red shoes

kellywilliams

kellywilliams

what did people think of the adult fairy tale winner of red shoes? I thought it was very good and I wish I had thought if that.

Carol

Haven't read the stories yet. Will have a look in a quiet moment.

Betsie

Yes, I liked it and thought it well structured.

Carol

I read it last night, after everyone else had gone to bed.
I liked it, but early on there were a couple of well known and used phrases. But I let them pass as they didn't really detract too much.
It was only when I got to the phone call that I groaned, the author, voice like melted chocolate.
I know it's supposed to be a fairy tale, but would someone employ a person as a research assistant who only worked in a supermarket, and the story said that she'd done some interior design, but nothing to indicate she would be any possible use as a researcher!
My suspended disbelief never returned, and I personally felt that that last short paragraph could have been excluded, so it would have been left to the reader to decide the 'happily ever after'.
I don't want to appear picky, I did enjoy the story, but those things stood out.

Vel

I really don't want it to sound like sour grapes, as I entered the competion and wasn't placed but I was incredulous at the winner of the Love Story competition a little while back.
If I remember correctly, the story concerned a 16 year old girl who was having to deal with an unplanned pregnancy. It was supposed to be the story of a mothers love for her child (albeit unborn) but all it mentioned was the girl worries of what her parents would say, what her boyfriend would say, should she keep the baby etc. It didn't come across as a love story at all; just the usual (although obviously justified) worries of an unexpected mum to be.  Then right at the end it said something like 'in seven and a half months I'll have my baby...'. So this scared teenager, stressed with her situation, went from conception, the suspicion and confirmation she was pregnant, confiding in her parents and partner and deciding to keep the baby, all in six weeks! My disbelief wasn't so much suspended but had a noose around its neck!

neil

The idea of magic as it might occur in a conventional children's fairy story being applied to the purchase of shoes by an adult, I liked. But the first few paragraphs gave (me) the impression that Katy was a much older woman than she seemed to be at the end. Or was this, perhaps, all part of the magic?

sal

I thought the story was a good basic example of
how a short story is structured.

neil

,

sallyannie

I enjoyed it but the plot wasn't as original as I'd hoped for a competition winner. I agree with Dorothyd - would like something a little more gritty and adult. Very well written though and a very pleasant read.