"Rapunzel Dreams of Knives" by Beth Adele Long

"Snake" by Jenn Reese

At first glance, I was wary of "Rapunzel Dreams of Knives" by Beth Adele Long.  It is a retelling of the Rapunzel fairy tale and I expected a rehash that trod well-worn ground.  I thought the section in screenplay format, the self-help list, and the letter, was just too strange to become transparent enough to let the story come through.

In reading the story, I was pleasantly surprised.  The changing structure served to enhance the important elements in each different form that was used.  Long avoids some of the more common variations of the Rapunzel tale.  She allows her heroine to be more active in her own story, and even lets her find a bit of courage that doesn’t come from persevering through hardship.

I have enjoyed reading Jenn Reese‘s Tales of the Chinese Zodiac flash stories.  This month’s installment, "Snake," is the tenth of twelve.  Though entertaining, the resolution of "Snake" is too clipped.  While the others in the series have been about the right length, in this one the ending feels rushed.  Jin-Hua acts without apparent motivation.  It seemed like the moral was to be kind to your enemies, but that wasn’t really supported by the story’s conclusion.