Once Upon A Time...
This phrase has captivated fairy-tale fans for hundreds of years. Lately, fairy-tale retellings have become a booming genre, and Melanie Cellier was a master before these stories became cool. I discovered her books by accident, through a fairy-tale book Facebook event a few years ago. I got The Princess Companion: A Retelling of The Princess and the Pea for free and have been hooked ever since. She is a master of her work and currently has thirty-four books across seven book series available.
I have narrowed down the three things which make Melanie Cellier a must-read author, and why she is so deserving of our Indie Author Spotlight for the month of June.
1. Worldbuilding
Every single kingdom within Melanie Cellier's world is different - a feat that can become incredibly difficult as you expand in a fantasy world. However not only does each kingdom have a different geography, each has it's own cultures and celebrations. One of the princesses ends up traveling with a merchant caravan that has contracts with multiple kingdoms! But with this, it lets us truly get a feeling for each of the settings. We see how these people celebrate, dress, and are entertained - and how it sets them apart from those in the other kingdoms. This allows the reader to be engulfed in the settings Cellier creates, making it one of her biggest strengths.
2. Unique Twists on Fairy Tales
Imagine if Sleeping Beauty wasn't actually asleep, but her brain was any time she was around people who knew who she was (and she's secretly a spymaster!). Or if the Swan Princess didn't turn into a Swan - but her voice was replaced by the honk of one. These are just two examples of the different fairy-tale takes across her three Four Kingdoms series. I find the interesting ways she plays with the traditional curses and uses that to expand on the story. I have always loved the creativity that comes with this as it touches on the stories we love, but with giving it a spin only Cellier could.
3. Strong Women Characters
Most fairy tale women have the reputation of being damsels in distress, a fair assessment when you look at the classic stories. However, Melanie Cellier turns this on its head as well. Each woman who leads a story has her strengths and weaknesses. Some have magic, others only have their mind, but each woman feels real. None of them need a man to save them and have ways of saving themselves that give us the traditional fairy tale aesthetic without any of the princesses losing their autonomy. It's a beautiful thing to see, and a way to use these classic fairy tales to not only inspire but empower the women who read them.
I will admit, I have only read Melanie Cellier's fairy tale retellings. However, her three Mage series have been on my TBR for such a long time, that I look forward to reading those as well. And with how amazing of a writer she is, I am sure I won't be disappointed.