Having read this book before, the excitement and shock of each story wasn’t there this time. My first read was 4.5. But because I’ve read it before, each story basically became the same story with different characters. I will say, for the first time read- you’ll never see fairy tails the same again. Solid 3.5 ( )

It tried so hard to be sexy that it was hilarious. ( )

I want to say I liked "Mrs. Fox" best, but I suspect a girl's favorite story might reveal which particular fantasy scenario appeals to her most. :)

I quite liked the opening of Mirror On the Wall though:

Once upon a time, in a kingdom known far and wide for its beautiful women, there lived a sorcerer who fell in love with one of the maidens who dwelt there. This maiden was untrue to the sorcerer, however, and shortly afterward, he died of a broken heart. With his last breath he cast a spell upon the entire kingdom and, for all I know, it remains there to this day.

Under the spell of the broken-hearted sorcerer, all the women of this kingdom suddenly appeared unfamiliar and disagreeable to their male counterparts and even to themselves. They immediately began a campaign to become the exact opposite of what nature intended them to be. First, they starved themselves almost to death, because this emaciated condition was thought to be more appealing than the normal womanly appearance that came from being healthy. Those who could not withstand this deprivation submitted to other humiliating methods of ridding themselves of the unwanted flesh. Next, their breasts had to be altered from their natural shape to a larger, stiffer prototype, which, though causing much pain and many health problems, had a more desirable effect for everyone. Aging was the most detestable of all the natural manifestations in women, and it was to be avoided at all costs. Women did everything in their power to prevent it, finally succumbing to dangerous medical procedures when all else failed.

Although such an existence may seem far-fetched and improbable to many a reader, I can assure you, it is quite true. One could not expound too earnestly on the lengths to which these poor creatures were willing to go in their efforts to be anything besides that which they were. [...]

In short, an intense misery came over the female inhabitants of this accursed land.

Pu that way, it sounds crazy, but it's true. ( )

Allow yourself to be drawn into a fantasy world like no other . . . where a beautiful princess is seduced into a love triangle with a handsome prince and her winsome maid . . . where a mysterious gentleman's young bride is deliciously disciplined for her unchecked curiosity . . . where a naive daughter is married off to a beast of a man whose carnal appetites awaken her budding desire . . . With a unique and decidedly adult twist on thirteen classic fairy tales, Nancy Madore intrigues and arouses with her titillating, sizzling anthology of erotic stories guaranteed to keep you up late into the night. You'll never look at fairy tales the same way again.

In some ways Enchanted isn’t too different from The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter – reworked fairy tales with an adult and somewhat feminist twist with a background commentary on gender roles (i.e. wife, career woman, princess, maid etc).

If I had stopped reading at the end of Mrs Fox I would have given Enchanted four stars due to the simply written and tastefully woven tales with clever and sometimes amusing twists. Lessons learned were truly learned rather than lectured on as they were in the second half of the book. For example the Queen in Mirror on the Wall learned that cosmetic enhancements did not automatically make you beautiful but in the Ugly Duckling (the last story) the lesson that beauty alone does not bring you happiness was practically shoved in your face. The same goes for Cinderella and The Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing. Both were about reigniting the love in their marriages but Cinderella was more subtle whereas the other story contained lengthy explanations on the subject.

The enjoyable highlights for me were Beauty and the Beast with Beauty missing her beast when he turns into the prince, Cat and Mouse about a male and female - equals jockeying (and negotiating) for position neither wanting to play the submissive slave, Mirror on the Wall for a mixture of old and new (old being the story and new being the cosmetic surgery theme), Mrs Fox with the lesson being that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side but it is a pleasant change every now and then, and finally Goldilocks and the Three Barons – I loved seeing her as a nosey busy body reporter who reports rumour, half-truths and absolute lies - an amusing comparison to the original story.
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