Snow White, Blood Red

Title: Snow White, Blood Red

Author:  Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling (editors)

Publisher: Avon Books (1993)

Genre(s): Fairy tales, short stories, fairy tale retellings

Length: 411 pages, 20 stories

Synopsis:  Designed to take fairy tales out of the children's nursery and set them firmly in the realm of serious (if wondrous) literature, these stories range from traditionally designed reimaginings to poetic interpretations to acerbic social commentary.

My Rating: 4 Stars

My Opinion:
 
Any collection edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling automatically lands on my reading list.  Their taste in fantasy fiction is as dependably excellent as a box of Godiva chocolates.  This particular collection, however, seems to be aimed almost at a scholarly audience rather than the general public.  I don't mean to suggest that the works it contains are unpleasantly dense and esoteric; on the contrary, they're quite delightful.  Each story is preceded by a brief discussion of the work, its author, and its place in the pantheon of fairy tale literature.  The suggested reading listed at the end of the book, and the two introductions at its beginning are similarly academic in tone.  As a student of literature, I find these deeply intriguing, but as a reader they're somewhat distracting.  Part of this is undoubtedly results from the age of this compilation.  Though 1993 is hardly ancient history even in terms of the fast-paced publishing world, the recent trend has been towards a lighter hand on the part of editors.  Newer collections contain little, if any, discussion of the individual works, and it usually appears only after the stories.  The format may be less than ideal, but that's a bit like complaining about the box your Godiva chocolates come in.  The stories are exquisite and unique, the commentary engaging and thought-provoking, if somewhat out of place.  If you're looking for a wonderful plunge into a fairy-tale realm, or if ever you're preparing an academic discussion of fairy tales, this is one collection you can't afford to miss.