Kissing the Witch is a collection of thirteen interconnected stories written by Emma Donoghue. Published in 1997, the book offers a modern twist on traditional fairy tales and reimagines female characters from various stories. Each story follows a different female protagonist, exploring themes of identity, agency, and sexuality. Donoghue's collection provides a feminist perspective on well-known fairy tales, challenging the traditional narratives that often depict female characters as passive and subject to the whims of others. In Kissing the Witch, these characters take control of their own destinies, defying societal expectations and reclaiming agency over their lives. The stories in Kissing the Witch merge together to form a larger narrative arc, with each protagonist's story leading seamlessly into the next.
They are simply stories focused on the power of relationships between women: all relationships. One is the friendship shown between two women (The Tale of the Skin), another focuses on a step mother and her step daughter (The Tale of the Apple), or even a keeper who becomes someone else for the girl she keeps (The Tale of the Hair). Regardless each one of these stories, sensual or supportive, shows the positive sides of relationships that women can share, and if this doesn’t seem like such an interesting and revolutionary idea, then you haven’t read enough fairy tales.
In a way this novel actually reminds me of a method that the L Word had used for its third season, interlocking various women through the past and present by bringing up a story at the beginning of each episode and moving from one woman or guy to the next. While rap music is not for all tastes, it often encourages interest in the source material as in the resurgence of interest in Blue Note records following the bestselling album by US3.
The stories in Kissing the Witch merge together to form a larger narrative arc, with each protagonist's story leading seamlessly into the next. The collection begins with an adaptation of "The Little Mermaid," in which the mermaid escapes her painful transformation into sea foam and discovers love in unexpected places. As the collection progresses, readers encounter other familiar tales, including "Cinderella" and "Snow White," but with twists and turns that challenge the traditional versions of these stories.
Kissing tge witch
The Grimm collection is, however, extremely influential to writers and tellers of fairy stories today, providing, in some cases, the source material as well as the literary precursor. Recent stories by authors like Ursula K. Le Guin ("The Poacher"), Charles de Lint (Jack, the Giant Killer), and Robin McKinley (Beauty) are riffs on the old, akin to the way that rap music samples classic rhythm and blues and uses it to provide the basis of their modern sound. While rap music is not for all tastes, it often encourages interest in the source material (as in the resurgence of interest in Blue Note records following the bestselling album by US3). The reworking of fairy tales shows modern readers that the classic stories have much to say about today's world, by stripping the Disneyesque exterior of the stories and unearthing the archetypes that lurk beneath the surface.
Emma Donoghue's name can now be linked to those above as a practitioner of this art. In her new book, Kissing the Witch, she incorporates the plot and themes of "Cinderella," "Hansel and Gretel," and "The Little Mermaid," among many, and interconnects them into an ongoing thread of causal connections and relationships. Kissing the Witch is not quite a novel, for it does not follow any one character or place, and yet it is not quite a short story collection, although it is broken up into sections labelled like "The Tale of the Handkerchief." Between each tale is a dream-like sequence, in which one character of the previous tale asks a question of another, which leads to the next tale. Like an ever-flowing river, the tales then drift by, separate yet connected. Sometimes a tale does not truly seem to be at an end when the thread is dropped to be picked up by another character, but that's a minor quibble.
Connecting fairy tales together is not new. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine managed to merge "Jack and the Beanstalk," "Little Red Riding-Hood," and "The Baker and His Wife" in their Broadway musical, Into the Woods. But Donoghue's method is not quite the same. Sondheim and Lapine merged their tales; Donoghue strings hers together like a strand of pearls. In Into the Woods, the stories are pretty similar to those we know, at least until the second half which follows after the immortal lines ". and then they lived happily ever after." Donoghue's fairy kingdom is rarely happy -- before or after -- and this is especially true for the women who provide the narrative thread. While some might find this off-putting, I found it quite refreshing, as this forces Donoghue into unlikely territory for fairies, a territory that is neither whimsical nor horrific, although it contains the elements of both. More than anything else, her fantasy resembles life, and that's an accomplishment.
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Connecting fairy tales together is not new. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine managed to merge "Jack and the Beanstalk," "Little Red Riding-Hood," and "The Baker and His Wife" in their Broadway musical, Into the Woods. But Donoghue's method is not quite the same. Sondheim and Lapine merged their tales; Donoghue strings hers together like a strand of pearls. In Into the Woods, the stories are pretty similar to those we know, at least until the second half which follows after the immortal lines ". and then they lived happily ever after." Donoghue's fairy kingdom is rarely happy -- before or after -- and this is especially true for the women who provide the narrative thread. While some might find this off-putting, I found it quite refreshing, as this forces Donoghue into unlikely territory for fairies, a territory that is neither whimsical nor horrific, although it contains the elements of both. More than anything else, her fantasy resembles life, and that's an accomplishment.
Donoghue introduces queer relationships, explores the darker aspects of love and desire, and ultimately offers a new perspective on the power dynamics inherent in fairy tales. Kissing the Witch captures the imagination with its lyrical prose and thought-provoking narratives. By placing female characters at the center of these tales, Emma Donoghue subverts traditional gender roles and offers a fresh perspective on classic stories. In conclusion, Kissing the Witch is a captivating collection that reimagines familiar fairy tales through a feminist lens. Emma Donoghue's writing delights and challenges readers, prompting them to question the narratives they have grown up with and encouraging them to consider alternative perspectives. This book showcases the power of storytelling and the importance of diverse voices in literature..
Reviews for "Exploring Sexuality in "Kissing the Witch"
1. John - 2/5 - "Kissing the Witch" was a confusing and disappointing read for me. I had high hopes for an interesting twist on classic fairy tales, but instead, I found the stories to be disjointed and hard to follow. The narrative structure was confusing, with the storylines shifting abruptly and without proper explanation. Additionally, the characters lacked depth and development, leaving me feeling disconnected from their experiences. Overall, I was left unsatisfied and would not recommend this book to others.
2. Sarah - 1/5 - I found "Kissing the Witch" to be incredibly boring and uninteresting. The stories felt repetitive, with similar themes and plotlines that failed to captivate my attention. I was hoping for a fresh and unique take on fairy tales, but instead, I found myself yawning through each page. The writing style was also a major letdown, lacking any sort of poetic beauty or captivating prose. I struggled to finish this book and honestly cannot understand how it has received any positive reviews.
3. Michael - 2/5 - As a fan of fairy tales, I was excited to read "Kissing the Witch." However, I was left disappointed by the lack of originality in the storytelling. The author seemed to rely too heavily on traditional fairy tale tropes without bringing anything new or insightful to the table. The retellings felt stale and unimaginative, lacking the magic and enchantment I had hoped for. I wanted more creativity and fresh perspectives, but unfortunately, that was lacking in this collection. Overall, I was underwhelmed by "Kissing the Witch" and it failed to meet my expectations.