My Top 5 Sleeping Beauty Book Adaptations

Today I would like to countdown my top five favorite Sleeping Beauty book adaptations.   All of these are inspired by the fairytale, but vary in reading level, and content.

Number 5: The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by Anne Rice

~Be warned that these are very adult novels!   They are inspired by the fairytale, and in fact take from the oldest versions of the tale in some ways.    The content is erotic in nature, so if you do not like that, these are not for you.

Number 4: Enchantment by Orson Scott Card

~Card is an acclaimed science fiction writer, and this particular tale takes a more fantasy spin.    It is a modernized version of the classic Sleeping Beauty tale, with an academic waking the princess in the 1990s.

Number 3: The Dark Fairy by Serena Valentino

~This is a book in the Disney Villains series, and focuses on the story of Maleficent!   It is beautifully written, and more of a juvenile or young adult title.

Number 2: Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell

~This is part of the Twisted Tales series, and is a darker re-imagining of the Sleeping Beauty tale!   In it instead of waking Aurora with a kiss Prince Phillip succumbs to a sleeping curse upon kissing her!

Number 1: The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman

~The great fantasy writer Neil Gaiman wrote this novella that combines the Sleeping Beauty and Snow White tales with his own signature twists!    I truly adore fairytale writing by Neil Gaiman (Stardust being another great example)!    This novella is a must read, especially in the graphic novel form.    This graphic novel is not formatted in a traditional comic form, instead it is a straight novella that is gorgeously illustrated with artwork throughout.    It reminds me of traditional fairytale collection books that are brilliantly illustrated, more than it does graphic novels!

Note on Image: The image is the cover of The Sleeper and the Spindle.   I found the image on amazon.com.

~I hope you have enjoyed this countdown of book adaptions of my favorite fairytale.   Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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