[MUSIC]
Hey guys.
>> Hey.
>> Hey >> [LAUGH]
>> Hi Tyler.
[LAUGH] >> Hey.
>> Tyler's our special guest- >> Yeah-
>> This episode.
>> We have a special guest.
>> It's me.
>> [LAUGH] It's Tyler- >> It's Tyler from Epic Reads.
Tyler, what you do at Epic Reads?
>> I do a lot of the social media and
the quizzes and the fun stuff and read a lot of books.
>> Yeah, so if you ever are on Twitter and
on Epic Reads' Twitter just laughing it's because of Tyler.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah, say a good morning Tweet- >> Thanks.
>> That's still- >> [LAUGH] [INAUDIBLE]
>> Going somehow.
>> And speaking of social media should talk about TikTok?
>> Yeah. >> Does anyone have TikTok?
[LAUGH] >> TikTok is the thing.
>> Do you wanna follow our [LAUGH] TikTok?
Yeah, we have a TikTok that we started a little bit ago and
if you guys wanna follow and- >> We're really funny.
>> Yeah, I mean we try.
[LAUGH] >> Just saying.
[LAUGH] >> One of us downloaded it for fun and
now we just can't stop making >> Yeah.
>> Them.
>> Which I feel is how TikTok just, it goes.
>> It gets you.
>> You just go into the TikTok spiral.
>> Exactly.
>> Speaking of spirals.
>> [LAUGH] >> [CROSSTALK] [LAUGH]
>> Speaking of.
>> I do love it.
[LAUGH] >> We're talking about retellings which
are kind of spirals in book form [LAUGH] >> You take a story and you spiral it.
>> Yeah, see that's it, thank you.
I feel validated- >> [LAUGH]
>> Now, we're talking about retellings and
there are so many retellings in YA, which is amazing.
>> Mm-hm.
>> I know we have a blog post that has 40 of them, so there's at least 40 and
probably- >> [LAUGH]
>> Hundreds.
>> Thousands, millions- >> Yeah.
>> Who knows?
>> So maybe what do you like about retellings?
What do we enjoy about them?
>> I feel like there's always those like classic tales that you're like this was
gray and then like someone like one ups it and
then it just like keeps getting made and it goes crazy.
And I don't know just like seeing how you can twist something a little bit, I guess.
>> Yeah.
>> I like thinking of like adaptations as some kind of retelling cuz I feel like
they always have to be updated- >> That's true.
>> A little bit.
>> Mm-hm. >> And
some things get twisted around or thrown out.
So whether it's one, why I move here like the entire MCU I feel like-
>> Yeah.
>> That's the kind of retelling in a way- >> Mm-hm.
>> And it just makes it interesting.
>> Yeah, for sure.
>> Wait, what's an MCU?
I- >> [LAUGH]
>> Marvel, Lisa.
>> I'm [INAUDIBLE]- >> Marvel Lisa.
>> My God.
Well now everyone's gonna just hate me.
I feel like one [LAUGH] of my favorite retellings was Wicked the musical.
>> Yeah.
>> That was the first time that I saw and I didn't even know it as retelling but
seeing like the villain suddenly their story is being told.
And they have a back story.
>> Mm-hm.
>> And they're just misunderstood.
So I love those ones for sure.
Those kind of villain being the main character in the story all of a sudden.
Seeing the reasons why they do what they do.
Let's see, I had one more retelling.
>> I feel like that's like that show Once Upon a Time did you ever watch it?
>> Yeah. >> It's like all those classic fairy tales
but retold.
Even I feel like Disney is like doing it a lot with their whatever they're doing.
>> [LAUGH] >> Yeah.
>> It's everything.
>> Crazy, they're retelling every single story.
>> Yeah, cuz they're just so popular.
It's like the familiar story and then you get a twist.
I also used to love Hook with- >> I never have seen-
>> Robin.
>> That.
>> What!
>> I know, that's one people shame me about.
This isn't a retelling but the Princess Bride.
I feel like those two were around the same time.
And I've never- >> Never seen it.
>> Seen either- >> Well-
>> People shame me for it.
>> We have to do that after this video.
>> For sure.
>> But I guess we should talk about books in this video because that's what we do.
We talk about epic books that we read in Is This Real Life.
>> [LAUGH] >> So let's start.
>> Great.
>> I'll start?
>> You start.
[LAUGH] >> I'll start.
>> Yeah. [LAUGH]
>> It's Tyler.
>> I'm joining because I read a lot of retellings.
A lot of them are fantasy, but I feel like retellings kind of fall into three
categories where it's like wicked and it's like an origin story for
a character you never really got.
>> Mm-hm.
>> And then there's the classic retelling that takes the actual story and
twists it or puts it in a new setting.
And then you have kind of like the inspired by.
Where it's like we like the story but what if it was this instead and you're like-
>> [LAUGH] Ah-ha.
>> That's a good idea.
So my first one falls into that last category because
it is Hello Girls by- >> Yes.
>> Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry.
This is not a strict retelling but it is inspired by Thelma and Louise.
And it's basically just about these two teen girls who kind of have a rough time
both with their families and everything else going on.
And they're kind of sick of other people making choices and
taking their own choices away through their actions.
And so they decided to say you know what?
We're just gonna go.
So they are like we just gotta [LAUGH] steal a car, we're gonna pop out of here.
>> [LAUGH] >> And then a bunch of road trips and-
>> I wish.
[LAUGH] >> A bunch of road trip antics ensue and
it's really just about their friendship.
And it is great.
And look how cool they look.
>> Yeah.
>> They look so cool.
>> I aspire to be that cool.
[LAUGH] >> [LAUGH] I did love this book.
>> It was so fun.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah?
>> Made me want to take a road trip.
>> Yeah.
>> Made me wanna buy new sunglasses.
>> [LAUGH] >> Yeah, for sure.
[LAUGH] So one book I'm gonna talk about is Pride by Ibi Zoboi.
So this one is an updated version of Pride and
Prejudice set in Bushwick, Brooklyn during gentrification.
And so the Benitez family,
the Darcy's move across the street into
this gorgeous new constructed building.
And meanwhile, they're kind of gentrifying the neighborhood.
And one of the daughters starts to fall in love with one of the sons.
And it's like should I he's like encroaching on our neighborhood?
Do I do this?
But yeah, I won't give anything- >> [LAUGH]
>> Away I guess.
But yeah, it's a great.
I've actually never read Pride and Prejudice, so I don't know how it-
>> It's a classic.
>> I don't know how much it- >> [LAUGH]
>> Stands true to it but I'm sure it does.
[LAUGH] >> It's-
>> But-
>> I love that cover.
Like that is just so- >> I know.
Yeah- >> Stunning.
>> And then I can show you these end papers which are-
>> So cool.
>> The characters.
>> Pretty great.
>> Yeah.
I want to see that graffiti just like- >> I know.
>> In Brooklyn like on a-
>> Exactly-
>> Bridge- >> Exactly-
>> Or something.
>> Even this the- >> Right.
>> I know there's a lot of great graffiti in Bushwick so.
Ibi get out there- >> [LAUGH]
>> And start spray painting.
>> Put your next book away- >> Yeah.
>> And pick up the paint.
>> Yeah.
>> My retelling that I wanna talk about is Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson.
I read this a long time ago, maybe in middle school,
maybe high school, but I fell in love with it.
And this is just a retelling of Peter Pan from the perspective of Tiger Lily.
Well actually, it's from the perspective of Tinkerbell which is cool.
And it's about, it's really just about first love which is why I loved it.
And the writing is so beautiful and lush.
And there's a letter at the end of the book that just breaks my heart too.
>> Man it is heartbreaking.
>> Which is probably on the Internet but you should read the book first and
then you can enjoy all of the quotes because there's many.
But yeah, this book was a great one and I still love it.
>> Wait and- >> You do a really good-
>> What is that?
>> Explaining that without giving all of the twists away.
[LAUGH]
>> Thanks- >> Yeah.
>> There's a lot of twists.
>> There is this one quote.
It's "For the girls with the messy hair and
thirsty hearts." >> Yeah that's like the-
>> I feel like I saw that on Tumblr.
>> Yes I saw- >> I know.
>> That on Tumblr that had like a million things, [LAUGH].
And I was like where's that book from?
>> Yeah.
>> So this is where the book is from.
From- >> Wait there's so many quotes.
>> Where the quote is from.
From this book.
>> A very good book.
>> Yes.
>> It is.
There is a retelling,
a Wendy retelling that's like coming out- >> Ugh!
>> From Disney, I think.
>> I mean- >> [LAUGH]
>> I'm sorry.
>> Lisa is like I have no time- >> No offense-
>> For Wendy.
>> I guess. [LAUGH] I just don't care about Wendy as
much- >> Yeah.
>> Because yeah, but you know- >> She's not one of the ones that I would
be like, let's get a retelling.
But you know I- >> [LAUGH]
>> I mean, if it works-
>> We're just shading Disney!
[LAUGH] >> I know! Wait, should we-
>> [LAUGH]
>> I'm sorry.
>> Cut this?
>> [LAUGH] Yeah, maybe we should-
>> Keep it in-
>> Totally do that.
>> No, keep it in.
I don't know, whatever.
>> Okay.
>> Cut it at Lisa's stink face.
>> [LAUGH] So tell-
>> All right-
>> It.
>> So back to me. >> What's your next one?
Yeah, we're going in a circle.
>> Yeah, we're gonna-
>> [LAUGH]
>> Break it up a little bit,
we're going to head to space with-
>> [LAUGH] >> Heart of Iron.
>> [LAUGH]
>> So this is a really
expansive space fantasy with a heist and a bunch of conspiracies and
there's great looming darkness. And it's kind of like Six of
Crows in space almost- >> Wow.
>> But also at its heart
it's an Anastasia retelling.
>> Okay.
>> Unexpected. >> Yeah.
>> [LAUGH] >> Cool.
>> The main- >> [LAUGH]
>> Character Anna,
she's on this quest to do something that- >> [LAUGH]
>> I don't wanna spoil.
There's so many good parts of this.
She sets out to do something, she crosses paths with Rob who's
effectively sort of like a prince in their society, and he is after a similar thing.
So their fates get bound together and then you find out that she may or may not
be the key to stopping this great darkness that is descending on their galaxy.
>> Wow.
>> Yeah, it's so good.
The sequel Soul of Stars is also great.
And also this is a special edition so it has purple edges.
>> Yeah, I was- >> Yeah, that is-
>> Comment on those edges.
>> I keep this very close to my desk cuz I don't-
>> [LAUGH]
>> No one can steal it.
>> [LAUGH] >> No one can touch it but Tyler.
>> Exactly.
>> Well, it sounds really cool.
>> [CROSSTALK] >> I like it.
>> Nice, thank you for honoring our video with this special edition.
>> [LAUGH] >> You're welcome.
>> [LAUGH] >> This is really why I came here.
>> [LAUGH] >> Yeah.
>> To show this off and be like, it's mine.
>> [LAUGH] >> Show the purple end pages-
>> Nice.
>> Or whatever they're called.
>> [LAUGH] >> So
another one I'm gonna talk about it is My Plain Jane.
So I'm kind of sticking with the classic English tales.
So this is a- >> I see it.
>> A retelling of Jane Eyre but throw in some like Ghostbusters.
It's like- >> Yeah.
>> Ghost hunting- >> That's cool.
>> With supernatural elements.
And man- >> [LAUGH]
>> It's just good.
>> [LAUGH] >> It's so good.
I loved this one.
I also loved My Lady Jane which was, they're stand-alones.
But that one's it's also the same authors and it's a retelling of,
it's not really retelling- >> Jane Grey.
>> It's like Jane Grey's story, yeah.
Yeah, so I don't know check this one out.
>> This is really funny, right?
I've heard that it's very- >> It is really funny.
>> It's so funny.
>> It's, yeah.
>> Funny [CROSSTALK].
>> There are really a lot of fourth wall breaking like footnotes.
>> [LAUGH] >> Yeah.
>> I love the fourth wall breaking.
>> I do too.
Sometimes I'm like, wait what?
>> [LAUGH] >> But
they did it really well in this one.
So this one's My Plain Jane and if you haven't read it you should.
>> [LAUGH] >> Nice.
>> Wow >> [LAUGH]
>> So we did that English retelling and
this is kind of like an Asian legends and folklore retellings, 15 of them.
This is 1000 Beginnings and
Endings by Elsie Chapman, edited by Elsie Chapman and Ellen.
And I also love this cover.
It's very cool.
I noticed a lot of my books are very dark and black covers.
So it's Valentine's Day on- >> [LAUGH]
>> Friday, so that's great.
[LAUGH] Sorry, that might've been a little personal.
>> [LAUGH] >> So
this book [LAUGH] is 15- >> Are you doing-
>> Stories.
>> Okay, Lisa?
>> I'm doing great.
>> [LAUGH] >> This book is 15 Asian myths and
legend retellings, different superstar authors Renee Ahdieh is in it,
Elsie Chapman, Roshani Chokshi and just so many more.
And it's just really cool like anthologies.
I don't read a lot of them cuz I feel like sometimes they're too short.
And, so I would say that about this like the only problem is that I wish that it
was longer.
But at the same time for the anthology genre I really like this one.
And it's very diverse and the stories are like different enough and
you really wanna know what the origin story is to know how they twisted it.
And they have some stuff in the back that explains those stories.
So yeah, it's really cool I would highly recommend.
>> All right, back to me?
>> Yes.
>> Back to Tyler.
>> Back to me.
Okay, we're coming back to earth- >> [LAUGH]
>> Now.
>> Awe, boring.
>> This is A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro.
I love this series with my whole heart.
>> [LAUGH] >> It's kinda a retelling, kinda not.
So it's the main charactor Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson.
They are the descendants of the infamous Sherlock Holmes and
John Watson- >> Yes!
>> And Charlotte is much like her ancestor Sherlock, a genius.
>> [LAUGH] >> But she has her own things and issues
and social cues and problems going on, and she doesn't wanna deal with everything.
And so when they end up at the same boarding school Jamie is like wow!
My God, I'm at the same boarding school as Charlotte Holmes-
>> [LAUGH]
>> This is fate we're gonna be best
friends, and then she wants nothing to do with him.
>> So sad.
>> And it's so funny because he's a little puppy.
>> [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH]
>> He's like the sweetest character.
But then someone dies on campus, and they get framed for it.
And so they have to team up to solve the mystery and it's great.
And so this series is four books and each one has its own self-contained mystery.
It's not one overarching- >> Okay.
>> But the relationships and the family drama and
the Moriarty's come into the mix and all of that is carried throughout.
And it's so fun and also really funny.
And also- >> That sounds fantastic.
>> I really like these covers.
>> Yeah, that's really cool.
>> I could talk about these for like a full day.
>> [LAUGH] >> It's really dangerous to invite me on.
>> [LAUGH] >> Okay, so
the one I saved for last is probably the one that I was
most excited about when I first heard that it was being published.
This one is Sea Witch and
I feel like you probably can guess what it's about just from the title.
But it is a twist on the villain Ursula from The Little Mermaid
which was one of my favorite movies >> She deserves to have a retelling.
>> I know she really does.
I feel like she's misunderstood a little bit.
>> Yeah. >> So yeah,
this just like takes her tale and just flips it on its head.
And I feel like it is like very Wicked for-
>> Mm.
>> Yeah.
>> For this story.
>> Definitely.
>> Yeah, this story for sure.
>> I definitely have to read that.
I wonder if- >> Yeah.
>> Morgana comes into play?
>> But- >> I mean there is-
>> Don't tell me.
>> A sequel to this.
>> Yeah.
>> Sea Witch Rising- >> Yes.
>> So.
>> I feel like that's a very summer book, too.
>> It is.
>> Like maybe I'll read- >> Yeah.
>> For summer- >> Yeah.
>> This summer.
>> For perfect beach reads.
>> Yeah.
>> [LAUGH] >> For the beach.
[LAUGH] Just in case you wanna get dragged down to the bottom of the ocean-
>> [LAUGH] And I don't wanna do that.
>> By a sea witch- >> [LAUGH]
>> I don't know.
>> That's like my worst nightmare.
[LAUGH] >> [LAUGH]
>> Truly, mine, too.
>> [LAUGH] So the next book I want to talk about is Damsel by Elana K Arnold.
[COUGH] Excuse me, so I'm in the middle of reading this right now.
It is fantastic so far.
This is also our Epic Reads book club pick of the month.
So that book club pick theme is retelling, so very fitting for
this- >> Yeah.
>> Episode.
>> [LAUGH] >> This is basically,
correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think.
What?
>> Isn't it at subverting a trope?
>> Darn it.
Yeah, okay, so the book club theme of the month is subverting a trope.
>> [LAUGH] >> Which I twisted into meaning
a retelling.
>> You retold the theme.
>> That you retold the theme.
>> Yeah!
Guys, everything makes sense in this film because-
>> [LAUGH]
>> Everything can be twisted to mean
what I mean it to mean.
[LAUGH] >> Exactly,
don't take anything we're saying seriously because it's
a- >> So-
>> Twist.
>> Everything is a lie.
>> Okay, anyway- >> [LAUGH]
>> So this is not really a retelling of
a specific fairy tale.
It's more of like the theme of, a prince slays the dragon,
wins the damsel in distress, and then they live happily ever after.
And they get married and
then I don't know what happens after that cuz the story ends.
But in this story that is not the ending that's just the beginning.
And as we kind of go into the story we follow Ama who is the princess or
at least the damsel who is saved by the prince.
She has no memory of what her life was like before she was saved, so
all she has to go off is the story that he tells her.
But as she goes back to the kingdom she realizes that this story might not
be everything she thought it was.
This kingdom might not be everything she thought it was.
And she actually might be in more trouble here than she was when she was a damsel.
>> [LAUGH] >> So
it's definitely told like a fairy tale which is really cool.
Just like the writing it takes you into like you are reading a fairy tale but
the way that it twists everything around is very clever.
And I just I really enjoy it so far.
I can't wait to see the ending.
>> It's so ominous like the way- >> Yeah-
>> You just feel-
>> It really is.
>> Dread like on every page.
>> Right, you're like- >> In a really good way.
>> [LAUGH] >> Exactly.
You're like- >> Perfect for Valentine's Day.
>> What just happened?
Yeah.
[LAUGH] So, definitely recommend this book.
>> I do wanna read that.
>> Yeah. >> I've been meaning to read it
for years but.
>> It's really good.
So thanks for tuning in.
>> Yeah.
>> And that was our retelling episode.
>> Thanks for having me.
>> Thanks, Tyler.
>> Yeah, thanks for coming.
>> [LAUGH] >> We kinda pulled you in-
>> We did, we did.
>> and didn't let you go.
>> [LAUGH] >> They're like hey,
do you know retellings?
>> And we're like, you need to- >> Get in here.
>> Cool.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah so, okay.
>> We'll see you next episode.
>> [LAUGH] See you next time. >> Thanks for turning in.
>> Bye.
>> Follow us on TikTok, bye.
>> Yeah.