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The Ravenous Gown: And 14 More Tales about Real Beauty
In a day when princesses have been boiled down to beautiful ball gowns comes a new kind of fairy tale.
Fall under the spell of a “Once upon a time…” where beauty is bigger than a reflection, where wisdom makes girls extraordinary, and where curses are broken through the strength and character of unlikely heroines.
A magnificent collection of short stories written in fairy tale prose The Ravenous Gown captures the essence of a stronger, smarter princess—the kind that actually lives happily ever after.
- GenresShort Stories
196 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2015
About the author
Steffani Raff
1 book13 followersSteffani Raff is a master of metaphor. She draws on her many years of experience as a professional storyteller to give strength and flexibility to her writing. You'll find her writing captures the voice, humor, and pacing of listening to a story in live performance and begs to be read aloud. Her knowledge and experience with the power of story to inspire, as well as entertain, allows her to address ideas in fresh and engaging ways. As a mother of six she has applied the power of story in parenting and champions the art of storytelling at home through her blog www.storypossibilities.com and website www.piratesandpajamas.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 24, 2016
I like what the author is trying to do, to replace the superficial ideal of "beauty" for girls with more substance. The problem for me is the exclusive focus on girls (princesses) as the bearers of feminine virtues (such as forgiving people and being humble and hard-working and self-sacrificing). The worst one for me was the one about the crane-girl and her sacrifice. Her "happy" ending is at the end her abusive partner loves and values her after all. Is this the best a female can hope for?
There is a huge emphasis on fathers and husbands in the book as the bearers of love and approval, and most of the stories move toward a heterosexual happy ending for no real reason I can see except that the point of princesses seems to unarguably continue to be finding a prince. There's stuff around class too in the way the princesses are portrayed, although charitable (ruling class femininity). Nearly all the princesses are still beautiful and when they are not their lack of physical beauty is a major issue, so that while I expected beauty to be deconstructed and then left behind it was actually still very centred on.
In "fetch me a star" there seemed to be a critique of princesses (girls) who don;t have the "niceness" to be gracious and friendly toward awkward boys who lust after them. It seemed too dangerously close to saying women can't say "no". The boy was a misunderstanding, awkward, shy "nice guy" of the sort most young women soon learn to fear but the author seemed to take his side against the princess (who was admittedly vain).
Nevertheless some important questions are raised about how we value people and why. I did think though that the glib answers were far too much of the individualistic, neoliberal, self-made hero that assumes the world is a meritocracy type. Some people do seem to think that is better for children than more deeply critical perspectives.
I disagree.
I don't generally like the author adding questions in the back of the book (and I thought these questions would go over he heads of the target audience) but I read with interest what perhaps she was really wanting to share- the source of some of her ideas. I had been correct in attributing one of them to Andrew Lang's "Catherine and her destiny". So even though the stories did not particularly float my boat I suspect some readers would enjoy them. The first one was probably my favourite.
There is a huge emphasis on fathers and husbands in the book as the bearers of love and approval, and most of the stories move toward a heterosexual happy ending for no real reason I can see except that the point of princesses seems to unarguably continue to be finding a prince. There's stuff around class too in the way the princesses are portrayed, although charitable (ruling class femininity). Nearly all the princesses are still beautiful and when they are not their lack of physical beauty is a major issue, so that while I expected beauty to be deconstructed and then left behind it was actually still very centred on.
In "fetch me a star" there seemed to be a critique of princesses (girls) who don;t have the "niceness" to be gracious and friendly toward awkward boys who lust after them. It seemed too dangerously close to saying women can't say "no". The boy was a misunderstanding, awkward, shy "nice guy" of the sort most young women soon learn to fear but the author seemed to take his side against the princess (who was admittedly vain).
Nevertheless some important questions are raised about how we value people and why. I did think though that the glib answers were far too much of the individualistic, neoliberal, self-made hero that assumes the world is a meritocracy type. Some people do seem to think that is better for children than more deeply critical perspectives.
I disagree.
I don't generally like the author adding questions in the back of the book (and I thought these questions would go over he heads of the target audience) but I read with interest what perhaps she was really wanting to share- the source of some of her ideas. I had been correct in attributing one of them to Andrew Lang's "Catherine and her destiny". So even though the stories did not particularly float my boat I suspect some readers would enjoy them. The first one was probably my favourite.
July 31, 2015
Wanted more. Sometimes the stories seemed to end so suddenly and abruptly I was surprised. I think she has an entire book inside her and we will see it soon.
There were some great short stories here. The marketing is very smart too.
There were some great short stories here. The marketing is very smart too.
October 19, 2015
The titular tale of the collection is pithy (8 pages), in fact, none of the tales in the collection are more than 8 pages at the most. This does not at all mean that the content of the story suffers from the brevity of the tale. That could not be further from the truth. Like the fairytale genre the stories are anchored in, the tales, though succinct, pack greater punch than stories with twice the word length.
All stories revolve around the central theme of beauty though beauty in this case is not defined simply as the aesthetics of a place or a person, but include also the emotional, moral, and intellectual composition of a person. All stories are infused with a cheeky humour that subverts gender tropes and often calls into question societal expectations of superficial beauty. The collection is in no way limited to, or aimed at, a particular gender; the stories will be enjoyed by children of all ages. In fact, I dare say that adults, too, will find great pleasure in unwrapping different aspects of the stories–I know I did.
The stories include several fairytale retellings such as of “The Crane’s Wife” and “The Princess and the Pea.” All retold fairytales have a modern twist that sometimes changes them in a drastic manner while retaining the playful tone characteristic to fairytales. Raff removes the senseless tragedy from many of the tales but is careful to leave the profundity of these tales untouched.
One of my favourite stories is about a prince whose nose is as big as a banana. His parents, in order to spare him humiliation, change all pictures etc. so that the standard of beauty in his country is a big nose (thus pointing to the fact that beauty is a societal/human construct and is, as such, changeable). It is only when he is of marriageable age and sees pictures of eligible suitors does he, after a while, gain some self-awareness. I love how this story continues and concludes and I dare say you, and your reluctant reader, will too. The hints of absurd save the stories from being didactic in tone. Also included in this collection are discussion questions which come with author notes about individual stories that will be invaluable in a classroom setting.
This is Steffani Raff’s debut work (to my knowledge) and considering the strength of these tales, I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. I enjoyed this collection immensely (a rare 5-star from me) and recommend it heartily to you no matter what your age is.
All stories revolve around the central theme of beauty though beauty in this case is not defined simply as the aesthetics of a place or a person, but include also the emotional, moral, and intellectual composition of a person. All stories are infused with a cheeky humour that subverts gender tropes and often calls into question societal expectations of superficial beauty. The collection is in no way limited to, or aimed at, a particular gender; the stories will be enjoyed by children of all ages. In fact, I dare say that adults, too, will find great pleasure in unwrapping different aspects of the stories–I know I did.
The stories include several fairytale retellings such as of “The Crane’s Wife” and “The Princess and the Pea.” All retold fairytales have a modern twist that sometimes changes them in a drastic manner while retaining the playful tone characteristic to fairytales. Raff removes the senseless tragedy from many of the tales but is careful to leave the profundity of these tales untouched.
One of my favourite stories is about a prince whose nose is as big as a banana. His parents, in order to spare him humiliation, change all pictures etc. so that the standard of beauty in his country is a big nose (thus pointing to the fact that beauty is a societal/human construct and is, as such, changeable). It is only when he is of marriageable age and sees pictures of eligible suitors does he, after a while, gain some self-awareness. I love how this story continues and concludes and I dare say you, and your reluctant reader, will too. The hints of absurd save the stories from being didactic in tone. Also included in this collection are discussion questions which come with author notes about individual stories that will be invaluable in a classroom setting.
This is Steffani Raff’s debut work (to my knowledge) and considering the strength of these tales, I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. I enjoyed this collection immensely (a rare 5-star from me) and recommend it heartily to you no matter what your age is.
March 30, 2015
The sub-title of the book promises tales about "Real Beauty." It is a very timely and much needed topic these days, with every other storytelling-related article talking about Cinderella's tiny waist. More and more people are paying attention to the representations of beauty girls (and boys) are bombarded with. But here is the thing: Storytellers, especially ones that work with kids regularly, break out in hives from "preachy" tales. I am no exception. I never end my tales with "and the moral of the story is..." If the story is not good, I don't care how important the message is.
Okay, so I am getting to the point:
These stories are good.
Read the full review here:
http://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com...
Okay, so I am getting to the point:
These stories are good.
Read the full review here:
http://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com...
September 24, 2015
These fairy tales by Steffani Raff have the textures of the old tales with twists and turns that make them new. "The Story Tree" still has me thinking, now several months after reading it. "The Ravenous Gown" story has an ending that will make a listener both giggle and think. "Moonstone and Magic" is filled with tropes that reach deep into the imagination. The reading of other stories will also be time well spent. Steffani comes to this work with a background in oral storytelling. This work is very aware of oral language and of the tradition of story--a purposeful blend of the oral and written genres. Well done!
April 8, 2015
Steffani has the wonderful gift of being able to make old tales fresh and new, while giving her new tales the weight and feel of the classics. That's what this book is, the classics made over to fit a more enlightened sensibility - with a good deal of wit and fun thrown in. The sentiments in the book are needed now more than ever as our girls are under siege of a society that sexualizes and marginalizes them for profit. I wondered if the stories would be appealing only for younger girls, but I read the book with my 14 year old daughter and she thoroughly enjoyed it! A beautiful book!
January 18, 2016
It might be easy to overlook this little gem of a book because after all it's "just" a collection of fairy tales for children or young adult readers. I invite any age of reader to look a little closer and find the wonderful lessons of true beauty found within it's pages. The greatest teacher in the world told truth through parables, stories if you will, that changed the world. Perhaps if one truly engages in the premise of these delightful original tales, it will be life changing to someone you know is judging herself harshly when she looks in the mirror. Hmmm . . . might that be you?
September 22, 2016
In addition to reading the book, I've heard Steffani tell "The Ravenous Gown" and have retold it myself several times (with her permission, of course). I've recommended the book to a number of people, and my daughter reads it to her daughter. What stands out to me is how the stories' protagonists are so comfortable with their heroic acts - as though they were just a normal part of life. Which, of course, they are - a mark of real beauty.
September 11, 2015
This was quite charming. It's true some tales were better than others and there were a couple I didn't particularly care for, but there were quite a few that I enjoyed immensely, which made up for those. We took to reading these as bed time stories which was loads of fun. =)
My favorite story from the collection has to be the ravenous dress. =)
My favorite story from the collection has to be the ravenous dress. =)
March 24, 2015
This is a collection of short stories that show how beauty is so much more than looks. Some stories are better than others but I will read several to my students in grade 4.
September 7, 2016
3.5 stars - some of these fairy tales were perfect. Will be recommending to many of my students.
February 18, 2020
These fairy tales focus on daring young men and women who want to be appreciated for their personality, virtues, and inner qualities rather than outward beauty. They battle dragons, fight wars, defeat evil sorcerers, and unravel magic in order to find their true identity and inspire their kingdom.
I loved that these fairy tales use all the old tropes about dragons and knights and fair maidens, and then turn everything upside down and surprise you with the plot twists when the maiden saves herself.
Each fairy tale is short but powerful with meaningful messages of hope and acceptance.
I really enjoyed the writing style. It's not easy to write truly good short stories, but these are exceptional and very entertaining. The writing does a wonderful job of capturing that old-fashioned fairy tale style!
I especially liked how each character is vibrant. They have good character development and excellent story arcs within only a few pages. Only a couple of the stories didn't have as much development as I would have liked.
I enjoyed this book so much! I hope this author writes more books in this kind of style!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I loved that these fairy tales use all the old tropes about dragons and knights and fair maidens, and then turn everything upside down and surprise you with the plot twists when the maiden saves herself.
Each fairy tale is short but powerful with meaningful messages of hope and acceptance.
I really enjoyed the writing style. It's not easy to write truly good short stories, but these are exceptional and very entertaining. The writing does a wonderful job of capturing that old-fashioned fairy tale style!
I especially liked how each character is vibrant. They have good character development and excellent story arcs within only a few pages. Only a couple of the stories didn't have as much development as I would have liked.
I enjoyed this book so much! I hope this author writes more books in this kind of style!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
February 3, 2024
These were fun little tales and all of them had an uplifting message of what true beauty is. Most of the stories were a reasonable amount of pages and it made this book a breeze to get through. I find myself reading lots of large and epic fantasy books so this was a pleasant deviation from that. As light hearted and fun as this book was the message and overall theme of beauty and what it should really look like is a very serious and much needed theme.
November 22, 2021
SUCH A FABULOUS BOOK FILLED WITH DELIGHTFUL TALES! The messages are incredibly supportive for the body, mind, and spirit. Thank you, Steffani, for this incredible gift of words and warmth!
Want to read
March 1, 2017i think its agood story
August 13, 2015
I really wanted to like this book—I like the idea of teaching about real beauty, something I feel we desperately need in this mixed up world—but I thought the book was too didactic. It seemed the quality of the tales was overtaken by the need to teach a lesson each time. As another reviewer said, many of the tales ended quite abruptly. They had potential but weren't developed as much as they could have been. My kids liked it enough, though it wasn't one they begged me to read more of. Overall, it was just okay for us.
One thing that bothered me about several of the tales is how often the word "ugly" is used. I understand that we're trying to teach kids that real beauty is inside and that appearances don't matter, but by calling a princess—or anyone—"ugly" over and over again, we're still focusing on outward appearance.
One thing that bothered me about several of the tales is how often the word "ugly" is used. I understand that we're trying to teach kids that real beauty is inside and that appearances don't matter, but by calling a princess—or anyone—"ugly" over and over again, we're still focusing on outward appearance.
September 7, 2015
After the first story in this collection made me laugh out loud several times, I knew I had to get this book and keep reading. All the stories have alternative takes on beauty, and feature witty, self-sufficient characters who take active roles in shaping their respective destinies. From conquering dragons to having incredibly smelly feet, issues both fantastic and mundane are addressed in this excellent read-aloud for all ages. A few of the tales truly stand-out, and all the rest are still good reading.
December 30, 2015
A collection of stories in the form of fairy tales–all have the themes of what is “real” beauty and that girls can be empowered to do anything they work hard for. Some of the language is a little awkward, and I found myself thinking that the stories would be much more effective told aloud. (This is actually how they originated, I am told.) However, there is some imagery that is quite engaging. I especially liked the description when a father has his daughter look at a seed and visualize it growing and developing.
May 17, 2015
Enjoyed the unusual twist on princesses and fairy tales, especially about the princess with "her very large, very smelly feet (p. 47)," since I had horribly smelly feet in about the six grade, and it was embarrassing. I like her suggestions and notes on each chapter so that parents can discuss the various tales (each having a moral) with their children. It's also neat to be personal friends with the author. Good going, Steffani!
October 16, 2015
My daughter and I read this aloud and yet her brothers still sneaked in to listen. It is a delight to read this original rendition of some classic and lesser-known fairy tales as well as original stories by Raff. The heroines and heroes of these stories made us laugh and cry. Enchanting stories! Steffani really knows how to weave all of the senses into a story and leave a strong impression. I highly recommend this book for girls and boys and families everywhere.
March 17, 2015
I loved this book and its resonant message to all women that being a slave to outward beauty and societal expectations is a choice each of us can make. The writing is lyrical and positive. I enjoyed the creative retellings of traditional tales to speak to this complicated issue of empowerment, beauty and self worth. Highly recommended.
May 15, 2015
At first I though these were just made-over fairy tales, which is fine, I like fairy tales! Then I realized they were pretty much invented by this mother who is a story-teller! That brought meaning to them. These stories were a delight to read! They read quickly. They are entertaining. I look forward to sharing them with my kids and seeing the meaning they get out of them!
January 25, 2016
Steffani Raff puts new clothes on old favorite folk tales and makes them relevant for modern girls. She borrows the wit and cleverness of folk tale heroes and shares a new kind of princess tale. It's a fun read.
April 26, 2016
Who doesn't love a good fairy tale? In this book the author takes our traditional views of fairy tales and shifts them. She empowers young girls and women alike. This is a great book to read with kids or just for yourself. A fun book with a beautiful message.
April 13, 2015
Loved it!!! Each story is a little gem and together they are a treasure! I love the poetic flow of her language and the sweet subtle humor. This is a timely message for girls and women of all ages, staying centered and true to who you are is the path to real beauty.
January 16, 2016
I absolutely loved this book! Steffani does an amazing job telling each of the stories. I loved the new twist on some old classic fairy tales that mademe think about how we each look at beauty in our society
September 25, 2015
One of my young women recommended this book to me and I loved it. How you choose to see yourself and what you define as true beauty make all the difference in the world. Make sure you read through the questions all the way to the last author experience. :)
May 8, 2017
Finally! Some fairy tale heroines (and heroes) worth admiring. These clever, delightful stories tell tales about true beauty in a way that is both entertaining, fun, and poignant. Definitely worth reading.
July 19, 2015
I loved this book!!! If you have daughters it is perfect even if your don't it is perfect. Such a fun feel good read!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews