It’s time for #6degrees. Start with the monthly read, add six books, and see where you end up. The 6 Degrees of Separation Meme is hosted every month at Books are my Favorite and Best. The book for December 2022 is The Snow Child by by Eowyn Ivey.
Snow Child is a retelling of an old (and rather sad) folktale about the little girl that a childless couple finds in the woods, but she is made of snow and ice and cannot stay on. It reminded me of a few unusual retellings of folk tales and how the fictional and the real converge in our worlds.
The first book that comes to mind is Six-Gun Snow White by Catherynne Valente. This is an extra-ordinary action-packed retelling. Our “Snow White” is a half-Native American gunslinger in the mythical Wild West and she makes her own rules.
Ulysses by James Joyce is the second book, which gives a modern spin to Homer’s Odyssey. Joyce’s stream of consciousness technique is well-known now.
The third book, The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood, is a great companion piece to Ulysses as it is a snarky retelling of the Odyssey from the perspective of the wife that the Greek hero left behind.
The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey is the fourth book. Detective Grant analyzes whether Shakespeare’s Richard III — evil uncle who supposedly murdered his nephews and usurped the throne, throwing England into civil war — was really all that evil.
Fifth in the chain is Winter Rose by Patricia McKillip, a mind-boggling eerie retelling of the old Scottish ballad of Tam Lin. A lost heir returns but he keeps a secret that curses everyone around him.
The final book is The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales by Maria Tatar. Tatar examines the historical origins, cultural complexities, and psychological effects of folktales on children.
What does your #6Degrees chain look like? Which books did the Snow Child make you think of?
12 replies on “The Snow Child & Six Unusual Retellings”
Such and inventive chain! Six-Gun Snow White sounds brilliant.
Well done with finding all these retellings!
Wow!!! And you managed to include Daughter of Time!! Well done!
Great chain – I love your retellings theme! I enjoyed The Snow Child, The Penelopiad and The Daughter of Time. I’ve always wanted to read Patricia McKillip, so maybe I’ll start with Winter Rose.
What a fabulously inventive chain! Not normally an Atwood fan, I’ll definitely look out the Penelopiad. The Valente and Tatar, for different reasons, sound like must-reads too. Thanks!
I am fascinated with this list. All of these sound like intriguing reads.
I hadn’t heard of Six-Gun Snow White, but it sounds fabulous. I am keen on subversive fairytale retellings, such as Angela Carter’s Book of Fairytales.
Lex!! Whoo hoo!! Are you on holiday or why are we blessed with seeing you so often again?
Love your list and LOVED The Snow Child. I have read The Daughter of Time and it was a decent read. I should read the rest of the series as well.
I haven’t read any of the other books on your chain, will have to take a closer look…
Lots of Love,
Elza Reads
Loved the retellings theme you chose to use for your chain. Six-Gun Snow White certainly sounds a very different retelling!
Fascinating! I love retellings and I cannot wait to check these out!
Great list! Ive been wanting to read Six-Gun Snow White for a while now.
I like this chain and it reminds me I have always meant to read more than just McKillip’s one juvenile (a good time travel, if I recall correctly).
But I thought you were a Lord of the Rings fan like me. I am surprised no one has commented about the author’s name, Eowyn. I’d like to know – did her parents pick the name or was she such a fan she chose it as a pen name?