Into the Bloodred Woods by Martha Brockenbrough

While at times the depictions of violence (including sexual assault) are visceral and brutal, this stand-alone journey into grim woodlands arrives at a subversive resolution more satisfying than a traditional happily-ever-after. Injustice, misinformation, and consent are significant themes. Ursula and Albrecht are White the ensemble cast of primary characters includes two brown-skinned women, one of whom has a fraught emotional relationship with the princess. With precise, and poetic prose, Brockenbrough twists and intertwines familiar tales-“Hansel and Gretel,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Rumpelstiltskin,” and “Goldilocks,” among others-to craft an intricate, cohesive narrative framed as a story within a story. Full of contempt for his sister, Albrecht, the vicious, vain prince, plots his own ascent, no matter the cost. Princess Ursula believes in her claim to the throne: Under her benevolent rule, she’d overturn unjust laws that oppress other werefolk.

But when the common-born queen gives birth to twins, first a werebear girl, then a human boy, no one can agree who has the right of succession. In this kingdom, the first-born-always a boy-inherits. Once upon a time, a story unfolds after a farmer lies to a king, saying that his daughter can spin grass into gold. In this dark fantasy woven together from reimagined fairy tales, a werebear princess and her cruel twin brother vie for inheritance of their father’s crown.

Into the Bloodred Woods by Martha Brockenbrough