The Griffin or the Agate

Gregory Frost's Fitcher's Brides is the eighth installment in the Fairy Tale Series that began as a collaboration between editor Terry Windling and illustrator Thomas Canty, who sought out authors to tell new, sophisticated versions of classic fairy tales. The idea was to return to the dark roots of tales which were often chronicles of horror rather than children's bedtime stories. Fitcher's Brides is a retelling of one of the darkest of these stories: Bluebeard.
     My knowledge of the Bluebeard legend was extremely limited before I began reading Fitcher's Brides. I knew that he was a piratical figure who killed his numerous wives for opening the one door he forbade, which led to the room that contained the bodies (or possibly just the heads) of those who came before them. It turns out that Bluebeard (and other remarkably similar tales from a number of cultures) are a rich tapestry of tiny details: a glass key, an egg, resurrection, sisters as consecutive wives, and so on. Terry Windling’s excellent introductory essay fills the reader in on all the variations of the Bluebeard-type stories – necessary to appreciate this retelling, which seems to incorporate them all.
     Frost's version of the tale is set in a small 19th century New England village. The Charter family has moved from Boston after Mr. Charter’s remarriage and susequent conversion to Fitcherism – a millenarian cult named after its leader, the charismatic Reverend Fitcher. The widower Charter has three daughters of marriageable age, who miss their mother and very much dislike their stepmother (the instrument of their father's sudden religious zealotry). Nearly half the book is spent on character development of the three sisters – none of whom expect to marry before the world is scheduled to end. Reverend Fitcher has plans for the girls, however, and soon after their arrival in Jeckyll’s Glen he marries the eldest daughter – though his true desire is for the youngest daughter, ultimately the redeemer of them all, Mr. Charter insists that his daughters wed in order of birth. This is where the Bluebeard story line really begins, and the pace of the book changes dramatically.
     The first half of the book has the feel of a pleasant amble down a beautiful garden path. Frost’s concentration on the minute details of dress, location, and especially the fine points of his characters’ personalities are charmingly written and lead the reader slowly but agreeably down the path to the central plot. However, the second half of the book picks up the pace considerably and feels more like one is on a runaway horse than a leisurely stroll. In just about the time it took to introduce us to the five Charters and Reverend Fitcher, we experience 3 weddings, two murders, a massive influx of people, and nearly the end of the world. Frost simply tries to pack too much information into too little space and a number of interesting fantasy elements are skimmed over rather than presented in the detail given to earlier events.
     Overall, this version of Bluebeard is quite enjoyable, thanks in no small part to Frost's knack for graceful prose. Next time, I hope his editors will allow him the necessary space to fully explore the fabulous worlds he creates.   §

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