We all know ‘Once upon a time’, and we grew up with ‘happily ever after,’ even if the whole Prince Charming thing fell flat in later life. Fairy tales can be comfort food, the stuff of escapism and dress-up. What we may not be so accustomed to is fairy tales’ dark side. Their magic can…
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There are stories we grow up hearing; we can never unknow them. Spread through culture by constant retelling, we engage with fairytales like Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella every day. They inform our conception of reality. Griffith Review’s annual Fiction Edition, Once Upon a Time in Oz, plays tribute to these eternal narratives with…
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Where shall I take you, I asked, when we are wed? ‘The sea,’ she answered. ‘Will you take me to the sea?’ Oh, I said grandly, oh I will pour out oceans for you. In fairy tales, as in real estate, it is all about location (repeat ad nauseam). Any change, any alteration, any turning…
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