ONCE UPON A TIME IS ENOUGH

by Will Stanton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 21, 1970

Once really is about enough--these pieces are a bit too obvious to survive a second reading, based as they are on the acknowledged preposterousness of classic fairy tales. Stanton scrutinizes such favorites as ""Beauty and the Beast,"" ""Hansel and Gretel,"" ""Rapunzel,"" etc., diagnosing emotional problems, predicting marital failure, deducing criminal intent. And on a first reading it does manage some unexpected turns to add a real smile here and there to the canned laughter (King to the heroine of ""Rumpelstiltskin"": ""Queen, how come you never spin me any more gold?. . . Before we were married you used to spin it all the time""). But once a reader catches on to the method he can anticipate much of what follows or even, without Stanton's obligations to a family audience, improve on it. A glib and cheery overture to Richard Armour's readership, with helpfully cheeky drawings by Victoria Chess.

Pub Date: Oct. 21, 1970

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Lippincott

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1970

Categories: FICTION