Fairy Tale Summary
Fairy Tale is a short story by Stephen King that was first published in his 2015 collection of short stories, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. As with many of King's stories, Fairy Tale is a horror story that twists familiar tropes to create something altogether more sinister.
The story follows the life of a young girl named Greta, who lives in a small town with her abusive mother. Greta has always been fascinated by fairy tales, and spends much of her time reading and re-reading her favorite stories. One day, she discovers a mysterious bookstore hidden away in the backstreets of her town. Inside, she meets a strange man who gives her a book of fairy tales that he promises will change her life.
As Greta reads the book, she begins to notice strange things happening around her. Objects move on their own, and she starts to see shadowy figures lurking in the corners of her vision. She realizes that the book is not a collection of ordinary fairy tales, but something much more sinister.
King's use of familiar fairy tale tropes adds a sense of familiarity to the story, which makes the horror elements all the more effective. The story plays on our expectations of what a fairy tale should be, and then subverts those expectations to create something altogether more terrifying.
At its core, Fairy Tale is a story about the power of stories themselves. King explores the idea that stories have the ability to transport us to different worlds, and to change our lives in unexpected ways. However, he also highlights the darker side of storytelling, and the way that stories can be used to manipulate and control people.
Fairy Tale is a short but powerful story that showcases King's ability to create a sense of unease and tension. It is a must-read for fans of horror and dark fantasy, as well as anyone who is interested in the power of storytelling.
