Book Review: "Toads and Diamonds" by Heather Tomlinson

 

By Noelle Gueringer|Titusville Branch Library

Fairytales: stories full of magic, wonder, and life lessons. Old fairytales have a tendency to raise the beautiful and gracious on a pedestal, letting their happiness shine bright by story’s end.

The ugly are meant to be wicked and their fates reflect their looks and mannerisms. The morals are clear-cut and concise: be kind and beautiful and you will be blessed. If you have a sharp tongue and are disagreeable, your punishment will make for an unhappy end.

New fairytales are more complex and we find that fate is no longer so strongly tied to the color of our skin or our satirical nature.

 Toads and Diamonds, a retelling of the French fairytale by Heather Tomlinson. takes the old story (originally written by Charles Perrault) and flips it on its head.

Set in India, this story is about two girls, one beautiful and kind and the other plain-looking but clever. They each meet a fairy and, through their own deeds, are bestowed a gift or a curse. 

When one opens her mouth, diamonds and flowers fall from her lips. The other feels snakes and toads slip past her tongue. 

But, while the original tale condemns one and praises the other in this retelling, both girls have their own journeys of growth and discovery. With danger lurking only a breath away, how will each girl make the most of what they are?

Read Toads and Diamonds yourself to find out the answers.