My Ranking of all the Into the Woods (2014) Songs

Hello, friends!

Who's in the mood to listen to musical songs? If you know me, I'm always in the mood. Though it has to be the right kind of musical, as the standard "musical theater" formula bothers me. Someone who was a genius at writing musicals in a meaningful and dynamic way was the one and only Stephen Sondheim, who passed away last year. He wrote the absolutely fabulous Into the Woods. If you have no idea what that is, then I am thrilled to be able to enlighten you because fairy tales are the absolute best. They are my favorite storytelling formula. But what does Into the Woods have to do with fairy tales? Everything.

Originally premiering in 1987, Into The Woods is a connection and mix of classic fairy tales. The Woods are not the safest place, as there are wolves and giants about. But, a Baker and his wife have to go because they are sent there by a Witch to break a curse. They have three nights to find four ingredients, or they will never have a child, and the Witch will never be beautiful again. Surrounded by fairytale characters it shouldn't be too hard to find a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. Right? Well, as each story crosses the paths of others, they get mixed up and realize what their wishes will cost.

This story beautifully mixes magic, self-discovery, wonder, wishes, and consequences.

But, now that you know what it is, you should go watch it. At least, you should stop reading this post at once because SPOILER ALERT. I will be talking about all of the songs in this story and why I love each of them, which will lead to details about what I like about each one and its vital placement in the story. I know you don't want to go, but you have to though. And then you'll understand why want to rhyme everything now.

Hello little friends who stayed.

I should give you some background on my experience with Into the Woods. It is one of my mom's favorite musicals (she loves Sondheim and does not like Andrew Lloyd Webber or Oscar and Hammerstein). When our library got the 2014 version, she plopped us down and had us watch it. My sisters and I were obsessed. I love it tremendously. I've also seen a live production of Into the Woods, and I LOVED it, but it was very different. For the movie, they cut the "Agony Reprise" and the character The Mysterious Man, and I'm not mad about it. It helps distinguish each one for me, because those changes make it very different. Today I'll just be talking about the movie. I always forget how much I love it until I watch it, then, WOW do I love this movie. It's stunning visually in addition to everything else, so get ready for a burst of photos and gifs. As usual, I went overkill and downloaded 33 pictures. And then I had to chose. Which gave me a lot of torment especially for one song. You'll see.

The track I'm listening to on Spotify mixes the soundtrack and score, so it's hard to sort out the two. I officially count 16 songs on the soundtrack. But, some of them are very close together, so I'm combining them, and therefore am ranking 13. This isn't to say the songs aren't original--far from it!--but to say that some of them go so well together that you can't separate them for any reason. Especially when they flow nicely into each other. I don't want to break my own heart by going between them. Let's get into it!

13. Any Moment/Moments in the Wood

This is last because I hate Cinderella's Prince so much. Which, you're supposed to. He's a very well written character. I mean, the line "I was raised to be charming, not sincere" is reverberated in society so much, that every time I hear it, it hurts. Still, he goes last. "Moments in the Wood" has a good lesson, but at this point in the musical I am very sad and I just can't deal with it.

"This is ridiculous! / What am I doing here / I'm in the wrong story!"

Anyway, it's about realizing what you have and stopping "wishing"--a huge theme of the musical. One should look for the best and can wish and dream, but realize what your wishes take.

"Just remembering you've had an "and" / When you're back to "or" / Makes the "or" mean more / Than it did before"

It's about how making decisions gives things value.

12. I Know Things Now

Starting now, I love all of these, so having them ranked high vs. low speaks nothing of their quality. They are all so well done! Only my personal preference.

This song speaks so much to growing up. Life is exciting, but scary. Don't fear it or be foolish with it, but be prepared.

"Isn't it nice to know a lot! / And a little bit not"

I also love the way it is filmed, because compared to the elaborate set pieces for everything else, it speaks to a childlike imagination. Shadows are a big part of stage productions, so I like how they worked it in while going on a new route.

11. Stay With Me/The Witch's Lament

This one is heartbreaking. Don't get me wrong--Rapunzel makes the right decisions for her safety. I just pity the Witch because she's doing everything wrong. You can see how much she thinks she loves her "daughter", she is struggling with letting her go, something every parent needs to do. I would love to read or watch a story about more of her backstory, because there is a lot there!

She's so wrapped up in her appearance, she doesn't even consider her actions as being harmful. It is her downfall. Love is not always protection, but freedom. There is a middle ground between isolation and banishment when it comes to how you connect with your children. Don't do either of those.

"Children can only grow / From something you love to something you lose"

This is partially true, but not something to despair about. This is the end goal! To release them into the world! It can be hard, but it is a moment of celebration! That's the beauty of a good musical, where the themes are so written in that they set up perfectly to be resolved. Which is just the case here.

10. Finale/Children Will Listen (pt. 2)

Part 2, MC? Why are you combining so many songs, but splitting this up from whatever part 1 is? I didn't chose the titles, okay? I just think these two are very, very, very different. This is more akin to the opening, but with a different vibe. I mean, I don't know if others even consider this a song because we never see anyone sing it, it is just there for the credits. But, I'm not anyone, and as the author of this blog I am deciding on this.

The whispering nature give such a theater ambience, I love it. I get shivers from it! It perfectly wraps up and encompasses the whole story.

9. Finale/Children Will Listen (pt. 1)

As I talked about before, should I separate this from the previous one? Probably not, based on how I'm combining so many others. But, to me, they are very different.

"Sometimes people leave you / Halfway through the woods"

Sometimes songs break me. Frequently.

As a writer especially, the idea of capturing everything in story speaks to my soul. It is nurturing the future. You don't have to be good or bad, but just calm. That can be enough for the people you are taking care of.

"Careful the wish you make, / Wishes are children / Careful the path you take, / Wishes come true. / Not free."

This is my opinion for all the songs, but this one especially makes me vote this as James Corden's best role. Because he makes me cry.

I don't know what to say besides that it is magnificent.

8. Hello, Little Girl

I love how differently it is from what you think when it starts. It's so jazzy! Peppy flutes and frivolous things compared to the warbling melody Little Red Riding Hood sings while she's struggling with following rules. It's almost a parody or satire? Look at these lines:

"There's no possible way / To describe what you feel / When you're talking to your meal!"

Out of context that would be horrifying. And it is, but in rich layers of metaphors for life. Who are the wolves? There is so much to this song, I love it.

7. Prologue: Into the Woods

Someone who stumbled across this on Spotify would probably be terrified and run for their life. Purely because it is 14 minutes long. Yes, sometimes setups take awhile. Plus, there's a lot of narration here.

The way each of the characters are introduced with their desire and obstacles is writing 101. For some, it gives glimpses into something, leaving us eager for more. Like:

"When bang! Crash! A lightning flash! / Well, that's another story, never mind, anyway"

Wait, what? I want to know more about the Witch! She's also talked before kings and queens? What are the other ways she's tried to break the curse? Tell me all of it!

I love that Jack's Mother is the one who starts us on the classic line explaining the title of the musical itself. Then, everyone proceeds "Into the Woods", and it is fantastic.

That's the word you can think of after 14 minutes, MC? Fantastic? Yes. It describes it perfectly, okay?

6. It Takes Two

I think this song is really sweet. It talks about balance and partnership and equality and care. And it's that time of night where I can only think of adjectives and the word "and" instead of writing actual descriptions. It's just what we need at this point of the movie, and I think it's darling.

"It takes care / It takes patience and fear and despair / To change"

One has to have a goal and work towards it, and through that work our lives rotate and change. It is quite beautiful, because we are always ourselves, but stronger.

5. On the Steps of the Palace

In the dressing room of the show I am in (read to the end to hear more about that), some people were listening to musical songs (as one does) and this came on. Someone asked, "What's this from?" and I basically shrieked "INTO THE WOODS".

Do you guys have "driving songs"? Like, often when you're driving a long distance a specific song will come into your head? For example, mine are "Lane Boy" by Twenty One Pilots (are we surprised? No) and "Bad Liar" by Imagine Dragons (which I always turn into "Bad Driver" accidentally.) Anyway, the point is that this song is my mom's "driving song". Which, since my sisters and I learned about this, we have loved to "turn on". When there is silence in the car for a while one of us will start singing, "He's a very nice prince". We think we're hilarious.

This song is so high because besides being a great ear worm, it is so relatable.

"I know what my decision is / Which is not to decide"

Honestly, same. I do not like making decisions, so I would probably do the exact same thing. All of these stories are about discovering oneself, but I feel like Cinderella takes especially big strides. And I look up to her for it.

4. Your Fault/Last Midnight

I'm not going to say too much about this one, because I actually want to write a whole blog post about it. Yes, a blog post about a song. And how incredible the writing and storytelling are shown through it. Stay tuned.

Meryl Streep's voice is incredible here. That is all (for now).

3. Giants in the Sky

This song is probably one of the most vocally amazing. It expresses such a sense of awe and wonder and is different than any others. It gives me a rush of emotions: homesickness while being welcomed and nostalgic, the thrill of adventure, loneliness, relief, and joy.

"The roof, the house and your / Mother at the door. / The roof, the house and the world you never thought to explore"

It's this kind of writing that makes me wordless. I get a physical heartache that simultaneously empties and fills me while listening to this song. It's truly gorgeous, and I don't know a single other song that does that to me.

2. Agony

Seriously, MC? This is at this place because it is so funny. It is one of my absolute favorite scenes in the whole movie because they went 200%. The cinematography only heightens the hilarity.The whole competition nature of it makes me die of laughter as each brother tries to best the other. 

This is one of my favorite lines: 

"You know nothing of madness until you're climbing her hair."

Can't deny that.

This sums up the scene perfectly.

This is not technically canon, but I believe Rapunzel's Prince is so much better than Cinderella's Prince. If you watch, I think he is trying to keep up with his brother, but his heart is different. I love him a lot and will not be taking comments and criticism at this time (actually, please, tell me all the thoughts). I love seeing this song performed because the audience cannot help but be into it.

I can't fight it and I don't want to.

But most importantly:

1. No One is Alone

Guys. This stinking song makes me cry every single time. It is such a comforting song and at the same time gives you so much perspective.

""I wish..." /"I know""

You are not alone and neither are the people around you. Your opinion is shared. Everyone is trying to do their best. Sometimes we, or the people we love, fall short. We should not discard them, but recognize them. Recognize the life that brings and takes away. We learn from them, and are formed them, so we should honor them, even when--and especially if--we are different.

"While we're seeing our side / Our side / Our side / Maybe we forgot / They are not alone"

This is my contribution to Rebecca of Taking Up Room's Broadway Bound Blogathon: Fabulous Five Edition. 

She's been hosting this for five years! And it's my first time joining in! Unbelievable! And I'm late! Even with my best time management and planning skills being put into place, I couldn't fight it.

I had planned to write a review of this instead of talking about the songs, but...time this fall has been very rare. I'm in a student production at my college of a musical that was on Broadway and it is exhausting. I'm only in ensemble, so I can only imagine how all the leads feel. It is super fun, and would definitely recommend, but know that blogging diminishes to the way side. Maybe next year I'll write about what I'm in now...

Because of this milestone of five years, I would like to mention my five favorite characters in the musical. At first I was only going to talk about my five favorite songs, but I thought it would be more fun for you guys to get a ranking of all of them.

Anyway, the top five characters:

The Baker

Jack

Little Red Riding Hood

Cinderella

The Baker's Wife

Reading through my rankings, I think you guys can guess why I love these characters the most. If not, please ask, as I will love to tell you all about it!

Remember, this is just my opinion, so please tell me all your own thoughts below! Do you guys love "Agony" as much as I do? Can you describe how "Giants in the Sky" makes you feel?

Thank you to Rebecca for hosting! Make sure to check out the other participants HERE or HERE.

Thanks to all of you for reading! What are some of your favorite musicals? Have you ever been in one?

Chloe the MovieCritic

Book Reviews Featuring a Colorful Castle, Fairy Tale Crocodiles, & a Lionhearted Math Genius, oh my!

 Hello book lovers!

I hope that you are all having a nice Monday! I’m continuing my goal of reviewing books as well as movies each month with bringing you three more reviews. Here’s what I did in January, February, and March. Since my last review post was such a hit, I’m following the same format! I’m still terrible at coming up with titles so you’ll have to tell me how well I did on this one.

While it’s been a while since I read two of these books, the third is fresh in my mind. Never fear, I took notes and remember enough to supply you with anything you would need to know.

Without further ago, onto the reviews!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. All three of these reviews are absolutely spoiler free!

Review #1:

The Blue Castle - by L. M. Montgomery:

Valancy Sterling has lived 29 years in a grey world when she gets a shock in the form. She’s not been feeling well which turns out to be a heart condition and the chances for her living out a year are unlikely. With determination she decides that she’s going to stop bowing to everyone else’s needs and make her own way in the world. Goodbye to her family who are always using her, goodbye to a colorless existence, and hello to life and experiences while she can have them. It might be hard, but she’s willing to make it work. What surprises away for her to take advantage of will she is living in this radiant new life?

“I’m sick of the fragrance of dead things.”

Genres: Classic, Fiction, Drama, Historical Fiction.

Characters: 8. We have quite an assortment! I love the little obsessive quirks of Valancy’s family that make them so laughable.

My favorites:

Cissy: Oh my goodness, I loved her. She was just a sweetheart who had gone through some dark times yet has such an air of goodness about her.

Abel: He was so well depicted that I just really liked him! I loved his relationships with people and how he processes his feelings is very realistic.

Barney: There is so much mystery around him that I’m going to keep it that way and not say anything.

Valancy: I’m talking about her last because I have a lot to say. I’m sure she was quite a breakthrough when this book came out! Valancy knows what she wants and goes to get it without ducking to anyone. She is very determined, adventurous, and brave. Quite admirable! On the other hand, something rubs me wrong about her behavior at times. I support her in so many ways, but in others she seems a little mean. Independence and spite are not the same thing. I fully support her going out into the world and living, but she just seems unnecessarily rude occasionally. I feel like there could be a better balance between what she claims to have been her whole life and her new attitude. I don’t deny that her family are all horrible and condescending! It was about time that someone told them off for that because that is not how you treat a human being! Her nickname they gave her is horrid. Who would change a glorious name like Valancy?? Telling Valancy that she isn’t good and is weak when they are all TERRIFIC examples. NOT.  I get all of that! Like in this occasion:

‘“I think,” said Mrs. Frederick, “that if a person makes up her mind NOT to have colds she will not HAVE colds.”

So that was the trouble. It was all Valancy’s own fault.’

Poor Valancy! I have been in a situation like this and it is awful to have someone tell you that.

The thing is, I really related to Valancy in the beginning. My family is great, but all of her feelings are so similar to mine, and while I like her character, I don’t want to be like her. If that makes any sense (if it doesn’t then know that it doesn’t make sense to me either). I absolutely 100% get the attitude (I understand it WAY too deeply) that if people are only going to understand you in that way you might as well do that. Like this:

‘People who wanted to be alone, so Mrs. Frederick Sterling and Cousin Stickler believed, could only want to be alone for some sinister purpose.’

Those two are obviously not introverts. They assume that Valancy is thinking mean things about them so she finally breaks one day and goes ahead and says anything that comes into her head. This part hit me really deeply:

‘She had always been told, ever since she could remember, that she must hide her feelings. “It is not ladylike to have feelings,” Cousin Stickles had once told her disapprovingly. Well, she would hide them with a vengeance.’

Do you see how terrible Cousin Stickles is? Why would you tell that to someone! I relate to her repressing her feelings for so long that all at once they come out and are all over the place. While it was right in her case, I don’t encourage other people to lash out at their families.

Overall, I think that she is a very fascinating character I don’t understand yet. I want to read this again and again to understand more what’s going on in her head.

Words/Writing style: 10. I have two examples for this. There is some mild swearing but it is made fun of. I thought it was really funny where in exasperation Valancy suggesed to Uncle Benjamin that he might say a swear word to feel better and he replied, “I can express my feelings without blasphemy.” He is the one who was usually saying the d word which is why it is hilarious.

But, MC, if there are a few words then why did you give it a 10 instead of a 9? Well, this book has THE MOST GORGEOUS WRITING I’VE SEEN IN MY LIFE. I’m not kidding. Before reading this book I would always say that I don’t care about the writing style and just wanted a story, but this proved that writing can be amazing. Read this:

‘The garden was lying in the magic of the warm, odorous July twilight. A few stars were out and the robins were calling through the velvety silences of the barrens.’

Quotability: 8. I haven’t had the chance to quote them to anybody, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t thought about them a lot.

Content: 9. There are some scandalous things that happen! Oh dear! Not really! Valancy’s family thinks they are outrageous but it’s really nothing. Actually, the only things here are some drinking, a story of a girl having a baby without being married, talking about death, and someone being a little too friendly to a lady before he is stopped. I thought all of those things were handled really well so I don’t have a problem with any of it.

‘The only fault he found with her was that she did not sing at her word.

“Folks should always sing at their work,” he insisted. “Sounds cheerful-like.”

“Not always,” retorted Valancy. “Fancy a butcher singing at his work. Or an undertaker.”

Abel burst into his great brood laugh.’

Originality: 9. It is such a creative and cute story! I was just rereading one part of it now while looking for a line to put here and I couldn’t stop smiling. It follows one trope that is not my favorite, but other than that it is stellar.

Good For: Anyone looking for a new beginning in life, anyone looking for amazing writing, anyone who wants a pretty little story.

‘After the meal was over they would sit there and talk for hours---or sit and say nothing, in all the languages of the world...’

Age Range: One factor that I really love about this is Valancy’s age. She’s 29 so that gives it such a fresh and new take for a book! It’s not about your standard teenager, but at the same time anyone can enjoy this story. It would be fine for any and all ages.

Overall Score: 8.

Worth reading?: Yes! The writing makes me feel like I’m drinking sunshine. Totally worth it for that!

Will I read again?: This is a yes because I need to sort out my feelings on it. I go back and forth on what I think of it so I look forward to reading it again and again!

Bonus thoughts:

Basically everyone I know who has read this book loves it. If you came here expecting the same from me then I don’t know what to say to you: I don’t feel the same adoration that everyone else does. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it while reading it and the writing style is my go to example for spectacular writing, but thinking about it almost a year later I have some problems with it. It is super cute and lovely, but there is just one trope that I can’t stand. It had potential to be really inspiring, and while there are elements of that, it fell stale for me in a few places. A few things that were supposed to be surprising just felt thrown together. If you loved this then I am happy for you! I recommend it, but I’m still a little conflicted on my feelings in a few places.

“October—with a gorgeous pageant of color around Mistawis into which Valancy plunged her soul. Never had she imagined anything so splendid. A great, tinted peace. Blue, wind-winnowed skies. Sunlight sleeping in the glades of that fairyland. Long dreamy purple days paddling idly in their canoe along shores and up the rivers of crimson and gold. A sleepy, red hunter’s moon. Enchanted tempests that stripped the leaves from the trees and heaped them along the shores. Flying shadows of clouds. What had all the smug, opulent lands out front to compare with this?”

Review #2:

I, Coriander - by Sally Gardner:

Coriander has seven candles, just enough to last the night and tell her story. She had a happy and magical childhood with her parents. That was before objects came into her life: a stuffed crocodile, a pair of shoes, a set of pearls, and a mysterious raven. She didn’t know the significance of these objects at the time but now she does. Who is she truly and what was her story?

‘I wish I could unpick the stitches of time that have become all tangled and twisted together...”

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction.

Characters: 6. There were some that were monsters but they were the villains and not shown as good in any way. There were a few that I could get behind, but they didn’t really have memorable personalities that were cutting edge, you know?

My favorites:

Esther (at least, I think that was her name...): I love how she broke so many common tropes for people in her circumstances! The poor dear was so nice.

Gabriel: He was adorable! He was so caring and his relationship with Master Thankless was the best.

Master Thankless: From the beginning of when we meet him with the irony of his name I knew I would love him. His loyalty to his friends is so honorable and he is great all around.

Daines: It was good to see a solid character! She was so reasonable when no one else was.

Coriander’s father: While he makes a lot of mistakes he didn’t surprise me with being unpredictable.

‘A silent man can seem many things until he opens his mouth.’

Coriander: She is way more likable than a lot, but I still didn’t love her. It could be that the narrator of the audiobook (Juliet Stevenson) wasn’t my favorite, making Coriander really annoying. But, maybe that was the point because she matured a lot! There were some parts near the end where she really stepped into herself and I got a little misty-eyed.

Words/Writing style: 7. There were a few bad words and some that were just poorly chosen. I liked the first person present tense, but I was so frustrated by the whole “candle” thing because I wasn’t paying attention at the start of the book and missed that. I finally had to ask my sister what it meant because she had read the book before. Besides that it was a unique writing style.

‘I have learned that there is a great power in words, no matter how long or short they be.’

World building/Setting: 7. Part of the beginning is in England in 1643, so the era of Cromwell and Puritans and Charlatans. Combined with that is a magical world. That magical world was really cool! I just wanted to know more about that I didn’t like any of the times that we were in the real world, which was so grey and didn’t compare to the colorful masterpiece. Was that they point, to show such a contrast? I think so, but I didn’t appreciate it. Just give me my happy fairy land!

Quotability: 5. Not terribly quotable, but I there were lines worth writing down. This was my favorite:

“We are but shadows that have a short time dancing in the light.”

Awards: 2: British Book Award (2006) & Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for 9–11 years (2005).

Content: 6. Yikes. Where to start? There is murder, disgusting things, suggestive things (including names), and abuse. So much abuse. Involving starvation and physical and mental beatings for children and elderly. It’s shown as bad and evil, but it’s still horrible to read about! I had to stop a few times because I couldn’t stomach it. I’m not saying that Sally Gardener should’ve glossed it over. I don’t know what I’m saying, okay? It gets graphic. I was not expecting that, so maybe if I was more prepared I could’ve handled it better. I wasn’t in a good headspace to deal with that at the time, but I forced my way through which might have made matters worse.

Learning about the things that happened with the times of the Puritans always makes me really sad but grateful that I didn’t live back then. There are evil preachers and while I realize that was accurate to the time, I wish there were some religious characters to contrast that. Not everyone who loved God was bad! The best example was probably Esther. My sister says I’m being too picky and I probably am.

Originality: 9. This gets this high of a score because of one element that came back around and made me extremely happy. From the first chapter it was worked in and it seemed random but it was involved at just the right times.

Good For: People who like history and fantasy combined.

Age Range: If you can’t tell from my content section, I was very triggered at certain points. This is probably PG-13 but it really depends on the person. I wouldn’t have been fine with it until I am as old as I am (Am I fine actually? *nervous laughter*) but my sister was fine when she was younger and she read it. I would tentatively set 15.

Overall Score: 6.

Worth reading?: Yes, it was. I really liked the glimpses of the magically world that we got  to see and will now imagine my own stories using all of the amazing factors.

Will I read again?: Nope. I can spare my time for something better. I listened to an audiobook version while doing the dishes which was nice, but I don’t need to do again.

Bonus thoughts:

‘When I was small I used to hide under my mother’s petticoats and listen to friends and neighbors as they brought their ailments to her like posies of sorrows, to be made better by one of her remedies.’

I was intrigued by this because my sister told me it had lots of fairy tale elements. Awesome, right? Basically, this book took everything that I don’t like in a fairy tale and put it together. It was dark, random things happened because “MAGIC. It makes everything better”, romantic relationships that had no basis for being there, gruesome deaths. There was a lot of potential! People being turned into animals? Mysterious fairy court dynamics? Medler (can we get a whole story about him??)? Instead the whole story hung on some weak and poorly explained plot points. Things were thrown in there to be convenient and for surprises that made no sense. As Abbie Emmons always says, “A confused mind always says ‘no’.” I was confused for the whole time and I just wanted to yell, “Why? WHY? WHHHHHHHHY?”. I did more that want to do it, I actually did yell. If my sister wasn’t the one who recommended it and I knew she would have answers I wouldn’t have kept reading it. My first reaction when I finished it was to call her and ask, “Are you kidding me?”

Now, she liked it a lot, so some of you may, too! I don’t discourage reading this, I only want to let you know how I feel about it, too. I didn’t get the point of it, but I would love to talk about it to see if anyone else got something out of it.

Review #3:

The Lions of Little Rock - by Kristin Levine:

In Little Rock, Arkansas, Marlee goes to school like everyone else. She likes doing math, but there are things that she doesn’t enjoy like being social and trying to make friends with her crush J.T. between doing his homework. When she meets Liz everything changes. She’s always struggled with talking, but she finally can with Liz who is nice, understands her, and brings her math puzzles. But Liz is harboring an illegal secret. Marlee starts to see the injustice in her hometown and wonders, can she be as brave as the lions in the nearby zoo to stand up to it?

“Let’s start solving the world’s problems. One step at a time.”

Genre: Historical Fiction.

Characters: 9. We get a diverse group! Besides Sally who was your typical mean girl, everyone had such interesting motivations.

My favorites:

Marlee: I feel called out here, but I am basically Marlee in every single way possible. Like math? Check. Has trouble with talking to people? Double check. Seeing her journey was really motivating to me because if she could do something, than I can, too, right? I’m not scared of heights, but that’s the only difference between us.

‘He shook his head. “It’s always the quiet ones who are the craziest.” But he was grinning again, and I knew he was teasing.’

(Paraphrase)

Liz: Marlee and Liz are such great friends because they are so different from her. Do I now want a friend like Liz? Yep, I do.

Little Jimmy: I don’t remember detail about him, but he was sweet!

J.T.: His character went somewhere I didn’t think it would go and it was a new take! I liked him a lot.

David: I want to hug Marlee’s big brother. He was great! Judy was nice, too, but I really liked David.

‘That night I lay in bed wondering how many other times David had grinned and fooled me, too, even though he’d felt awful inside. The idea that my big brother sometimes felt not good enough was strange, and a bit scary.’

Words/Writing style: 8. There is some name calling but it is shown as bad. It was super easy to read and I really liked the first person past tense. I am a sucker for first person. It puts you so nicely into the characters head!

Quotability: 8. I haven’t had the chance to quote it (seriously, MC, why is this such a big deal? I have no idea), but the lines are great.

‘Because all the words in the world won’t do much good if they’re just rattling around in your head.’

Awards: 3: Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee for Grades 6-8 (2014), Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Nominee (2014), & New Mexico Land of Enchantment Award for Young Adult (2015).

Content: 9. This is talks about true stories of murder and the Ku Klux Klan. It all shows that racism is a terrible thing! It is handled so well. It also has vandalism and explosions which are both dealt with just as well.

Originality: 10. This is such a good setting for historical fiction! The characters are unique and have good fears and things to face. Between referencing true events and having experiences like riding in an airplane for the first time it makes you really believe that you are there in 1957.

Notes: It mentioned the book Heidi and I had just finished reading it the book before! It also briefly mentions the movies The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Dumbo (1941).

Good For: Everyone, anyone who loves math, anyone who wants a good book about racial justice, anyone who is afraid of using their voice.

Age Range: A great book for all ages! The main characters are in middle school so it is relatable to kids that age, but it also ties in important historical events that are good for anyone to know.

Overall Score: 9!

Worth reading?: Yes! It was perfect for me personally because of how much I relate to Marlee, but it was also valuable for an in depth look at the things that were going on at that time.

Will I read again?: I’m looking at my sister’s trusty copy (which I bought her, by the way) as I write this and am thinking it’s about time to read it again, so the answer is definitely yes.

Bonus thoughts:

“Maybe they’re tired of being seen as second best.”

Of all of the books that I’ve read today this is my favorite! I like it a lot and have no reason to write a long rant about it. Try it yourself!

Whew, I’m done! Another full day of writing reviews done. It looks like I’ll barely get this in on the 19th because of that. It’s better than what I did yesterday when I decided to ram my face into the sidewalk resulting in a swollen face (long story). How are all of you doing??

Thank you for reading! Have any of you read this books? Do any of them look interesting to you? What is your favorite writing style you’ve ever read? Has a book had potential but fallen short? Who are some book characters that you relate to? Good night!

MovieCritic

Book Review: One Bad Apple - by Rachel Kovaciny

 Howdy, “pardners”!

February is sometimes agreed to be the gloomiest month of the year, but it is almost behind us. I didn’t think it was that boring (I mean, there’s snow, so that’s good in all ways!) but these early months are good for reading and I did a lot of that. Technically, I read the book that I’m reviewing now in October, but all the same I think it could be ideal for all of you in this kind of weather to brighten your mood.

This book is the third in the Once Upon a Western series. All of these books are fairy tales retold in a western setting without any magic! Well, that last part isn’t true as Ms. Kovaciny must use magic while writing to make these books so delightful. None of the books contain the same characters (expect for small cameos that please me tremendously) so you can read them in any order. All the same, if you want to read the books in the order that she wrote them, but want to know more, then here are my reviews for the other books in the series:
Book 1: Cloaked
Book 2: Dancing and Doughnuts

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!


One Bad Apple - by Rachel Kovaciny:

Levi Dalton and his six siblings and cousins have been left all alone by their covered wagon train. They have all lost their parents and their only remaining guardian is an uncle they have never met but they have to get to him in Junction City. Soon they are found by a wagon train consisting of all Black pioneers. They let the children join their group, but only a few, like Hopeful Mallone and her father, trust them. Levi is soon fascinated by Hopeful’s stepmother who helps heal people and he wants to learn her ways. All seems to be going well, but is something sinister brewing on the horizon?
Genres: Western, Fairytale retelling, Young Adult.
Characters: 9, the characters were great! Ms. Kovaciny deals well with working with big casts of characters and making them unique. It could be quite hard to wrangle all of Levi’s relatives, but she does it with easy as well as have prominent members of the wagon train.
My favorites:
Levi: He is my precious child. This fourteen year old boy is so realistic! He is so sweet with just wanting to help people so there aren’t more deaths as he’s lost too many people already. He wants to be seen by his family but he hates too much attention.
Hopeful: Her name suits her 100%. She sees the good in people, but she isn’t naive and recognizes danger. Too few people listen to her, but she is still strong. Her love of God makes all others hopeful, too!
Jacob: He gets the role of being the oldest and trying to watch out for all the other kids. He is very distant, but not in a lazy way, very understandably. This sentence describes him perfectly: ‘The surest way of making him refuses to do something was by urging him to do it.’
Ness: Poor Ness goes through a lot, but I love him. He is patient and kind, which are the best things.
Words/Writing style: 9. No bad words at all. It is told in first person, past tense. The reason that I enjoy it so much is because it is told through Levi’s perspective! It is the perfect basis for the story. I wouldn’t have thought of it, but nothing could’ve fit it better. Grief has made him grow up quickly, but he is still very much a child.

‘The ache of missing them had become a tender throb and not the first sharp pain I’d thought would split me like kindling.’

World building/Setting: 8. This is a new category for me! It is set on a wagon train heading west which fits the story like a glove. I have done a lot of research about the Oregon Trail, but I still learned loads.
Quotability: N/A. As my reviews mature (at least, I think they’re maturing and getting better...) I’ve found that this doesn’t apply much to books. Mostly because I have no one to quote them too unless my sisters are familiar with them. Don’t doubt that this had good lines, though!
Content: 9. There is death and how to deal with grief which is very poignant. Other death is there with killing and plotting, but it is shown to be wrong. It also addresses racism and shows how judgement is a terrible thing, which I loved!
Originality: 10. I love the fairy tale of Snow White and therefore have read many versions. This was new in all ways! Ms. Kovaciny is not lacking creativity in any ways. There are tie-ins to a certain Shakespeare play which are well done. I’m only mildly acquainted with that play, but I’m sure others who know it more will notice things I didn’t catch.
Good For: Fairy tale lovers, western fans, families.
Age Range: Though this is Young Adult, it is perfectly fine for any age. In fact, I think it could be beneficial for younger readers especially, but older people will enjoy this, too.
Overall Score: 9!
Worth reading?: Indeed, as the day is long! Sorry, that might not make any sense but I’m trying to sound like I’m from the west. The Snow White factor brought me in, but Levi ensured that I stayed! It is a Christian book as Hopeful’s father is a Reverend and has messages of faith. If I had been in a different mood I might’ve found it “preachy” in one or two places, but it was just what I needed at the time.
Will I read again?: I went through all the trouble of getting a copy, so yes I will! I want my sisters to enjoy it, too, though they aren’t as into Snow White as I am.
Bonus thoughts:

“Don’t matter what you look like so much as what you do!”

There is a character I can’t forget to mention, Mrs. Mallone! She is a very complicated character, and while her relationship with one character felt rushed, I know that this is a short book so there isn’t a lot of time to delve into things.
American History month, and this book is rich in just that! This book is inspiring for what people went through way back when, but African Americans had even bigger troubles. This book takes a look at that and is eye-opening. Let’s not make that same mistake as history did.


By the way, after, and only after, you’ve read this then you should read Rachel’s short story, Run, Run! It takes another fairy tale and uses these characters to take a peek into their lives after the book has ended.



There you have it! Have any of you read this? What are your favorite Snow White retellings? Tell me some other African American books (or movies!) that I should try. Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

Book Review: Dancing and Doughnuts - by Rachel Kovaciny

Howdy, y'all!

I'm here today to review the second book in Rachel Kovaciny's Once Upon a Western series! I reviewed the first book Cloaked HERE, and she is publishing the third book in July, so I decided that it was high time that I checked out the mystery here. If you couldn't tell, her books are fairytale retellings in a western setting, so no magic! Now that is a true challenge. I hope that you enjoy my review!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!


Dancing and Doughnuts - by Rachel Kovaciny:

Jedidiah Jones has been drifting ever since the Civil War and is looking for work. Just something that will pay enough to get him through to the next town, but he is willing to work hard. The surprise is all his when he finds some people willing to pay fifty dollars for just solving a mystery. It doesn't seem like it would be too hard to find suspects in such a small town. Now, who would want to hurt the Algonas's dance hall by spiking their cider?
Genre: Western, Fairytale retelling.
"Haul back on them reins a minute, Sheriff."
Characters: 9. This is a retelling of Twelve Dancing Princesses, so as you would imagine, there are a lot of characters. What I love about this is that it isn't overwhelming. The main character Jedidiah Jones can't keep track of all of the Algona girls, and that is realistic, because twelve is a huge number! I loved the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers vibe that I got with the names. We get other characters developed besides them, which I really appreciated because I know that with my writing because I know all of my characters I want the audience to know them, too, but it doesn't work that way.
'I wondered why, since she seemed amply able to read minds, she hadn't used her clairvoyance to find the culprit herself.'
My favorites:
Jedidiah Jones: He was such a fun protagonist! Being in his thought was the perfect setting for this story and really got to know him in this short time. Bonus, you should totally picture him as Bobby Darin... just sayin.
Alice Algona: I love her sense! She was down to earth and reasonable and her character was perfect.
Rest of the Algonas: I really liked Clara, and the differences we were able to see between them.
I'm not going to talk about any more of them, you just have to see for yourself!
Words: 9, have I ever mentioned that first person is my favorite point of view? Well, it is. Any guess what, this is first person! Ah, I love it. Jedidiah's narration is so natural, you fall into the story instantly. No bad words at all!
Quotes: 8, 'I had no notion of what I would do next, but sometimes looking like you're busy goes a long way. That had been one of the first things I'd learned as a soldier.'
I can personally tell you, that this is a good piece of advice. It's taken me awhile to learn it, but it goes a long way.
Content: 10, there are some mild fights and characters get intoxicated. Both are shown as not good, and is perfectly clean!
Originality: 9, ah, this story! Everything about it was so creative, and it is just brimming with fairytale elements, all without the magic! Such a neat plot. I thought that I saw where it was going, but I was only partially correct!
Good For: Fairytale lovers, western lovers.
Age Range: Absolutely all and any ages!
Overall Score: 9!
"I know it's twelve to one, but I've been outnumbered before and lived to tell about it."
Bonus thoughts:
This was a rollicking good time! I'm so glad that I read it, even though it took me a while. I had been in a little reading ditch (do you like that term? I just came up with it) and this was so refreshing.


There you go! I recommend this to all of you! Now it's your turn to settle down and talk: what is your favorite fairytale and one of its retellings? Have any of you read this?

Thanks for reading my review! Stay safe and healthy. Happy trails!

MovieCritic

Fairy Tale Tag and Fairy Tale OTP Challenge

Hello, everyone!

I hope that you are all having a magical day so far! This whole month Fairy Tale Central (FTC) is celebrating fairy tales and invites everyone to join in the fun with a tag that they created. Also, Wednesday the 26th is National Tell a Fairy tale Day!

Also, one of the "Fairy Godmothers" behind FTC, Arielle, posted on her blog another tag featuring fairy tale OTPs, so I decided to combine my posts. Time for some fantastical fun!

Fairy Tale Tag:

The Questions:

– What’s an obscure fairy tale that you love?

Cap o' rushes! I don't know why this is, but I love this story so much! Is it basically Cinderella? Uh, maybe, but still I just love it so much. A gorgeous retelling of it is Moss Gown and for years I didn't even realize that it was the same thing.

I also love the original Snow Queen!

– If you got to choose Disney’s next animated princess movie, what fairy tale would you choose to be adapted?

I've read a lot of posts already that had really good answers so I'm trying to think of something different.

Oh, I know! I love The Three Aunties (aka The Three Spinning Fairies). It has a bit of a Rumpelstiltskin vibe with a dash or Cinderella and it is so good. I don't know how they would do it, but I would love to see a movie version with added elements and the characters really fleshed out. BUT, it has to be in the original animation style because that is my favorite.

Maybe if I wish hard enough...

– What is the first fairy tale you remember hearing when you were a child?

It's either Red Riding Hood or Sleeping Beauty. My mom would tell both of them to my sisters, but my favorite was Red Riding Hood because she used a doll that was Red Riding Hood on one side, and the wolf and grandmother on the other. But I've been watching the Disney movie Sleeping Beauty (1959) for as long as I can remember.

– If you were to embark on a fairy tale quest, what necessities would you pack in your bag?

Lots and lots and lots of food along with a couple gallons of water because you never know if other food will be cursed or poisoned. Plus, I need extra for the inevitable wise person who will ask me for some. ('Cause you know that if you refuse you'll be cursed).

In additon to that I need: A needle that can sew anything, a gun that never misses its mark, a magic belt that has the power to make the wearer invisible, and a telescope from which nothing is hidden.

(This is a list of things from The Four Gallant Sisters. I LOVE THIS FAIRY TALE SO MUCH. Seriously, it is my favorite. If you haven't read it, you need to! Credit to PioneerGirl who reminded me of this.)

– What’s your favorite fairy tale trope?

"Beauty and the Beast"! Any time there is a talking animal that later turns out to be someone who was cursed that way and the spell can only be broken in a certain way makes me so happy. Pure fairy tale goodness there!

– If you could be any fairy tale character archetype (the princess, the soldier, fairy godmother, talking animal, mischievous imp, wise old woman, evil stepmother/sister, etc.), who would you want to be and why?

Some people would say that I am an evil stepsister or mischievous imp. *coughcough*

Though if I had the choice I would like to be the talking animal because I would be very cute and helpful. But it would be bad if I got back into this world and couldn't talk.

– What animal/mythical creature would be your sidekick for fairy tale adventures?

I would most definitely prefer to be the sidekick instead of having a sidekick, but I guess that I have to answer the question. Couldn't we both be sidekicks to someone else? Anyway, I would love to go on every adventure with a griffin because I love lions. I think it was The Castle Glower series that created my love for griffins.

And of course, you can't go wrong with a dragon. If I could have Falkor the luck-dragon (from The Neverending Story) be my sidekick I would be the happiest adventurer ever!

– What is your favorite historical era, and what fairy tale would you love to see in that setting?

Oh, great question! I have several obsessions around time periods (examples: things set in the times of Jane Austen, Robin Hood, or the Titanic) so combining any fairy tale with them would be awesome! I just got the idea that Cinderella would be so gorgeously tragic set on the Titanic. Yes, I have a strange mind.

Charles Dickens wrote a very fairy tale 'esque' story that I love called The Magic Fishbone, so anything in that time period would be cool.

And, Rachel Kovaciny is writing some awesome fairy tales as Westerns! I reviewed Cloaked HERE.

– If you could change a fairy tale’s villain into a hero, who would you choose and why?

You don't ever want to root for the villains, do you? Maybe Rumpelstiltskin? I know that Vivian Vande Velde did it a little in her collection of The Rumpelstiltskin Problem.

– Do you prefer fairy tales with happy endings or sad/tragic endings? Why or why not?

I like happy endings as opposed to some of the gruesome British endings (like in a version I read where two of The Three Little Pigs were eaten, then the third pig ate the wolf!), but I do like some with sadder endings that teach a lesson like The Fisherman and His Wife. Oh, and I absolutely love The Little Mermaid, the original one, which has a very bittersweet ending.

Fairy Tale OTP Challenge: From Arielle's blog:

I didn't know this for a long time, so to anyone who is as confused as I was OTP means One True Pairing. And "shipping" means that you really like those two as a couple.

I'm counting any fairy tale movies and retellings as well to fill these 14 different couples.

1. The first fairy tale OTP you shipped

As I answered in the other tag, one of my earliest memories of a fairy tale is from Disney's Sleeping Beauty (1959), so I think that the first was Aroura and Philip. Yep, they are perfect.

2. The cliché fairy tale OTP that everyone ships but you still love

Cress and Thorne, from The Lunar Chronicles - by Marissa Meyer. Everyone who ever reads these books ships these two, and you can see why! I loved their unique story in Cress! And while there were a few things that weirded me out in Winter, they are still pretty great.

3. Your favorite hate-to-love fairy tale OTP

Every Beauty and the Beast couple is hate-to-love, right? And as I mentioned before, I love it so much! So, I choose all of them ever.

4. The fairy tale OTP with the craziest relationship

Tiana and Naveen, from The Princess and the Frog (2009). This movie is absolutely wonderful and charming! Tiana and Naveen go on a crazy roller coaster of adventure in this film! The things they get into...

5. The best-dressed fairy tale OTP

Snow and Prince Alcott, from Mirror Mirror (2012). Though there is some confusion always with the clothes that are over the top, these two are always stylish. In addition to being absolutely wonderful and one of my favorites ever.

6. Star-crossed love: the forbidden love fairy tale OTP

Jasmine and Aladdin, from Aladdin (both the 1992 and 2019 versions). 

They're from Arabian Nights so it doesn't count.

A princess and a street rat! I love these two! Is it "love at first sight" (something that I normally hate)? Yes. Is that pretty much every fairy tale? Yes. Do I still love them? YES! Now I just want to start belting out "A Whole New World".

7. The funniest fairy tale OTP

Ella and Char, from Ella Enchanted - by Gail Carson Levine. This whole book makes me laugh a ton and they are a big part of the reason why.

8. The fairy tale OTP with the most growth in their relationship

Rapunzel and Eugene, from Tangled (2010). Until it was pointed out to me lately, I didn't realize that this whole story takes place in two days! That is hardly any time, but the way that these two grow is so beautiful! I tend to be a little biased against this movie, but you can't not love these two!

9. The sweetest, most adorable fairy tale OTP

Gerda and Kai, from The Snow Queen.
Can we talk about how Gerda never stopped looking for Kai? These two are so precious and need to be protected at all costs! Yes, they are just kids, best friends, when the story starts, but by the end they are all grown up.

10. The OTP who snuck up on you, the one you didn't expect to love

It's funny for this one that I can't think of anyone.
I was trying to not use another Lunar Chronicles one, but I'm going with Winter and Jacin. When we met Jacin earlier in the series I didn't like him and I am not a fan of the 'best friends to lovers' trope (the previous answer is an exception), but these two are super sweet. The way they care for each other so much is heart warming. There is one scene that is a little weird for me, but other than that it's all good.

Also, the last time I watched Ever After (1998), I really liked Danielle and Henry when other times I haven't which surprised me!

11. The moodiest fairy tale OTP

Scarlet and Wolf, from The Lunar Chronicles - by Marissa Meyer. Can these guys chill? Wolf is extremely moody and Scarlet will shoot you if you get on the wrong side of her.

12. The class-crossed fairy tale OTP

Rose and Galen, from Princess of the Midnight Ball - by Jessica Day George.
A princess and a gardener. Not to mention a gardener who knits and is so incredibly sweet!

13. The obscure fairy tale OTP who isn't shipped by many people (or anyone)

Snow and Chayse from Falling Snow - by Skye Hoffert, part of the Five Poisoned Apples collection. If you look through my journal from the time I first read this you will find out how much I love these two. It is a very subtle romance, but as soon as I met the characters I knew that they had to be together! I'm pretty sure that everyone who reads this stunning story ships these two, but I have it in this category because more people need to read it!

14. Your very favorite fairy tale OTP you'll love for the rest of your days

Ella and Kit from Cinderella (2015)! I love these two so, so, so, so much!!!

WELL. There you have it, two tags! What do you think of all of my answers? A big thank you to FTC for hosting this! Happy National Tell A Fairy Tale Day!

Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic