10 Queer Fairy Tale Retellings Better Than the Originals

As a queer woman growing up, it was pretty easy to neg on all things fairy-tale. Perhaps I had reason to, as mockery of all things Disney has grown popular in recent years. The truth, though, was that no matter how eye-rollingly saccharine and over-the-top fairy tales were, my biggest criticism was that I couldn’t see myself or people like me in their pages or on my television screen. That bitterness put me off fairy tales right up until I discovered a pivotal genre: queer fairy-tale retellings. Queer retellings have grown increasingly popular over the years. The breadth of mythological tales gives authors room to add their own spin, transforming old heteronormative stories into something fresh and exciting. To celebrate Adult Fairy Tales Week, we’ve rounded up the best queer fairy-tale reads — from young adult romance to spine-chilling horror — that you owe it to yourself to read at least once. 11 Cinder (2012) by Marie Sexton Graphic: Polygon Cinderella? Try Cinderfella. Sexton’s short novella that reimagines the classic tale, staying true to the original while adding a fun, gay twist. Eldon Cinder wants only to see his friend, Prince Xavier, one last time at the royal ball. But only women are invited to dance with the prince. So Eldon visits a local witch, who grants his wish — with a huge catch. Sexton’s take on the tale is deliciously and deliriously camp, but with an edge to her prose that doesn’t cause Cinder to feel ridiculous. The story runs on the short side, but that only enhances the pacing, making Cinder an easy read to finish in one sitting. 10 Unburied Fables (2016) by Creative Aces Publishing Graphic: Polygon What’s better than one queer fairy-tale reimagining? Multiple of them, of course! Featuring authors that ranged from students to seasoned professional writers, Unburied Fables tackles a variety of different fairy-tale classics like Beauty and the Beast, as well as more unknown, non-Western tales that you may not have heard of before. As with any anthology, the quality of each story varies but that’s what makes Unburied Fables so intriguing in the first place. There’s something for everyone, from a polyamorous twist to an aromantic protagonist who doesn’t really want to be in a fairy-tale at all. 9 The 100 Nights of Hero (2016) by Isabel Greenberg Graphic: Polygon The 100 Nights of Hero is a graphic novel that follows Cherry, a noblewoman whose husband, Jerome, puts her up for grabs in a bet with his friend Manfred: if he seduces Cherry in less than 100 nights, he gets her and Jerome’s castle. Fortunately for Cherry, her maid and lover Hero has just the thing to keep Manfred at bay: epic tales of love and betrayal. While not a traditional retelling, The 100 Nights of Hero is the most blatant sapphic, feminist reimagining of The Arabian Nights we’ve had the chance to read. It’s also unfathomably brilliant, with Greenberg’s vivid art style and darkly humorous narrative leaving you giggling one moment and feeling morose about the state of the world the next. 8 More Than Enough (2017) by Elizabeth Wambhein Graphic: Polygon While many queer retellings of classic fairy tales take a romantic approach, Elizabeth Wambhein’s queer reimagining of Beauty and the Beast takes a very different path—and is all the more compelling for it. Instead of Belle, we follow Petra, a gardener at the country manor Prince Fier — a noble known to be more beast than man — abandoned years earlier. Only, is Fier truly gone, and if not, what does this mean for Petra and Fier’s relationship? Complex and sickeningly sweet, Wambhein unpacks the original tale in such an innovative and unique way that you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better reimagining. 7 Peter Darling (2017) by Austin Chant Graphic: Polygon The idea of a magical, far-off place where you never have to grow up has always sounded exciting as a child. However, as Austin Chant explores in his queer retelling of Peter Pan, the fantasy doesn’t quite live up to the reality for Peter. On the contrary, after 10 years away living in the real world as Wendy Darling, Peter’s return signals a new, awfully big adventure. Though it's a short read, Peter Darling is a terrific romp that has Peter grappling with what it really means to be Peter Pan, the leader of the Lost Boys, while staying true to the original tale's wonder and magic. And if that doesn’t convince you to try Peter Darling, perhaps the idea of Peter finding plenty to love in his old rival, the terrifying Captain Hook, will be enough to push you over the edge. 6 The Magic Fish (2020) by Trung Le Nguyen Graphic: Polygon Trung Le Nguyen’s gorgeous graphic novel debut draws on the whimsy of fairy tales like Cinderella and The Little Mermaid, reimagining them to bridge the communication gap between Tien, a young boy, and his Vietnamese immigrant parents. Through fairy tales, Tien’s parents improve their English over time, and their bond with Tien continues to grow. Le Nguyen’s tale addresses queerness and cultural clashes with empathy and intelligence, making it a perfect story for young children and teens. 5 Cinderella Is Dead (2020) by Kalynn Bayron If you’ve ever craved a fairy-tale romance with a sickeningly sweet and queer twist on Cinderella, then Cinderella Is Dead isn’t the book for you. Instead, Bayron’s fast-paced fantasy is set 200 years after the original tale, with 16-year-old Sophie living in a world where women are seen, not heard, and if they aren’t picked to be wed by a man at the annual King’s Ball, they're never heard from again. Tough crowd. A dystopian, queer retelling of Cinderella isn’t what we'd expect, but Bayron weaves an enthralling tale that tackles homophobia, misogyny, and racism—and makes the original story feel less like a romance and more like horror. If we had to sum up Cinderella Is Dead in a few words, we’d call it “Hunger Games but make it queer and fairy-tale-esque.” 4 Malice (2021) by Heather Walter Graphic: Polygon Everyone knows the tale of Sleeping Beauty — a young girl is cursed by an evil sorceress to prick her finger on a spinning needle and fall into an everlasting sleep, to be awoken only by true love’s kiss from a dashing prince. Malice shakes up that concept by having Princess Aurora fall for someone else: the sorceress whose power brought the curse to life in the first place. While the enemies-to-lovers vibes are strong here, Malice has more to it than meets the eye, focusing more on redeeming the sorceress, Alyce, than on her fully leaning into the evil she’s painted as. Better yet, if you come away from reading Malice wanting more, you’re in luck: the sequel, Misrule, is as gripping and dark as the original that kicked off the duology. 3 2 The Grimrose Girls (2021) by Laura Pohl Graphic: Polygon Dark academia with queer fairy-tale protagonists who challenge the original narrative of stories like Beauty and the Beast and Snow White? Sign us up. In The Grimrose Girls, Pohl reimagines classic fairy-tale protagonists as young women who become the talk of Grimrose Académie after their friend Ariane dies. But they soon discover that there’s more to her death—and to themselves—than they ever imagined. The result is a gritty yet fantastical tale filled with diverse characters and plenty of intriguing, complex twists for readers to uncover.