The Merry Spinster

by Daniel M. Lavery
The Merry Spinster cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Short Story Collections
Buy online
Amazon
Format/Price Check
Technical
  • ID: 11166
  • Added: 2026-02-21
  • Updated: 2026-02-21
  • ISBN: 9781250113436
  • Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
  • Published: 2018-03-13
  • Reviews: 2

The Merry Spinster takes well-known children's stories and fairy tales and reimagines them with a sinister and inviting tone, blending psychological horror, emotional clarity, and a keen sense of feminist mischief. Each tale is unfalteringly faithful to its source material while illuminating the unsuspected and frequently alarming emotional complexities at play in the stories we tell ourselves and each other. /n/n Adapted from the beloved 'Children's Stories Made Horrific' series, this collection is known for its trademark wit and deft prose. It has been praised for its ability to strike directly at the heart, blending silliness, feminist critique, and clever storytelling into a collection that is both shocking and delightful.

Reviews
Goodreads · 2018-03-13
engaging 3.50

The writing is superb, with a keen eye for metaphor and language. The stories are disturbing and thought-provoking, offering a unique twist on fairy tales.

The reviewer praises the writing style, highlighting the superb use of language and metaphor. They find the stories disturbing and thought-provoking, appreciating the unique twist on traditional fairy tales. The collection is seen as a fresh and engaging take on familiar stories, with a keen sense of feminist mischief.

Quick quotes

    The writing itself is superb.

    How metaphors fly and the disturbing themes that emerge.

    A keen sense of feminist mischief.

Publishers Weekly · 2017-11-20
fresh 4.50

Lavery's renditions avoid clichés and self-referential edginess, offering a fresh and scathing take on fairy tales.

The reviewer appreciates Lavery's ability to avoid clichés and self-referential edginess in his renditions of fairy tales. They find the stories fresh and scathing, striking directly at the heart of traditional tales. The collection is seen as a unique and engaging take on familiar stories, with a keen sense of feminist mischief.

Quick quotes

    Avoids clichés and self-referential edginess.

    Strike directly at the heart.

    Brings the shock of the new.

Appears in Lists