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Revolting Rhymes
I guess you think you know this story.
You don't. The real one's much more gory.
The phoney one, the one you know,
Was cooked up years and years ago...
Do you think Cinderella married the prince and lived happily ever after, and that the three little pigs outsmarted the wolf? Think again! Premier storyteller Roald Dahl twists the fate of six favorite fairy tales, in this picture book edition with vibrant new cover art by Quentin Blake. Fairy tales have never been more revolting!
With his famous wicked humor and the cunning of a big bad wolf, master storyteller and satirist Roald Dahl retells his six favorite fairy tales. Get ready for Dahl's diabolical version of what really happened.
This book collects the following stories adapted by Roald Dahl:
- Cinderella
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Jack and the Beanstock
- Goldilocks and the Three Bears
- Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
- The Three Little Pigs
You don't. The real one's much more gory.
The phoney one, the one you know,
Was cooked up years and years ago...
Do you think Cinderella married the prince and lived happily ever after, and that the three little pigs outsmarted the wolf? Think again! Premier storyteller Roald Dahl twists the fate of six favorite fairy tales, in this picture book edition with vibrant new cover art by Quentin Blake. Fairy tales have never been more revolting!
With his famous wicked humor and the cunning of a big bad wolf, master storyteller and satirist Roald Dahl retells his six favorite fairy tales. Get ready for Dahl's diabolical version of what really happened.
This book collects the following stories adapted by Roald Dahl:
- Cinderella
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Jack and the Beanstock
- Goldilocks and the Three Bears
- Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
- The Three Little Pigs
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
About the author
Roald Dahl
1,136 books23.5k followersRoald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 1940's with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors.
Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as A Piece of Cake. The story, about his wartime adventures, was bought by the Saturday Evening Post for $900, and propelled him into a career as a writer. Its title was inspired by a highly inaccurate and sensationalized article about the crash that blinded him, which claimed he had been shot down instead of simply having to land because of low fuel.
His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943. Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach.
He also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humour and a surprise ending. Many were originally written for American magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, Harper's, Playboy and The New Yorker, then subsequently collected by Dahl into anthologies, gaining world-wide acclaim. Dahl wrote more than 60 short stories and they have appeared in numerous collections, some only being published in book form after his death. His stories also brought him three Edgar Awards: in 1954, for the collection Someone Like You; in 1959, for the story "The Landlady"; and in 1980, for the episode of Tales of the Unexpected based on "Skin".
Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as A Piece of Cake. The story, about his wartime adventures, was bought by the Saturday Evening Post for $900, and propelled him into a career as a writer. Its title was inspired by a highly inaccurate and sensationalized article about the crash that blinded him, which claimed he had been shot down instead of simply having to land because of low fuel.
His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943. Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach.
He also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humour and a surprise ending. Many were originally written for American magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, Harper's, Playboy and The New Yorker, then subsequently collected by Dahl into anthologies, gaining world-wide acclaim. Dahl wrote more than 60 short stories and they have appeared in numerous collections, some only being published in book form after his death. His stories also brought him three Edgar Awards: in 1954, for the collection Someone Like You; in 1959, for the story "The Landlady"; and in 1980, for the episode of Tales of the Unexpected based on "Skin".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,159 reviews
June 22, 2012
I'm not going to review this, I'm simply going to point out to many of the previous reviewers that the word "slut" is defined as "a dirty, untidy, or slovenly woman". It is only in the past 20 years, or so, that the word has commonly become associated with sexual morality (or the lack thereof). Especially given Roald Dahl's age when he wrote this in the 1980s, I'm pretty certain that he did not mean it to have any sexual connotation, especially since cinderella is, by definition, someone who looks dirty and untidy all the time!
Besides that, anyone who doesn't want to "expose" their young child to the corrupting influence of this book because of that one word, taken out of context, is extremely unrealistic about what sort of language they hear/use when they are in the school yard!
Let your children read it, I guarantee they'll thank you for it!
Besides that, anyone who doesn't want to "expose" their young child to the corrupting influence of this book because of that one word, taken out of context, is extremely unrealistic about what sort of language they hear/use when they are in the school yard!
Let your children read it, I guarantee they'll thank you for it!
April 13, 2017
I really enjoyed this book full of short stories! All the short stories were remakes of fairy tales. They were all gruesome and some of them even intertwined.
I highly suggest this book for anyone that likes fairy tales and/or anyone that likes Roald Dahl. I really feel this was one of his best works, even though it is really short.
I highly suggest this book for anyone that likes fairy tales and/or anyone that likes Roald Dahl. I really feel this was one of his best works, even though it is really short.
June 15, 2017
Revolting Rhymes (Paperback) by Roald Dahl is a book I read to my kids and then to my grandkids. This book has given everyone giggles in our house from the very young to the very old. It is the kind of book that never grows old itself. It is a keeper. I still have it from many years ago. I can not count how many times this poor book has been read! It was worth every penny.
June 14, 2018
This was another major laugh riot from Dahl. I kept cracking up when I was reading this at work.
November 21, 2008
The best poems in this collection are true masterpieces of satire. Here's the start of Cinderella:
"I guess you think you know this story.
You don't. The real one's much more gory.
The phoney one, the one you know,
Was cooked up years and years ago,
And made to sound all soft and sappy
just to keep the children happy.
Mind you, they got the first bit right,
The bit where, in the dead of night,
The Ugly Sisters, jewels and all,
Departed for the Palace Ball,
While darling little Cinderella
Was locked up in a slimy cellar,
Where rats who wanted things to eat,
Began to nibble at her feet."
"I guess you think you know this story.
You don't. The real one's much more gory.
The phoney one, the one you know,
Was cooked up years and years ago,
And made to sound all soft and sappy
just to keep the children happy.
Mind you, they got the first bit right,
The bit where, in the dead of night,
The Ugly Sisters, jewels and all,
Departed for the Palace Ball,
While darling little Cinderella
Was locked up in a slimy cellar,
Where rats who wanted things to eat,
Began to nibble at her feet."
March 15, 2018
Another of my favourite Dahl books
Fairy tales with a gruesome twist. Like poetry that flies off the page.
Spent many a day reading this book with delight and laughter.
Have introduced it to my cousin who is now old enough to appreciate the exciting tales as the Characters jump off the page.
Highly recommend if your wanting something a lil quirky and different to read. That will have you giggling at the crazy tales.
Enjoy!
Fairy tales with a gruesome twist. Like poetry that flies off the page.
Spent many a day reading this book with delight and laughter.
Have introduced it to my cousin who is now old enough to appreciate the exciting tales as the Characters jump off the page.
Highly recommend if your wanting something a lil quirky and different to read. That will have you giggling at the crazy tales.
Enjoy!
July 10, 2020
”Até que as irmãs vieram correndo,
Estendendo a primeira um pé horrendo.
“Serve-me, é meu”, gritou a megera,
“Vou casar contigo na primavera.”
“Isso é que não vais!”, o jovem gritou
E com o susto quase desmaiou.
Mas ela guinchava, ela insistia,
De ser princesa não desistia.
“Ordeno que lhe cortem a cabeça!”
Rugiu, cheio de raiva, Sua Alteza.
E vendo a rapariga degolada,
Exclamou: “Fica assim mais engraçada!”
Numa eficaz tradução de Luísa Ducla Soares e com as habituais ilustrações de Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl subverte alguns dos mais amados contos infantis com o seu famoso humor negro. Para meninos perversos e meninas perversas, mesmo que já não sejam tão pequeninos (as) quanto isso e que não se incomodem com finais brutos e desvios abruptos.
“Pois, como ia dizendo, Tranças de Ouro
Sem vergonha, sem o menor decoro
Nela sentou o traseiro gorducho
E como a cadeira era de luxo
Num instante ficou em pedaços,
Voaram pelo ar os estilhaços.
Se a menina não fosse atrevida
Decerto que ficava arrependida.
Mas esta pôs-se em pé num repelão
E disse um horrível palavrão
Que bons meninos não podem saber
E por isso não vou aqui escrever.”
Estendendo a primeira um pé horrendo.
“Serve-me, é meu”, gritou a megera,
“Vou casar contigo na primavera.”
“Isso é que não vais!”, o jovem gritou
E com o susto quase desmaiou.
Mas ela guinchava, ela insistia,
De ser princesa não desistia.
“Ordeno que lhe cortem a cabeça!”
Rugiu, cheio de raiva, Sua Alteza.
E vendo a rapariga degolada,
Exclamou: “Fica assim mais engraçada!”
Numa eficaz tradução de Luísa Ducla Soares e com as habituais ilustrações de Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl subverte alguns dos mais amados contos infantis com o seu famoso humor negro. Para meninos perversos e meninas perversas, mesmo que já não sejam tão pequeninos (as) quanto isso e que não se incomodem com finais brutos e desvios abruptos.
“Pois, como ia dizendo, Tranças de Ouro
Sem vergonha, sem o menor decoro
Nela sentou o traseiro gorducho
E como a cadeira era de luxo
Num instante ficou em pedaços,
Voaram pelo ar os estilhaços.
Se a menina não fosse atrevida
Decerto que ficava arrependida.
Mas esta pôs-se em pé num repelão
E disse um horrível palavrão
Que bons meninos não podem saber
E por isso não vou aqui escrever.”
May 5, 2021
Dahl's modernise (and darker!) take on some of the most beloved fairytales is still just as fun and twisted all these years later.
I also watched the 2 part animation which is just as great.
My favourite of the six tales was Snow White now living with 7 jockeys - though all were brilliantly altered to Dahl's quirky timeless imagination.
I also watched the 2 part animation which is just as great.
My favourite of the six tales was Snow White now living with 7 jockeys - though all were brilliantly altered to Dahl's quirky timeless imagination.
December 28, 2020
Although I am not usually a huge fan of so-called fractured “traditional” folk and fairy tales (as I do rather often tend to think that the respective authors of these types of stories would generally and basically do better and be much more imaginative creating their own and totally, completely original pieces of work rather than taking known for centuries tales and using them as the background, as the foundation), I do have to admit that Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes (and albeit that I do kind of wish the book title showed that Dahl’s presented rhyming texts are in fact based on traditional folk and diary tales) has certainly been delightfully readable, naughtily engaging and often also really laugh-out-loud funny, keeping close enough to the spirit of the original stories content wise but then textually twisting them just enough for blatant and hilarious satire and all with a featured rhyming scheme that always feels deliciously rollicking and never once awkwardly halting.
And indeed, Revolting Rhymes has most definitely left me with a wide and appreciated smile for Roald Dahl’s penmanship and satirical talents, with my favourite “revolting” renderings of the presented classical folk and fairy tales being his Cinderella and his Goldilocks and the Three Bears (with me in particular enjoying and appreciating that Dahl’s Cinderella has much more spunk and spirit than either Charles Perrault’s or the Brothers Grimm’s Cinderella, and that yes, Goldilocks is not once depicted by Roald Dahl as a sweet little girl but as a nasty piece of work who willfully breaks into the three bears’ home and basically engages in targeted vandalism).
Highly recommended and much fun is Revolting Rhymes and in my opinion a delightful way of introducing children to satire and how enjoyable satire can be.
And indeed, Revolting Rhymes has most definitely left me with a wide and appreciated smile for Roald Dahl’s penmanship and satirical talents, with my favourite “revolting” renderings of the presented classical folk and fairy tales being his Cinderella and his Goldilocks and the Three Bears (with me in particular enjoying and appreciating that Dahl’s Cinderella has much more spunk and spirit than either Charles Perrault’s or the Brothers Grimm’s Cinderella, and that yes, Goldilocks is not once depicted by Roald Dahl as a sweet little girl but as a nasty piece of work who willfully breaks into the three bears’ home and basically engages in targeted vandalism).
Highly recommended and much fun is Revolting Rhymes and in my opinion a delightful way of introducing children to satire and how enjoyable satire can be.
June 11, 2017
A short compendium of fifteen tales told by one of the great children's storytellers of all time. Dahl uses his wonderful rhyming ability to re-tell some of the better known fairy tales to 'set the record straight'. Children can marvel at all the things they will learn from Dahl and his mind that spills full of wonderful ideas. From there, Dahl takes the reader on to recount a few lesser known members of the animal kingdom, all of whom have special abilities. Sure to entertain and impress, Dahl has done it again with his wonderful wit and (somewhat) saucy language, which I still think straddles what would be appropriate for the age level to which this piece is geared.
Kudos, Mr. Dahl for dazzling and impressing. I am pleased to have added this to my buddy reads and hope others will find it enjoyable too.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Kudos, Mr. Dahl for dazzling and impressing. I am pleased to have added this to my buddy reads and hope others will find it enjoyable too.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
February 3, 2017
Description: Do you think Cinderella married the prince and lived happily ever after, and that the three little pigs outsmarted the wolf? Think again! Premier storyteller Roald Dahl twists the fate of six favorite fairy tales, in this picture book edition with vibrant new cover art by Quentin Blake. Fairy tales have never been more revolting!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/...
March 30, 2019
Leave it to Roald Dahl to grab me by the collar, and drag me out of a reading slump right before exams.
June 4, 2020
4.5 en realidad.
Este libro ha sido mi primer acercamiento con Roald Dahl y me encantó (aunque me parece un tanto espeluznante para niños pequeños, aunque muchos cuentos clásicos también lo son🤔). Me gustó mucho su forma de narrar algunos cuentos clásicos (LA CENICIENTA, JUAN Y LA HABICHUELA MÁGICA, BLANCANIEVES Y LOS SIETE ENANOS, RIZOS DE ORO Y LOS TRES OSOS, CAPERUCITA ROJA Y EL LOBO y LOS TRES CERDITOS) en verso y dándoles sus propios giros.
No le di las 5 ⭐ porque hubo 2 cuentos que no me gustaron tanto como los demás: BLANCANIEVES Y LOS SIETE ENANOS y RIZOS DE ORO Y LOS TRES OSOS.
"Si tienes buenos pensamientos, resplandecerán en tu cara como rayos de sol y siempre tendrás algún atractivo."
Roald Dahl.
Este libro ha sido mi primer acercamiento con Roald Dahl y me encantó (aunque me parece un tanto espeluznante para niños pequeños, aunque muchos cuentos clásicos también lo son🤔). Me gustó mucho su forma de narrar algunos cuentos clásicos (LA CENICIENTA, JUAN Y LA HABICHUELA MÁGICA, BLANCANIEVES Y LOS SIETE ENANOS, RIZOS DE ORO Y LOS TRES OSOS, CAPERUCITA ROJA Y EL LOBO y LOS TRES CERDITOS) en verso y dándoles sus propios giros.
No le di las 5 ⭐ porque hubo 2 cuentos que no me gustaron tanto como los demás: BLANCANIEVES Y LOS SIETE ENANOS y RIZOS DE ORO Y LOS TRES OSOS.
"Si tienes buenos pensamientos, resplandecerán en tu cara como rayos de sol y siempre tendrás algún atractivo."
Roald Dahl.
December 7, 2020
Прэлэстно, просто прэлэстно! Наконец-то Даль, который мне нравится.
February 17, 2023
I think Revolting Rhymes is a very good book and if you like this book you would like lots of Roald Dahl's other stories.
Revolting Rhymes is a story about little stories with rhymes that are horrible. There is Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk but there stories are much more gruesome!. This book has lots of rhyming and a lot of fun!
Revolting Rhymes is a story about little stories with rhymes that are horrible. There is Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk but there stories are much more gruesome!. This book has lots of rhyming and a lot of fun!
January 19, 2023
بامزه بود😁
و ترجمه خوبی داشت
و ترجمه خوبی داشت
November 24, 2021
I mean, I wasn't expecting to see the word 'slut' in a children's book today, but there we go. This is....of its time, definitely. Would I recommend? Erm, no. However I can't deny that I laughed a few times, and the rhymes are quite witty.
August 22, 2014
Not nearly as revolting as I would have liked, but still nice rhyming takedowns of some popular fairy tales. The best bit is the femme fatale take on Little Red Riding Hood. Never mess with a girl who knows how to handle herself around wolves.
April 25, 2021
Roald Dahl suele ser uno de los escritores de la infancia de muchos niños, yo incluida. Aunque puede que para muchos sea más conocido por todas las adaptaciones cinematográficas de sus cuentos para niños, como Charlie y la fábrica de chocolate o James y el melocotón gigante. En Cuentos en verso para niños perversos nos encontramos con algunos de los cuentos más conocidos de nuestra niñez, como puedan ser Blancanieves o Cenicienta, pero al estilo Roald Dahl. Me hubiera encantado encontrarme con más historietas cambiadas y en verso, porque de verdad, son geniales, divertidísimas y un poco más grotescas que las que nosotros hemos oído, como bien dice Roald Dahl, cambiadas y retocadas a lo largo de los años. Tenemos una Caperucita que tiende a asesinar lobos con un revolver, una Blancanieves que vive con exjockeys, etc.
Si queréis pasar un rato entretenido, coged estos cuentitos de Roald Dahl, que seguro que es sacan una sonrisa, y más de una carcajada.
Si queréis pasar un rato entretenido, coged estos cuentitos de Roald Dahl, que seguro que es sacan una sonrisa, y más de una carcajada.
March 1, 2019
Roald Dahl é ácido, é por isso que gosto das histórias dele, especialmente Charlie e a Fábrica de Chocolate. A forma como faz críticas à sociedade, mete o dedo mesmo na ferida, naquelas coisas que já nem reparamos por cairem na normalidade.
Histórias em Verso para Meninos Perversos está embebido nessa característica da escrita do autor. Pegando em algumas histórias tradicionais, Roald Dahl dá-lhes uma roupagem um bocadinho mais contemporânea (sim, mesmo tendo já algumas décadas, as "perversões" descritas conseguem ser actuais), onde algumas personagens acabam por ter...bem...o que merecem, mas não como esperamos.
Vale a pena ler se gostarem da escrita do autor, ou se estiverem curiosos em ficar a conhecer ;)
Histórias em Verso para Meninos Perversos está embebido nessa característica da escrita do autor. Pegando em algumas histórias tradicionais, Roald Dahl dá-lhes uma roupagem um bocadinho mais contemporânea (sim, mesmo tendo já algumas décadas, as "perversões" descritas conseguem ser actuais), onde algumas personagens acabam por ter...bem...o que merecem, mas não como esperamos.
Vale a pena ler se gostarem da escrita do autor, ou se estiverem curiosos em ficar a conhecer ;)
January 3, 2010
"Revolting Rhymes" is truly a revolting series of famous fairy tales that have horror twist to each one. My most favorite story out this book is "Jack and the Beanstalk" where Jack has to deal with his insensitive mother while getting some golden leaves from the giant's beanstalk.
Quentin Blake's illustrations are both funny and scary at the same time and Roald Dahl's rhyming for this book is fantastic. For anyone who love revolting tales from Roald Dahl, "Revolting Rhymes" is definitely the book for you!
Quentin Blake's illustrations are both funny and scary at the same time and Roald Dahl's rhyming for this book is fantastic. For anyone who love revolting tales from Roald Dahl, "Revolting Rhymes" is definitely the book for you!
December 2, 2016
This book was alright. The twist's of the stories where kinda funny. It was short and average so I picked it up and kinda liked it.
December 10, 2020
Dahl manages to revive old, worn fairy tales into quirky, fun adventures. Each story surprised me with the ending - often darker than the stories that we are used to (Disney!).
I loved the little twists that he gives to other little fairy tales.
Audiobook Comments
Read by Tamsin Greig, Stephen Mangan and Miriam Margolyes - they really knocked this audiobook out of the park!
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
I loved the little twists that he gives to other little fairy tales.
Ah, Piglet, you must never trust
Young ladies from the upper crust.
Audiobook Comments
Read by Tamsin Greig, Stephen Mangan and Miriam Margolyes - they really knocked this audiobook out of the park!
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Shelved as 'teenage-books'
January 24, 2020
Cover makes more sense now~
I don't know how this will hold up for a kid cause it's too twisted. Most tales in it are gruesome unlike the original tales.This was quite different than I expected and i sure had fun reading it.
January 9, 2022
ترکیب سه تا عشق شوخ و خلاق:
رولد دال + کوئنتین بلیک + رضی هیرمندی
میشه کج و کوله کردن داستانهای برادران گریم به طرز طنازانه و با نظم و وزن و تصاویر بامزه.
بلند بلند خوندمش و چقدررر خندیدم
رولد دال + کوئنتین بلیک + رضی هیرمندی
میشه کج و کوله کردن داستانهای برادران گریم به طرز طنازانه و با نظم و وزن و تصاویر بامزه.
بلند بلند خوندمش و چقدررر خندیدم
![Profile Image for Rosh [busy month; will catch up soon!].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1649419869i/91622714._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
January 18, 2021
Revolting rhymes has Roald Dahl taking 6 popular fairy tales and turning them on their heads.
As rhymes, these are brilliant. Perfect meter for every pair of lines, without ever losing the essence of the sentence.
As retellings, these are fabulous. Every HEA gets twisted into another HEA but not for the original character. The retelling is dark and scary at times.
As a children's book, this doesn't work. it is too difficult for early readers, and too scary for young readers. It might work for older children, but I'd rather have this reserved for middle graders and above. They can truly enjoy the fun of the reimagined fairy tales without any disillusions or disappointment.
As rhymes, these are brilliant. Perfect meter for every pair of lines, without ever losing the essence of the sentence.
As retellings, these are fabulous. Every HEA gets twisted into another HEA but not for the original character. The retelling is dark and scary at times.
As a children's book, this doesn't work. it is too difficult for early readers, and too scary for young readers. It might work for older children, but I'd rather have this reserved for middle graders and above. They can truly enjoy the fun of the reimagined fairy tales without any disillusions or disappointment.
January 2, 2020
Dije que no iba a leer por una semana, pero se cruzó este librito por mi camino y lo adoré.
Los cuentos clásicos recontados por Dahl son una maravilla, con un humor ácido e incluso actualizando los clásicos, nos trae las historias de juan y las habichuelas, Ricitos de oro, Blancanieves, la Cenicienta, Caperucita Roja y los tres cerditos.
Mis favoritos estos dos últimos, y creo que es la mejor caperucita roja que vi EN MI VIDA.
Si tengo una crítica es que lo leí en media hora y me dejó con ganas de más xD
Los cuentos clásicos recontados por Dahl son una maravilla, con un humor ácido e incluso actualizando los clásicos, nos trae las historias de juan y las habichuelas, Ricitos de oro, Blancanieves, la Cenicienta, Caperucita Roja y los tres cerditos.
Mis favoritos estos dos últimos, y creo que es la mejor caperucita roja que vi EN MI VIDA.
Si tengo una crítica es que lo leí en media hora y me dejó con ganas de más xD
June 17, 2020
This was quite a fun read...
May 11, 2021
Una manera divertida de adaptar los cuentos infantiles de manera breve y en versos.
December 18, 2015
This rhymed retelling of six popular fairy tales is delightfully revolting, indeed. Dahl employs his signature mix of the creepy, the gory and the twisty with a good helping of humour to create new plots for each tale, which in some cases changes everything whilst still keeping the fundamental points and in other cases goes along with the traditional versions and only adds an eleventh-hour tweak. The rhyming, to me, felt singable and that made them funnier still.
Of all those included, my favourites—which I think are the best-written too—were the versions of Cinderella, Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood. Given that these happen to be in my Top 5 of most loved fairy tales, I’m absurdly pleased with Mr. Dahl’s rendition. The first was the one that had me laughing out the loudest, and why not, with verses like these:
Then midnight struck. She shouted, ‘Heck!
‘I’ve got to run to save my neck!’
The Prince cried, ‘No! Alas! Alack!’
He grabbed her dress to hold her back.
As Cindy shouted, ‘Let me go!’
The dress was ripped from head to toe.
She ran out in her underwear,
And lost one slipper on the stair.
Next in the list of best and funniest would be Snow White. You believed that she’s a meek damsel that only knows how to clean house and charm animals like Disney told you? Forget it! This Snow White is the most cunning princess out there: instead of ending up as a household maid in a tiny cabin in the forest, she and resourceful as she is, she
And Little Red Riding Hood is not far behind. Red is a complete badass here, even if creepy at one point. She appears twice, and in this version, it’s the Big Bad Wolf who'd need protection from a little girl, who is tough as nails.
The weakest of the Revolting Rhymes retellings would appear to be Goldilocks, which is hardly different from the mainstream version and only includes a twist that doesn’t either surprise nor reads well-executed. As for Jack and the Beanstalk, it can go any way in readers’ enjoyment, as it would depend on each reader’s tastes, I’d warrant, and much the same can be said for the Three Little Pigs retelling, though this one was much funnier.
I’d recommend this highly to anyone who enjoys tales and retellings of them, one doesn’t need to be young in years to like this. At the very least, it’ll bring a smile to your face.
Of all those included, my favourites—which I think are the best-written too—were the versions of Cinderella, Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood. Given that these happen to be in my Top 5 of most loved fairy tales, I’m absurdly pleased with Mr. Dahl’s rendition. The first was the one that had me laughing out the loudest, and why not, with verses like these:
Then midnight struck. She shouted, ‘Heck!
‘I’ve got to run to save my neck!’
The Prince cried, ‘No! Alas! Alack!’
He grabbed her dress to hold her back.
As Cindy shouted, ‘Let me go!’
The dress was ripped from head to toe.
She ran out in her underwear,
And lost one slipper on the stair.
Next in the list of best and funniest would be Snow White. You believed that she’s a meek damsel that only knows how to clean house and charm animals like Disney told you? Forget it! This Snow White is the most cunning princess out there: instead of ending up as a household maid in a tiny cabin in the forest, she and resourceful as she is, she
And Little Red Riding Hood is not far behind. Red is a complete badass here, even if creepy at one point. She appears twice, and in this version, it’s the Big Bad Wolf who'd need protection from a little girl, who is tough as nails.
The weakest of the Revolting Rhymes retellings would appear to be Goldilocks, which is hardly different from the mainstream version and only includes a twist that doesn’t either surprise nor reads well-executed. As for Jack and the Beanstalk, it can go any way in readers’ enjoyment, as it would depend on each reader’s tastes, I’d warrant, and much the same can be said for the Three Little Pigs retelling, though this one was much funnier.
I’d recommend this highly to anyone who enjoys tales and retellings of them, one doesn’t need to be young in years to like this. At the very least, it’ll bring a smile to your face.
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