Digital Reads Reviews

To Two Sisters

I walked down my life, all very busy

I received a message, from a missy

Read my book, if you please

Very busy, sorry, said with ease

But the girl and her sweetness, plucked the cords

Her love for sister and tales, weaved her words.

I couldn’t resist, I went to look

I saw her blog and got the book

Lo and behold, the talent, the brilliance

All in its glory, shining in excellence.

To you girls, I bow in respect

A honor it was, to you I direct

This was unique, this was new

This transformed all that I knew

I traveled over the rainbow, to the bend

The tales say, a pot of gold, at the end

There were two of them that I found

Words and art held me astound

Nuggets that you are, more precious than gold

They are Two Sisters, darling and bold.

— to the two sisters, Steph and Emma

My review

What can I say, after the above words, which will convince you further about the brilliance and the talent that abounds the sister duo.

Dark & Darker Faerie Tales by Two Sisters embodies everything genius and more. It is sinister as the darkest night of the Halloween. It is menacing, it is followed by a foreboding shadow at each step. It hits you when you least expect it. Even when you expect it, it is still unexpected.

Each fairy tale is retold by Steph’s own creation. The weaving of the ominous new twist to the older one left me breathless and longing for more. Steph has this great talent that, just when I think I know what is going to happen, she pulls the carpet from underneath my feet. And all I am left wondering, while eating dust, is

Why couldn’t I guess this before??

Innocent words are spun into sheer looming danger, where I am left shocked and stunned like a porcelain doll, while the character in the story either walks away nonchalantly or is killed. The book cover may look so non-threatening but don’t get fooled. Steph’s words and Emma’s art have cloaked the book in such a way that you never know when an innocent story is going to turn into a big, bad wolf which leaves an indelible mark burnt into the deepest recesses of the brain.

And oh yea! There are wolves and witches, sweet not so innocent girls, queen and princess and not so forgiving faeries too. There is sorcery and witchery, most abounding. All fairy tales are supposed to be magical, but the magic in these darker tales is not in the story but in Steph’s words. She takes a sentence or two from the older tale, throws the pixie dust on to them, says abradacabra, and they are transformed. Emma’s artwork done in ink, enhances Steph’s stories in such a way that you catch on very soon — beware of the story!!

They are enshrouded in innocence, but when you open them, you realize that the wicked have a new home, a new address: Dark & Darker Faerie Tales

The older, foregone, sweet stories have a makeover now, a newer look, more evil, more malevolent, the one the world will never forget ever…

My favorite tale was the Little Red Riding Hood, not so little now, is she?

My rating : 5 absolutely brilliant stars

About the Author

Two Sisters is the pseudonym used by two sisters, Stephanie Barnes and Emma-Marie Mills. Steph is the author, who wanted to write her own stories since Harry Potter. As she’s a strong admirer of Brothers Grimm and Angela Carter’s fairy tales, she was inspired to create her own.

Emma has dedicated much of her time drawing on paper and on her computer. Emma originally did her illustrations for this collection in digital, but later, using ink drawing techniques, redid all her images in pen.

As they’re both passionate about their individual crafts, they wanted to collaborate and create their own fairy tales.

Book blurb

Inspired by Brothers Grimm and other sinister tales, Dark & Darker Faerie Tales is a collection of dark stories about evil faeries, corrupted heroes, vengeful innocents and malicious monsters. Delving into the darker side of fairy tales, each story offers a twisted journey that’ll make you wish for a happy ending.

Written and illustrated by Two Sisters, witness an unlikely friendship in “The Woodcutter and The Oak Tree,” discover what happens next to Little Red Riding Hood, and learn why it’s so important to be wary of who you meet in the woods.

Product Details

Publication date : 8th February, 2018

Publisher : Self

Language : English

Available on Amazon

Fairy Tales retold by the sister-duo