proof that they can resonate across the generations.

A Personal Spin

When the Brothers Grimm began collecting fairy tales, their intent was to preserve the stories as faithfully as possible, as representations of the German culture which they belonged to. However, over a period of 45 years, they gradually altered their tales to make them appeal to a wider audience. Meanwhile, many of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories were adapted from existing fairy tales, including Thumbelina and The Wild Swans. The extent to which fairy tales rely on the storyteller to make them unique is shown by the fact that fairy tales and folklore from all over the world often rely on common story types, with distinctive touches provided by the storytellers and the beliefs and culture which inspire them. Philip Pullman put it best when he stated that “a fairy tale is not a text”, and storytellers are free to alter it as they wish.  The wide range of variations on a single story type demonstrates that any fairy tale depends on the storyteller, as they emphasise their personal interests and skills, and use their native culture to enrich their tales.

Fanfiction also benefits from the unique perspectives which the author can bring to the characters and story which they are using. For example, “What-if” stories (e.g What if – Harry Potter was sorted into Slytherin?) show some of the changes which could have occurred if something happened a little differently. In doing so, they draw attention to the ways in which these events could have affected the characters and the story. There are also plenty of fanfics which provide the opportunity to see a familiar story take place in a new location. For example, Disney fans can enjoy a retelling of The Little Mermaid set in modern-day Australia, and a twisted take on The Princess and the Frog which takes place in the medieval era. The new setting for these tales encourages unique touches and innovations which makes them stand out. Like the best storytellers, fanfiction authors find ways to allow their stories to reflect their own interests, and this personal touch allows fanfics to feel distinct and gain a unique life of their own.

Conclusion

Even the most ardent lover of fanfiction will have to admit that many pieces of fanfiction are badly written. However, even the worst fanfiction is generally created by people who are passionate about the source material, and their willingness to put time and effort into new stories with their favourite characters demonstrates the importance and impact of the works which inspired them. 

Furthermore, there are thousands of high-quality fanfics with compelling stories which provide 

fascinating perspectives on the characters who inhabit them and the universe in which they are set. These aren’t just excellent tributes to the source material, they are great tales in their own right.

Ultimately, whilst there are plenty of differences between fairy tales and fanfiction, there are also a number of similarities. Both forms of fiction incorporate a wide range of genres, ranging from comedy and romance to horror and thriller. They also showcase the importance which storytellers attach to existing works. Most importantly, they both represent the way in which storytellers put their own personal spin on familiar stories and characters. Just as fairy tales are known for the variety of ways in which they can be adapted, fanfiction highlights the versatility and enduring appeal of the original stories which inspire it.

In the future, there will be a number of articles on this blog drawing attention to some particularly high-quality fanfics inspired by Disney films, classic literature, and fairy tales. It is going to be a real pleasure to share some of these stories with a wider audience.