Cuentos sobre cuentos: horror, risa y sorteo

Siempre he sido una enamorada de las fábulas y cuentos de hadas. Crecí leyendo sobre princesas, héroes de brillante armadura y gestas imposibles en lugares de fantasía. Fue muy duro perder aquellos libros repletos de ilustraciones con millones de colores. Quién me iba a decir a mí que acabaría disfrutando como una niña viendo una serie de televisión titulada Érase una vez, donde los personajes de toda la vida tomarían una personalidad retorcida, tendrían secretos oscuros que cambiarían el curso del cuento y provocarían una auténtica estampida de fans adultos. Por eso, he vuelto a leer fábulas. Gracias a un fenómeno general, hay muchos libros ahí fuera que recrean las historias de siempre con una perspectiva más moderna, más oscura, o quizás, más fiel a su origen.

Cameron Jace es uno de esos escritores que se ha hecho preguntas sobre los cuentos de hadas: ¿y si Blancanieves no fuera una víctima indefensa? ¿Y si la Reina Malvada tuviera una misión que la ha transformado? ¿Y si Peter Pan estuviera enamorado? ¿Y si...?

Las preguntas conducen a historias en la mente de un escritor. Y yo estoy encantada con haber descubierto algunas de ellas. Existen muchas más, pero por ahora yo he leído seis precuelas de las dieciocho que hay en total, aparte de las novelas.

Estos relatos cortos introducen muchos de los personajes que luego contarán sus auténticas historias en las novelas. Empezamos a conocerlos, a ver en qué mundo viven bajo una maldición, cómo pueden despertar cada cien años, cuáles son sus odios y amores. Con un estilo muy divertido y casi paródico, desde Peter Pan hasta la Reina Malvada pasando por el mismísimo Satán cuentan sus verdaderas historias que fueron maltratadas por los hermanos Grimm. Una conspiración que ha enterrado quiénes son, así como los ha exiliado a un mundo de sueños. Sin embargo, los seres inmortales tienen aún poderes ocultos, y muchos secretos que desvelar.

Los títulos de los relatos son:

Snow White Blood Red

Ashes to Ashes and Cinder to Cinder

Beauty Never Dies

Ladle Rat Rotten Rut

Mary Mary Quite Contrary

Blood Apples

Me ha encantado la terrible historia de Caperucita Roja, con su herencia mortal envuelta en ingenuidad. Por supuesto, la Reina Malvada es una diva impresionante que tiene a Peter Pan casi con ganas de crecer. El mismo Diablo se arredra, pese a su amor por el pecado y su últimamente aburrido infierno, de la capacidad para el mal de ciertas damas con espejos. Me he reído con Drácula, un mito caído que se comporta como un adolescente cuando se topa con el mundo moderno. Y es verdad que no todos son personajes de cuentos de hadas, pero aquí hay sitio para todos. 

Conocemos a una supuestamente inocente Blancanieves, a una Rapunzel cuya torre está ahí por algo, a Jack con sus historias sobre el color de las manzanas, al Príncipe Encantado, a Cenicienta, a cazadores de sueños y condesas sangrientas.

El autor utiliza un lenguaje coloquial y desenfadado, tirando a parodia. Hace uso de muchos recursos históricos y folclóricos que mezcla con los clichés de los cuentos de hadas para conferir giros argumentales y de personalidad. Esto sirve para sorprender, divertir y también enriquecer las historias de los personajes. Hay mucha imaginación en el proceso, y se nota que Cameron se lo ha pasado en grande. 

Title: The Grimm Diaries Prequels 1-6
Author: Cameron Jace
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairy-tale Retelling
Published: November 19, 2012

The Grimm Diaries are pages written in a Book of Sand, where each fairy tale character confessed the true stories once altered by the Brothers Grimm two centuries ago. To keep the truth about fairy tales hidden, the Brothers Grimm buried the characters in their dreams to never wake up again. But the curse is broken now, and the characters are allowed to wake up every one hundred years. They intend to tell the truth about really happened, and about an untold cosmic conflict between fairy tale characters.

Free on Amazon!

The Grimm Diaries Prequels 1-6 recently made the Top 100 Kids & Teens Kindle Books of 2013 on Amazon, along with prequels 7-10, and Cameron Jace's Snow White Sorrow! 

Click here to see what else this series has to offer!

MY REVIEW

With all the hype about the TV series Once Upon a Time, this is a great way to actually read about this kind of world. The Grimm Prequels are a bunch of short stories that deal with fairy tale characters as they were meant to be if they had existed. Instead of the convoluted half-truths that were watered down for the sake of modern children, this is the real, stark, gritty face of the original flesh-and-quite-a-lot-of-blood characters we've come to love and despise with gusto.

I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of the prequels. Little morsels that are quite complete in themselves, but so enticing that I wanted to see all the hints and secrets fulfilled. I'm sure the novels will explain in full where the characters end up and if they are exactly what they seem or harbour big surprises for the reader.

In these six prequels, we encounter some of the most renowned characters from fairy tales but under a new, darker light. In the first story, Snow White Blood Red, the Evil Queen teases us with a glimpse of why she became the blackest of villains and why we shouldn't fall for the deceiving beauty of Snow White. I must admit I was shocked by the little girl's appalling personality.

The second story, Ashes to Ashes and Cinder to Cinder, involves time-travelling, a creative twist to the Cinderella theme, a kick-ass heroine and a funny Dreamhunter. This last profile I found quite intriguing and useful. I'd love to know more of the skills and scope a Dreamhunter has.

Beauty Never Dies delivers more of the author's trademark which is a thorough deconstruction of what we're supposed to know about a myth. Here we encounter a really naughty Peter Pan, a crazy Dracula that's more fun than ever, and a Sleeping Beauty that will leave you breathless at the very last page. I was laughing like mad with some of the scenes where Dracula acts a like a teenager. Best part.

Ladle Rat Rotten Rut is mysterious, deadly and witty in several ways. I love how the title becomes obvious through a delicious explanation that takes place between two impossible characters. The whole story unravels as in an upside mystery that starts in the middle of the secret and it only makes natural sense when all the puzzling details come together for the rightfully fun, clever ending. Never liked Little Red Riding Hood too much, but this little rollicking story changed my mind.

Mary Mary Quite Contrary uses again some engaging ruses to combine elements both from childhood memories and fairy tales. This adventure is told by the Devil who doesn't end up being the top bad guy when there are ladies and mirrors involved.

And finally, Blood Apples focuses on rescuing ladies from high towers, but good is quite extinct in these realms as we are to find out thanks to Prince Charming and Jack. While we have fun getting to know so many villainous heroes, there is an interesting snippet of mythology around the apples that adds more flavour to the whole.

Overall, this a a fairy-tale retelling wrapped up a in parodic tone with lots of twists, clever reimagining, and fun to read from start to finish. 

About Cameron

Things you might want to know:

Cameron writes books that he can't find elsewhere, basically to amuse himself. Everything Cameron does is for fun, so don't take him seriously. Never call him a writer. He hates that. He prefers the word: Storyteller, or the boy next door who claims he can tell stories.

If you like his books, horaaaay! He loves ya too. If ya don't, hoooray! Now we know in advance that this relationship isn't going to work.

Although his books are ordinary on the surface, they hold many secrets that he might reveal one day. What matters the most to him are characters struggling to find their identities and place in the world.

Things you don't need to know:

He celebrates his birthday twice a year, the day he was born and Friday the 13th. He wants to live in a bubble house. He is a damn good guitar player. He is damn good architecture college drop out. He likes boats, beaches, bears, beards, bananas, bars, barfights, beans, bikes, bones, butter, babes, bakery, blizzards, and pirates (he thought it was spelled Birates when he was a kid.)

And honestly, writing in third person sucks! It's so fake. 

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preguntitas

¿leíais fábulas en vuestra infancia?

¿algún cuento favorito?

¿os gustan las novelas basadas en cuentos?

Babel fabulosa.