Sometimes broken things are there to teach others.

A delicious idea: rewrite some classic fairytales as modern reality stories. But the reality is the reinterpretations are mostly tedious and no less unreal than their predecessors. Seven original stories, including Puss in Boots, Pinocchio and Hansel and Gretel, were selected - some much better known than the others. The originals are briefly outlined before the new tales are given. For some reason, this reader had expected that these new interpretations would be plausible, probably sad or horrific, but nevertheless true to life. Yes, a couple are but mostly they are just the same old stories in a loose disguise. A few are fresh - like a completely new look at Puss in Boots, and one Little Match Girl retelling was heartbreakingly real but mostly it's same old same old.
The narration by Tiffany Marz was clear but too slow, needing to be speeded to 1.25. and, like the stories themselves, uninspired, if acceptable.

My thanks to the rights holder who freely gifted me a complimentary copy of Once Upon a Reality, at my request, via Audiobook Boom. Sadly, I had expected far more than was delivered in the story contents which often also seemed not fully finished but rushed and in need of fine tuning editting or, preferably, complete rewriting.

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