(no subject)

[lirazel]

Lately, I've really been in the mood for a subgenre of fantasy I think of as smart old-school fairytale YA.

Some examples:
+ Robin McKinley's Beauty, Rose Daughter, Spindle's End, Chalice, Deerskin (I also love her other books, but they aren't on this list because they're a different subgenre in my mind)
+ Summers at Castle Auburn
+ The Perilous Gard
+ Book of a Thousand Days
+ Lud-in-the-Mist


Some that aren't quite in this genre but have similar feels:
+ Wise Child and Juniper
+ Spinning Silver and Uprooted


I am currently reading The Hollow Kingdom, which I think belongs in the "similar feel" category, but I'm not sure if I'm going to like it yet.


Does anyone have recs along these lines?


Some things to take into consideration:
+ I don't like 97% of contemporary YA (say, anything written after about 2005), but I am very willing to read MG if it's well-written enough
+ I have tried Juliet Marillier's Heart's Blood and bounced hard off the style. I do not think she is for me.
+ I have tried Mermaid Moon within the last couple of days and had the same experience (though the styles are opposite!)
+ I don't want to read something super fluffy. I recently reread Ella Enchanted and it's still so lovable! But it's a little fluffier than what I'm wanting right now.

Comments

[sophia_sol]

Hmmm I haven't read all of your examples of the type but I thiiiink I have a sense of what you're going after, and it's a good genre! Some possible suggestions:

- The Wolf and the Girl, by Aster Glenn Gray
- The Girls at the Kingfisher Club, by Genevieve Valentine
- The Raven and the Reindeer, by T Kingfisher
- Bryony and Roses, by T Kingfisher
- The Terracotta Bride, by Zen Cho (MAYBE. I did not write down sufficient details when I read it years ago, and don't remember the details anymore, so I might be misremembering its genre feel!)
- The Princess Curse, by Merrie Haskell
- The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale

I have reviews posted to my dw of all of these if you want to know more about them -- or, you know, go ahead and ask me questions :)

[chestnut_pod]

Terracotta Bride is not this, imo, but it really is a good one! It's also included in Cho's big collection of short stories, which I think is the best collection ever, so………

[sophia_sol]

I have an earlier hard copy version of Cho's (truly excellent!) short story collection and Terracotta Bride is alas not included in it. But I should really reread Terracotta Bride! I think it's been like 7 years. Too long!

[chestnut_pod]

Yes, it’s in the new expanded edition (which also has her Hugo novelette from a few years ago). Out with Tor, I think?

[sophia_sol]

ooh apparently there's NINE added stories, really making the argument I should purchase the expanded edition too I see

[lirazel]

Oooh, many to check out. Thank you!