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Sappho's Fables, Volume 1: Three Lesbian Fairy Tale Novellas (Sappho's Fables Volumes) [Kindle Edition]

Jennifer Diemer , Elora Bishop
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

Digital List Price: $5.99 What's this?
Print List Price: $12.99
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Book Description

The Sappho's Fables series takes well-known, beloved fairy tales and retells them from a lesbian perspective. Volume One contains the first three novellas in the series: SEVEN (Snow White), BRAIDED (Rapunzel) and CRUMBS (Hansel and Gretel), compiled together in an enchanting omnibus edition.

* SEVEN: A Lesbian Snow White
The strange witch girl Neve has skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and a dark secret. Her father Lexander, an alchemist, harbors an evil obsession, and Catalina, his newest bride, made the grave mistake of becoming his wife. When Catalina finds herself falling in love with his daughter, Neve, instead, the deepening bond between the women sets in motion the final chapter of a story that began long ago, with a desperate longing and a handful of apple seeds. Together, Neve and Catalina must venture into the Huntsman's haunted forest to undo what has been done and set themselves free.

* BRAIDED: A Lesbian Rapunzel
Zelda is cursed to spend her days on a platform in an ancient, holy tree, growing her hair long enough to touch the ground. But it wasn’t her curse to bear: Gray, the witch’s daughter, was meant for that lonely fate. Gray visits Zelda each day, mourning their switched fates, and falling deeper in love with the cursed girl, until one night, at the Not-There Fair, an extraordinary creature outlines a magical plan that could set both of them free. Will Gray’s love for Zelda be strong enough to survive the strange dream world of Chimera, or will Zelda remain a prisoner of the curse forever?

* CRUMBS: A Lesbian Hansel and Gretel
Greta's never ventured beyond the refuge of the Heap. Outside, the Ragers lurk, ever hungry and hunting. But Greta and her brother, half-starved and now alone, must risk death for the dream of safety they hope to find within the metal forest. Once there, nothing is as it seems: in the confines of a crumbling old candy factory, the woman who rescues them with sweet words and sweeter treats harbors a dangerous secret.


Product Details

  • File Size: 351 KB
  • Print Length: 236 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00891M32A
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Not Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #303,935 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Can't wait for the rest of this series~ June 8, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition
Oh, wow. Where to start?

I've been a fan of Elora Bishop since day one, and was really excited to see her working with her wife on their lesbian fairytale series. I was waiting for this omnibus since they announced the start of the project, and gods above it didn't disappoint!

Let's go in order...

Seven, the Snow White re-telling by Diemer, set the tone for the series/omnibus at once: gorgeous and wildly original while still staying true to the 'heart' of the story. Told from the perspective of the stepmother, Seven contains everything you'd expect from a Snow White story - the beautiful princess/step-daughter, the mirror, the apples, the huntsman, and the glass coffin - but in a wonderfully new way: the step-daughter Neve is the witch (and so sensual my heart was fluttering right alongside Catalina's!), the mirror is magical in a very unexpected manner, the apples are - well. I don't want to spoil you. Suffice to say the apples are important!

But what makes the story, even more than the mingling of Bluebeard-esque themes, quests for immortality and beautiful fairies, is the writing. Neve's gaze is 'like a bite'; Catalina is so sweetly innocent you can't help but love her; 'fairest of them all' is a statement important not because of obsession and revenge but because of love. Even more than a love story, Seven is Catalina's journey into her strength and confidence, and watching her grow was a true pleasure, as was the quiet suggestion that every woman and girl possesses the same strength. I hope that message gets through to all Diemer's readers.

Next, Braided. This was without a shadow of a doubt my favourite of the collection (although it was a near thing!) Again, the expected motifs were all in place: the tower, the long, long hair, the witch, the garden, the bargained-for baby, and even (if you don't blink and miss it!) a prince. And again, they are woven into a wholly new and unexpected pattern that had me hooked from the first sentence 'I was born cursed'; a sacred tree and its priestess, wishes braided into hair, a dream quest and a magical fair that I would love to visit myself, complete with delightfully snarky wisdom-dispensing cats and very special music.

Where Seven reminded me a little of Celtic and Greek myths Braided is like a dream - appropriate, since dreams feature in the story. I loved Gray and Zelda's story down to the tiniest details; the love potion for the king's son, Gray fixing the pieces of the broken cup by 'gluing them back together with little scraps of magic', and the wishes petitioners tied into Zelda's hair. And the fair! Gorgeous. But one of my favourite parts have to be how Bishop managed to keep the witch from being evil - keeping her human and sympathetic, even with her flaws. It takes real skill to manage that with the characters readers expect to be villians.

Last but certainly not least is Crumbs. Hansel and Gretel set in a post-apocolyptic, zombie-plagued world (well, they're not QUITE zombies, but similar enough). I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy Crumbs, because dystopian settings are very rarely my cup of tea, and I have never yet enjoyed a story featuring zombies (or anything similar). But Bishop won me over almost at once through one simple fact: Greta is afraid. And really, both Catalina of Seven and Braided's Zelda are afraid for themselves and their lovers in their stories, but Greta is fearful of, it seems, everything. That's not a common trait in the fantasy genre, and I loved Greta just for that, for being so clearly human; I loved her even more as she tapped into her inner strength over the course of the story to protect herself and her brother.

Again, we have the motifs you'd expect - the brother and sister, the loss of the parents, the journey to find them, and the house of sweets. And again, none of them are as you'd expect - the candy house, for example, is actually an abandoned factory that used to make cakes and sweets, and I loved it.

My favourite part of Crumbs, though, was the difference in understanding between the reader and Greta. By which I mean: Greta has grown up in this world, post zombie apocolypse, and we haven't. Bishop describes things and concepts that Greta doesn't recognise, but the reader can, because of that difference in worldview, such as Sabine's unicorn bracelet - which Greta describes as a horse 'but there's something pointy sticking right out of its forehead' - or the abandoned city, which Greta calls the steel forest. Again, Bishop pays careful attention to detail - Greta and her brother are given shots to make sure they don't get sick when they eat themselves full after months, maybe years, of near-starvation. That's the kind of thing so many authors forget about, so kudos to Bishop or her editor for paying such careful attention!

So many retellings aren't really retellings at all, just the original story with a bit more detail - a fantasy kingdom, Prince Charming replaced by Prince Insert Name Here. Diemer and Bishop's story are true retellings that never let go of the heart of each story; more, each one is exquisitely told and never hesitates to reaffirm that love and magic will always triumph, no matter what. I can't wait for the rest of this series.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A really cool collection July 11, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I just recently became acquainted with the authors' writing when I read Witch Sea, which caused me to buy this trilogy. I love these stories. Please see my review of Witch Sea, if interested, in how I feel this new genre of lesbian fairy tales impacts lesbian mythology and the need for same. This particular collection was very enjoyable, something to be savored after dark, and a good hand off to Dreamland. I look forward to more!
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Format:Kindle Edition
Braided and Seven are two of my favourite retellings ever, and, while I have not yet had a chance to read Crumbs, I am sure that I will love it too.

Jennifer and Sarah Diemer have a unique way of retelling fairytales, echoing myths and evoking real magic for the reader. You are drawn into their world. The female characters are strong and charming, they don't need to be rescued, they find a way to rescue themselves. They provide role models not just for young lesbian girls, but for all girls. No one should wait around to be rescued!

If you enjoy fairytales and mythic fiction, you must read this book! Even if you don't, you should read it anyway, and it will change your mind!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars Okay
Perhaps it is because these were short stories but I really feel like the main character's relationships were not flushed out enough. Read more
Published 4 months ago by E. Askew
5.0 out of 5 stars Cannot wait for Volume 2!
As far as fairy tale retellings go, all three stories in Sappho's Fables are top-notch. Each story is well-written and I loved how both authors kept the original bare bones of the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jessie Q
5.0 out of 5 stars A great collection of short stories that don't dissapoint!
I love the selection of both short, and mid-range stories available by this author. My only complaint is that there aren't more available yet, lol.
Published 4 months ago by Justin Mitchell
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent stories for Young Adults and up
All of these stories were heartwarming and touching. The third one was grittier and contained profanity, but still a good story. Read more
Published 7 months ago by habeous
5.0 out of 5 stars A creativity turmoil
I had already read two other books (with great enthusiasm) by Sarah Diemer/Elora Bishop before the unexpected opportunity arrived of having a free copy to review of Sappho's... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Acquafortis
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful reimaginings of Classic Tales
For all my life, Fairy Tales have held a special place in my mind. They are like mirrors into the human soul. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ty
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
This collection is amazing. Short, sweet tales, longer than a short story, these are so amazing, and each so different. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Neva Davis
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