There is a horrifying aspect to each story. Mallory Ortberg takes a tale that has some level of darkness to it and twists it to make it even darker. For example, the retelling based on "The Little Mermaid" has a particularly gruesome necessity that must be met before she can return to the sea.
The tales also have a feminist aspect to them. The female characters are not all submissive and often take an active role in their fate. And often the pronoun he or she is used for what appears to be someone of the opposite sex. In the "Frog Princess," the princess is consistently referred to with the pronoun he.
I gave this collection 3 out of 5 stars. I liked it. It was ok. I didn't love it. To be honest, I didn't enjoy it much. I found the pronoun use in some of the tales more confusing than edifying. I did find several of the tales haunting though. If you like dark retellings, there's a good chance you will like this collection.
The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory Ortberg was released March 13, 2018 from Henry Holt and Company.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.
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