10 Reviews: Best Fairy Tale Books for Adults (Nov 2023)
The fairy tale can never be old, even for adults. This article is listing your top ten of the best fairy tale books for adults. Let's see which one is your favorite!
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Comparison Table
Product Image |
1
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Atria Books |
2
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Del Rey |
3
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Grove Press |
4
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Del Rey |
5
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Riverhead Books |
6
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Henry Holt and Co. |
7
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HarperTeen |
8
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Thomas Nelson |
9
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Quirk Books |
10
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Scholastic |
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Product Name | The Winter Sister | Gods of Jade and Shadow | Baba Yaga Laid an Egg | The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel | Gingerbread: A Novel | Children of Blood and Bone | Sherwood | The Warrior Maiden | The Princess and the Fangirl (Once Upon A Con) | The Surface Breaks: a Reimagining of The Little Me... |
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Features | A Retelling Fairy Tale from Greek Ancient | A Modern Fairy Tale Based on Mayan Story | A Fairy Tale Based on Eastern Europe and Russia | A Fairy Tale Based On Russian Myth for Adults | A Fairy Tale Based on Hansel and Gretel | A Fairy Tale Based on West-African Folklore | A Feminist Fairy Tale Based on Robin Hood | A Famous Fairy Tale Based on Walt Disney's Mulan | A Fairy Tale Retelling Based on Barbie's Princess and The Pauper | A Fairy Tale Book Based on The Little Mermaid |
AUTHOR | Megan Collins | Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Dubravka Ugresic | Katherine Arden | Helen Oyeyemi | Tomi Adeyemi | Meagan Spooner | Melanie Dickerson | Ashley Poston | Louise O'Neill |
PUBLISHER | Atria Books | Del Rey | Grove Press | Del Rey | Riverhead Books | Henry Holt and Co. | HarperTeen | Thomas Nelson | Quirk Books | Scholastic |
PAGE LENGTH | 336 pages | 352 pages | 336 pages | 368 pages | 272 pages | 544 pages | 480 pages | 320 pages | 320 pages | 384 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | February 5, 2019 | July 23, 2019 | January 11, 2011 | June 27, 2017 | March 5, 2019 | March 6, 2018 | March 19, 2019 | February 5, 2019 | April 2, 2019 | May 2, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches | 6.41 x 1.16 x 9.52 inches | 5 x 0.98 x 7.6 inche | 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches | 6.3 x 0.95 x 9.3 inches | 6.35 x 1.78 x 9.29 inches | 1.8 x 5.6 x 8.1 inches | 5.8 x 1.12 x 8.7 inches | 5.77 x 1.08 x 8.79 inches | 5.87 x 0.98 x 8.11 inches |
price | $8.88 | $24.49 | $14.95 | $12.39 | $9.94 | $12.99 | $14.49 | $14.99 | $15.96 | $8.66 |
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Who decided that reading fairy tales was something that should only be done by children? Everyone, including adults, has a special place in their hearts reserved especially for fairy tales. The list of the top ten best fairy tale books for adults can be found in the following parts of this article. Are you ready to look at the list in order to think of an experience that you had when you were a kid? Take a peek at it for yourself!
Table of contents
Product list
- Atria Books The Winter Sister : A Retelling Fairy Tale from Greek Ancient
- Del Rey Gods of Jade and Shadow: A Modern Fairy Tale Based on Mayan Story
- Grove Press Baba Yaga Laid an Egg : A Fairy Tale Based on Eastern Europe and Russia
- Del Rey The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel: A Fairy Tale Based On Russian Myth for Adults
- Riverhead Books Gingerbread: A Novel: A Fairy Tale Based on Hansel and Gretel
- Henry Holt and Co. Children of Blood and Bone: A Fairy Tale Based on West-African Folklore
- HarperTeen Sherwood: A Feminist Fairy Tale Based on Robin Hood
- Thomas Nelson The Warrior Maiden : A Famous Fairy Tale Based on Walt Disney's Mulan
- Quirk Books The Princess and the Fangirl (Once Upon A Con): A Fairy Tale Retelling Based on Barbie's Princess and The Pauper
- Scholastic The Surface Breaks: a Reimagining of The Little Merm...: A Fairy Tale Book Based on The Little Mermaid
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Some matters to discuss
What makes a fairy tale unique?
Aspects of the fantastic, the otherworldly, and even the implausible can be found in fairy tales. 4. They typically differentiate between good characters and bad characters in a very apparent way.
What makes a story a fairytale?
A fairy tale is a short story based in a typically magical universe, with human characters and also otherworldly beings, such as witches and wizards, as the main characters. In these tales, the protagonists are typically confronted with unexpected situations when battling wicked antagonists.
Why are fairy tales good for adults?
Their themes include triumph over hardship, overcoming poverty to achieve success and the importance of having a strong character. Good and evil, right and wrong, are clearly delineated in fairy tales. Using the ancient concept of “an eye for an eye,” their justice system imposes severe penalties on offenders.
What can fairy tales teach us?
Jungian interpretation holds that fairy tales teach young people healthy ways to deal with human problems, desires, and relationships; these abilities can have an impact on a child’s health, and life quality, or even influence their future values and views.
10 Reviews: Best Fairy Tale Books for Adults (Nov 2023)

1.Atria Books
The Winter Sister
A Retelling Fairy Tale from Greek Ancient
Hades abducted Persephone and lured her into eating a pomegranate in the underworld. In this retelling, Sylvie is haunted by her sister’s unsolved murder. Sylvie goes home 16 years after her sister’s murder to care for her sick mother, only to discover her sister’s lover (whom she thinks killed her) works at her mother’s care center. This exciting book examines mother-daughter and sister relationships while gently revealing secrets.
"I really enjoyed the twists and turns, and I was surprised by them. Thank you for writing this great novel Megan. I truly enjoyed the read!"
by LP
AUTHOR | Megan Collins |
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PUBLISHER | Atria Books |
PAGE LENGTH | 336 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | February 5, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches |

2.Del Rey
Gods of Jade and Shadow
A Modern Fairy Tale Based on Mayan Story
This modern fairy tale is based on the Popol Vuh, the Mayan creation narrative. It’s about Casiopea, a young woman who unlocks a locked trunk in her grandfather’s room, unleashing Xilbaba, the Mayan God of Death. His brother overthrew the Underworld and confined him. Alibaba and Casiopea journey across Jazz-Age Mexico to regain their strength. Love, death, and life are weighed as they travel across the country.
"Never thought I’d describe a book about a god of death as “cute”, but here we are and I adored it."
AUTHOR | Silvia Moreno-Garcia |
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PUBLISHER | Del Rey |
PAGE LENGTH | 352 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | July 23, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 6.41 x 1.16 x 9.52 inches |

3.Grove Press
Baba Yaga Laid an Egg
A Fairy Tale Based on Eastern Europe and Russia
In the folklore of Eastern Europe and Russia, there is a figure known as Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is a mystical entity who takes the shape of a malformed woman and lives in the woods, where she abducts infants. Baba Yaga Laid an Egg takes the myth and combines it into a story about what it is to be a modern woman, maturing, and love. This story is told from the perspective of four different women who are fictional and live in Eastern Europe.
"An imaginative take on women's, and especially mature women's, treatment and role in society. There are three eggs here, and all are worth finding. This is a brilliant novel ...."
by TheToucan
AUTHOR | Dubravka Ugresic |
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PUBLISHER | Grove Press |
PAGE LENGTH | 336 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | January 11, 2011 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5 x 0.98 x 7.6 inche |

4.Del Rey
The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel
A Fairy Tale Based On Russian Myth for Adults
The story of The Bear and the Nightingale follows a young girl who is able to communicate with supernatural animals from Russian stories she was told about when she was a child, rather than focusing on a single myth or piece of folklore in particular. The author Katherine Arden uses a lot of different aspects from a variety of classic folktales and weaves them together into a story that is both fantastical and foreboding about coming of age.
"Interesting story with great weaving of fact and fable. Well paced story climax and room for the next in the trilogy."
AUTHOR | Katherine Arden |
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PUBLISHER | Del Rey |
PAGE LENGTH | 368 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | June 27, 2017 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches |

5.Riverhead Books
Gingerbread: A Novel
A Fairy Tale Based on Hansel and Gretel
This fairy tale comes from the famous Hansel and Gretel: Poor laborer’s children left in the woods wind up in a witch’s sweets home and are cooked for dinner. Harriet, the daughter of a poor laborer with an amazing gingerbread recipe, is taken by Gretel’s mother to sell gingerbread for pennies, without rights. Hansel and Gretel is a jumping-off point for a twisted, fascinating, and wonderfully bizarre story about family and class.
"A shifting, shimmering enchantment of different worlds. It is as if you’ve seen the story and the characters solely from your peripheral vision. As soon as you try to look something head-on, it disappears. I’ll be digesting this one for a long time."
AUTHOR | Helen Oyeyemi |
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PUBLISHER | Riverhead Books |
PAGE LENGTH | 272 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | March 5, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 6.3 x 0.95 x 9.3 inches |

6.Henry Holt and Co.
Children of Blood and Bone
A Fairy Tale Based on West-African Folklore
Zélie Adebola can recall. She recalls how the monarchy sought to bury her mother as if she had never existed while also stealing her magic. She is aware of what happened, and she won’t let them off the hook. But will she allow the intensity of her retaliation to crush her spirit? This West-African mythology-inspired series will enthrall you from beginning to end with its vivid world-building and fearless heroine.
"This book was extremely well written and captivating. I will be ordered the second book right away."
by kris
AUTHOR | Tomi Adeyemi |
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PUBLISHER | Henry Holt and Co. |
PAGE LENGTH | 544 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | March 6, 2018 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 6.35 x 1.78 x 9.29 inches |

7.HarperTeen
Sherwood
A Feminist Fairy Tale Based on Robin Hood
After Robin’s death, the residents of Locksley are at a loss in “a badass, gender-flipped, feminist retelling” of the Robin Hood story, as described by Amie Kaufman. What’s the worst of it? The oh-so-evil Guy of Gisborne is eager to fulfill his job as protector and take Marian as his wife, but she won’t have anything to do with it if she has any say in the matter. As a result of a difficult decision, Marian decides to be her own hero when necessary.
"This book was so good. It had all my favorites, action, adventure, suspense and Romance sprinkled dangerously in. This on is going on my keep shelf."
by Dame Primus
AUTHOR | Meagan Spooner |
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PUBLISHER | HarperTeen |
PAGE LENGTH | 480 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | March 19, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 1.8 x 5.6 x 8.1 inches |

8.Thomas Nelson
The Warrior Maiden
A Famous Fairy Tale Based on Walt Disney's Mulan
This tale transfers Mulan’s story to 15th-century Lithuania, where she has joined the German duke’s son, Wolfgang, to train for an approaching war in which she may prove herself to her sexist community. The two hate each other (aside from her masking her identity). They share secrets and become closer over time. Mulan must decide if she would reveal her actual identity to save her family, kingdom, and Wolfgang.
"The Warrior Maiden is another fun and entertaining read. I love the way Dickerson retells a fairytale! They are fresh, captivating, and full of faith!"
by Nancy
AUTHOR | Melanie Dickerson |
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PUBLISHER | Thomas Nelson |
PAGE LENGTH | 320 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | February 5, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5.8 x 1.12 x 8.7 inches |

9.Quirk Books
The Princess and the Fangirl (Once Upon A Con)
A Fairy Tale Retelling Based on Barbie's Princess and The Pauper
It’s a great one for all of you who are die-hard fans. Princess Amara, a beloved TV character of Imogen Lovelace’s, is in jeopardy of being axed from Starfield. The actress playing Princess Amara, Jessica Stone, on the other hand, can’t wait to be free of her responsibilities. Imogen and Jessica are on a journey and save Starfield and find their own blissfully ever after when they are mistaken for each other, sparking a chain of events that threatens the entire TV show.
"This sequel is so adorable and pure! I can feel my heart getting melty just thinking about it! It's such a love letter to fandom!"
AUTHOR | Ashley Poston |
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PUBLISHER | Quirk Books |
PAGE LENGTH | 320 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | April 2, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5.77 x 1.08 x 8.79 inches |

10.Scholastic
The Surface Breaks: a Reimagining of The Little Mermaid
A Fairy Tale Book Based on The Little Mermaid
This is a reimagination of the beautiful Little Mermaid. It talks about Mermaid Gaia. She is held captive by her father in the waters that lie just off the shore of the beautiful island of Ireland. When she finally snaps and swims to the surface, she is greeted by a charming young guy who is a member of the human race. Gaia, despite their differences, has an instantaneous feeling of understanding from him and yearns to be a part of his universe. But how much of her freedom is she willing to surrender in exchange for it?
"Fantastic! I absolutely loved this book, it turned out so much better than I thought it would, especially how the beginning started! A feminist retelling of “The Little Mermaid” and so much more!"
by TinyNavajo
AUTHOR | Louise O'Neill |
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PUBLISHER | Scholastic |
PAGE LENGTH | 384 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | May 2, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5.87 x 0.98 x 8.11 inches |
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Conclusion
In conclusion
Reading can transport you to all kinds of new places and experiences all over the world. It’s not just the serious genre that can make you feel uneasy; the fairy tale genre can do the same thing. The best books available for adults to read that are based on fairy tales are frequently retellings of older, more classic stories. They also come with a wide range of problems, each of which provides an opportunity for a new point of view. Moreover, they come with a lot of baggage.