This month was full of faery tales, monster myths reimagined, and the new book from one of Australian literature’s national treasures… 

17 – Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
I loved Stone Blind by English writer, broadcaster, classicist, comedian and “rock star mythologist” Natalie Haynes. She brings Greek myth’s so-called monster Medusa to vibrant, brilliant, beautiful life, retelling her tale with empathy and care, as a young woman beloved by her sisters, living a quiet but happy life by the sea – until she’s raped by a god, cursed by a goddess (nice bit of victim blaming there Athena!), and murdered by supposed hero Perseus, who didn’t even know what a gorgon was when he set out to take her head for a petty king’s amusement. It’s a fascinating, funny and heartbreaking story, told from many different, and wonderful, perspectives, but it’s also absolutely rage-inducing. And it’s horrifying that the attitudes of the Greek pantheon are still so ingrained in humanity, subconsciously or not – men controlling and assaulting women, then society punishing the women for the crimes. It’s way past time our concept of “heroes” is re-examined, and I’m glad there are several authors giving voice to the silenced women of the past, and questioning the point of the classic hero quests… I’m looking forward to seeing Natalie at the Sydney Writers Festival next month…  

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18 – Glass and Feathers by Lissa Sloan
Lissa Sloan’s book Glass and Feathers is an enchanting story that weaves together elements of the Cinderella faery tale, but not in any way you would expect. This is what happens after the wish for glass slippers and a prince has come true, and a young woman discovers that while her life may have transformed, she hasn’t. She’s still the same grieving, insecure, traumatised and lonely girl who doesn’t believe she’s worthy of anything, let alone royalty, and even jewels, gowns and a princely husband can’t lessen her imposter syndrome and crippling self-doubt. When she starts to outgrow her glass slippers – but is not allowed new, more practical shoes, hers being so iconic – she takes desperate measures to fit back into them. Until she can’t.
Part one has moments as dark and gruesome as the old tales, which may challenge some readers, but in part two, where the fragile, shattered princess escapes the castle and flees into the dark wood, magic and healing begin. Discovered by a young boy and helped by a wise woman, the newly named Sparrow has the chance to rebuild her strength and self-worth, and discover her true self and her purpose – if she has the courage to face all that it will take. And part three is an arduous, mythical quest that strips everything away, and interweaves strands of other faery tales into a wondrous conclusion.   
The book started life many years ago as a poem, which makes sense, because it’s poetic and beautifully written, and rich with wisdom, the rhythm of nature and the seasons, and the light and shadow of love and human frailty.

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19 – The The Seventh Bride by T Kingfisher
A friend and I saw T. Kingfisher in conversation at Sydney book shop Kinokuniya, since I loved her novel Nettle & Bone. I read a couple more of her books in the lead-up, including The Seventh Bride. Loosely inspired by the horror-faery tale Bluebeard, with other folkloric elements including a series of impossible tasks, it’s pretty creepy, but also hilarious and sweet despite the horror elements. The characters are wonderful, including Rhea, the brave peasant girl at the heart of the story, her adorable hedgehog friend, and what remains (sometimes literally) of the other six wives. There’s enchantment, tension, danger and real malice, but it’s a fun, engaging read (or listen)… 

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20 – Third Name’s A Charm: Tales of Trios and Triple Threats (What’s in a Name? Anthology)
I wrote The Magic of Trees for this anthology, which a reviewer described as one of her favourites as it stuck with her. “This is the tale of two siblings enchanted to be trees by their power-hungry stepmother seemed somehow familiar from 1001 Nights tales, but this one has a Nordic spin on it (names, islands, kings), which I loved. The storytelling is more that of traditional fairytales, which I also enjoyed…” Another said: “Another favourite was about the siblings who’d been turned into trees and how they escaped their curse. I had a hard time putting this one down.”
My favourite was the sweet story A Feather for a Kingdom by K. A. Last, but there are lots of wonderful stories by a host of indie authors from various genres, all linked by enchantment and the rule of three, including Sky Somers, Astrid VJ, Elena Shelest, Rebecca Fittery, Susan Stradiotto and many more.

All good things come in threes.
Once upon a time, a group of authors accepted a challenge from a fairy tale name generator. Not once or twice but thrice! Volume three of these quirky stories features trios and triple threats. The rule of three reigns supreme.
In this captivating clean YA anthology, journey through the trials of triplet princesses. Brace yourself for triple mashup retellings and teams of three. Explore the secrets behind triple goddesses and third true names. Uncover the allure of magical artifacts grouped in threes. From three abduction attempts to three days of daring escapades, each story promises thrice the adventure and excitement.
Venture into this collection of fantasy tales by award-winning and up-and-coming authors and prepare to be thrice enchanted.
All proceeds donated to a charity in support of reading and literacy.

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21 – Women & Children by Tony Birch
Tony Birch’s novel The White Girl was one of my favourite reads the year it came out, and I was eager to read his new book Women & Children before I saw him speak at the Sydney Writers Festival. (And he spoke so beautifully I bought several more of his titles as I raced off to my next session, despite my no-new-books rule.) Women & Children won The Age 2024 Fiction Book of the Year Award, described as “a book that will live with you”, and while it’s not an easy read, it’s deeply affecting and written with great empathy and skill. Tony’s stories are deeply rooted in people and place, and in this one, it’s Melbourne in 1965, told through the eyes of school kid Joe, who lives with his mum and sister in a working-class suburb around the corner from his grandfather, and is becoming painfully aware of how tough life is. The horror of domestic violence enters his world when his beloved aunt turns up on their doorstep distressed and dishevelled, but the focus is on the bonds of family and friendship, the fierceness to protect loved ones, the strength of the women in his family, and what growing up to be a good man looks like, displayed so beautifully by two of the male characters. Tony has been described as a national treasure for his writing, which includes four acclaimed novels, four short story collections and two books of poetry, and he’s also an academic, activist, historian and essayist.

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22 – Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher is a sweet, funny, dark but hopeful tale of what can go wrong when you’re taken by faeries, and how your story can become twisted inside out by those who tell it. A pretty hardcover novella, it will make you question good and evil, who is really in need of rescue and who decides what your life and story mean…  

From bestselling author T. Kingfisher comes an original, subversive fairytale about a kind-hearted, toad-shaped heroine, a gentle knight, and a mission gone completely sideways.
There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This isn’t her story.
Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?
If only.
Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He’s heard there’s a curse here that needs breaking, but it’s a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…