Now that the days are shorter and the nights are longer, what better time is there to curl up with a spooky story that is both familiar and foreign? The original Brothers Grimm fairy tales were far darker than Disney portrays them now. Read on to discover some Snow White horror retellings that nod back to their origins.
You Can’t Kill Snow White by Beatrice Alemagna
This is the second book to be released from Enchanted Lion’s imprint, Unruly, which focuses on making picture books for adult and older audiences. They believe that “we never age out of pictures.” You Can’t Kill Snow White follows the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, but with one major difference: it is told from the perspective of the Evil Queen.
Alemagna highlights the jealousy and violence of the queen through abstract images and poetic language. Less of a horror story, and more of an unsettling one, this version of Snow White is perfect for readers who want a darker story without being terrified.
White As Snow by Tanith Lee
The Evil Queen, Arpazia, has only one passion: the mysterious hunter who courts the outlawed old gods of the woodland. And Coira lives in the shadows, forgotten by both of her parents.
This story weaves together the myths of Persephone and Hades with the Snow White fairy tale in an eerie and unsettling tale. This book is nothing like the Disney film: please make sure to read trigger warnings before picking up this story; it can be quite violent at times.
Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman
Told from the step-mother’s perspective, it’s clear from the beginning that something is very not right with Snow White. A seemingly cannibalistic undead creature, Snow White, terrifies her stepmother and kills the people in her land. And I think that’s all that should be said for this story: this is one of those you want to go into without knowing a whole lot.
Originally released in 1994, this book was adapted into a graphic novel in 2019 and was presented with the Bram Stoker Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel Award. With medieval, art-nouveau-styled illustrations, the graphic novel provides a completely different experience than just the text. It fully immerses you into the world and provides you with no escape from the horror of the story.
Red As Blood by Anna Santos
The second in the Fairy Tales with a Bite series, this book takes the traditional fairytale structure and adds steampunk and paranormal elements to it. Set in a world with humans, vampires, werewolves, and fae, Snow’s stepmother is forcing her to marry. But when she falls in love with a vampire prince, her stepmother decides she wants her daughter dead. Although set in a series and technically intertwined with characters, these books can be read out of order if you wish.
Rouge by Mona Awad
This story starts with Belle and her meeting with a strange woman at the funeral of her estranged mother. This woman offers Belle a clue about her mother’s death and a cultish spa. Lured into the same trap her mother was, Belle begins to uncover why they were both seemingly obsessed with the mirror. Described as Snow White meets Eyes Wide Shut, this is a loose fairytale retelling that focuses on the dark side of beauty and the complicated relationship between mother and daughter.
If you love fairy tales but are looking for something a little darker, something that will get your heart beating, these are the books for you. Have you read any of these? Let us know in our socials!
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