Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Terri Windling (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In this follow-up to Datlow and Windling’s A Wolf at the Door (2000) and Swan Sister (2003), the duo again amass an anthology of fairy-tale retellings, only this time they keep focus upon the backstories of well-known villains. As always with such endeavors, it’s a mixed bag of funny, quirky, and downright creepy entries. A standout on the humorous side is Peter S. Beagle’s “Up the Down Beanstalk: A Wife Remembers,” in which Mrs. Giant tells all to a newspaper reporter about that infamous rascal Jack, who scrambled up the beanstalk and ended up killing Mr. Giant. On the sinister side, Kelly Link finishes off the book with an absolutely bone-chilling offering called “The Cinderella Game,” in which Peter babysits his new stepsister. The experience ends in blood, horror, and with the sense that there is no happily ever after left for anyone. Although some stories, like Neil Gaiman’s “Observing the Formalities,” require a good deal of familiarity with the original yarns, the collection is largely accessible and very enjoyable. Grades 5-8. --Daniel Kraus

Review

...highly readable and thought-provoking...A solid choice, particularly where sophisticated fractured fairy tales are popular. --School Library Journal

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile; 1 edition (April 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670061417
• ISBN-13: 978-0670061419
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #335,473 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Trolling For Great Stories, July 25, 2009

By	Heidi Anne Heiner (SurLaLune Fairy Tales.com) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling is the third in a series of short story collections of fairy tale retellings, following A Wolf at the Door and Swan Sister.

I know I always care more about the contents of a short story collection like this than an actual review since I'm certain to find the book worthwhile for at least a few stories--although more than a few make this one worthshile--so I'm kindly sharing the list with my gentle readers, too. Most of the authors are the usual suspects for a collection edited by Datlow and Windling, so fans should be thrilled and newcomers have a treat in store.

Wizard's Apprentice by Delia Sherman
An Unwelcome Guest by Garth Nix
Faery Tales by Wendy Froud
Rags and Riches by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Up the Down Beanstalk: A W Remembers by Peter S. Beagle
The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces by Ellen Kushner
Puss in Boots, the Sequel by Joseph Stanton
The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Holly Black
Troll by Jane Yolen
Castle Othello by Nancy Farmer
`Skin by Michael Cadnum
A Delicate Architecture by Catherynne M. Valente
Molly by Midori Snyder
Observing the Formalities by Neil Gaiman
The Cinderella Game by Kelly Link

There is a mixture of fun and trauma in the stories, ending with Link's chilling "The Cinderella Game." Don't read it at bedtime if you are subject to nightmares.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TOO GOOD FOR KIDS ONLY!, July 7, 2009

By	Richard Bowes (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Troll's Eye View edited by Datlow & Windling will delight children. Every kid loves a villain and the dozen stories and three poems in this beautifully designed little book have a hilarious, chilling assortment.

But there's plenty here for anyone of any age. Some of the finest fantasy writers currently working contribute and reading this book I found myself thinking of Saki and Thurber and Mrs. Lovett from Sondheim's Sweeney Todd.

There's not a dud in the bunch but my favorites were Peter S. Beagle speaking as a Giant's Wife, Catherynne M. Valente finding terror and pathos in pastry and Kelly Link playing a very old game in a very modern family.

You may buy this as a gift but you'll read it and you'll keep it so buy at least two copies.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great collection of children's stories that show things from the villains perspective, September 28, 2009

By	K. Eckert "Devourer of all books fantasy" (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a children's book of 15 short stories by various fantasy writers. Overall it was a decent collection. The stories are very short and there are some poems thrown in between stories. My favorite story of the bunch was Catherynne Valente's "A Delicate Architecture." I also really enjoyed "Skin" by Michael Cadnum and "Troll" by Jane Yolen. My least favorite was "Up the Down Beanstalk" by Peter Beagle. Overall though it was a great group of stories. See below for brief comments on each story.

- "Wizards Apprentice" by Delia Sherman
About an evil wizard's apprentice. Where all is not what it seems to be. This was a pretty funny story. 4/5

- "An Unwelcome Guest" by Garth Nix
In this story Rapunzel is the one harassing the witch. Very cleverly written. 4/5

- "Faery Tales" by Wendy Froud
A short poem about what happens to the princesses when they get older. 4/5

- "Rags and Riches" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
This was a retelling of the goose girl. The story was very detailed and a good read. 4/5

- "Up the Down Beanstalk: A Wife Remembers" by Peter S. Beagle
In this story we get a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk from the Giant's Wife's perspective. My least favorite of the bunch. 3/5

- "Shoes That Were Danced To Pieces" by Ellen Kushner
A retelling of the twelve dancing princesses. Loved the story. 4/5

- "Puss in Boots, the Sequel" by Joseph Stanton
What if Puss in Boots didn't stay captured? This poem explores that. 4/5

- "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" by Holly Black
How did the wolf in "Little Red Riding Hood" end up at grandma's house? Very clever ending. 4/5

- "Troll" by Jane Yolen
Talks about the troll under the bridge; only this on is scared of goats. Very funny little story, I liked it a lot. 5/5

- "Castle Othello" by Nancy Farmer
Maybe Bluebeard wasn't the evil one afterall. Interesting take on the tale. 4/5

- "'Skin" by Michael Cadnum
A very beautifully and clever retelling of Rumplestilskin. Loved this story. 5/5

- "A Delicate Architecture" by Catherynne M. Valente
How did the witch from Hansel and Gretle end up in that house made of candy in the woods? This story answers all and is writen beautifully. The story had wonderful imagery and was very creative. My favorite of the bunch. 5/5

- "Molly" by Midori Snyder
Tells about how Molly tricked the Giant. Maybe the giant wasn't so bad after all? 4/5

- "Observing the Formalities" by Neil Gaiman
A poem about sleeping beauty. Well-written. 4/5

- "The Cinderella Game" by Kelly Link
When two siblings start playing Cinderella, things get violent. This was an odd story and I wasn't quite sure what had happened when I got to the end. It was well-written. 4/5