What If the Villain in Your Favourite Fairy Tale Was Right?

As children, we were enchanted by fairy tales of beautiful princesses, charming princes, magical castles and happily-ever-afters. We sympathised with the innocent, despised the wicked, and never once questioned the stories we were told.

But as we grow older, even the most magical tales begin to raise unsettling questions.

What if the villains weren't quite as wicked as we believed, and the heroes not as innocent as we imagined?

For the first time at Paramount Books, we invite you to revisit the enchanted worlds of your childhood — this time, through the eyes of those you were taught to fear.

After all, what if the only difference between a hero and a villain is who's telling the story?

The Queen of Hearts: Was Cruelty Her Way of Holding On to Power?

Imagine ruling a kingdom where animals talk, logic changes without warning, and rules barely exist.

Welcome to Wonderland.

At its centre stands the Queen of Hearts, a ruler whose answer to almost every inconvenience is a terrifying threat: “Off with their heads!”

But what if her cruelty hides something deeper?

What if her obsession with punishment is actually a desperate attempt to maintain control?

Armed with a crown, a court, and an army of cards, the queen commands authority, yet her constant outbursts reveal just how fragile that power might be.

And that leaves us with a haunting question:

When someone fears losing control, how far will they go to prove they still have it?

Step back into the madness of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland — Lewis Carroll

Captain Hook: What If Peter Pan Wasn't Entirely Innocent?

We remember Peter Pan as the carefree boy who never grows up, while Captain Hook remains the ruthless pirate of Neverland.

But here's what we often forget.

In J. M. Barrie's original story, Peter cut off Hook's hand and fed it to a crocodile that has hunted him ever since.

Imagine losing your hand to someone who treats life as a game, only to spend your days fearing the creature that swallowed it.

Would you still call that boy an innocent hero?

Discover the darker side of Neverland in Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. — J. M. Barrie

The Wicked Witch of Oz: Was the Real Deception Behind the Curtain?

The Wicked Witch of the West is feared for her cruelty, while the great Wizard of Oz is admired for his supposed magical powers.

Yet behind the wizard's grand illusion hides an ordinary man who has deceived those who trust him.

One is openly wicked. The other appears wise and powerful but conceals the truth.

Perhaps the witch wasn't innocent, but the wizard wasn't entirely honest either.

Why do we fear the obvious villain while trusting the man behind the curtain?

Follow Dorothy's journey in The Wizard of Oz — L. Frank Baum

Snow White's Evil Queen: What If Growing Old Was Her Greatest Fear?

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"

The Evil Queen's obsession with beauty turns into dangerous jealousy when Snow White becomes her rival.

But what if her greatest fear wasn't Snow White, but losing her own worth and importance?

Perhaps the magical mirror reflected more than beauty. It revealed her deepest insecurities and the pressure to remain admired.

Was the queen truly obsessed with beauty or terrified of being forgotten?

It may be believing that our worth depends entirely on it.

Explore the classic story in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Sleeping Beauty: What If the Curse Began With Rejection?

A royal celebration. A newborn princess. A room filled with magical blessings. But the festivities take a dark turn when an uninvited fairy arrives, feeling forgotten and deliberately insulted.

Her revenge? A terrible curse upon an innocent princess.

But what if the curse was born not from wickedness but from the pain of rejection?

Disney's Maleficent later reimagined this feared fairy, revealing a story of betrayal, heartbreak, and revenge.

Perhaps her anger was understandable, but was her cruelty justified?

After all, can betrayal explain cruelty without making it right?

Revisit the enchanted tale in Sleeping Beauty.

From Maleficent to Wicked: Why Hollywood Is Rewriting Villain Stories

Hollywood is giving familiar villains a chance to tell their side of the story.

Disney's Maleficent explores betrayal and heartbreak, and Cruella reveals a world of ambition and rivalry, while Wicked challenges everything we thought we knew about the Wicked Witch of the West.

These aren't necessarily the original stories but fresh perspectives that make familiar villains more human.

Perhaps a villain isn't always born wicked. Sometimes, the story simply begins long before we meet them.

Does Understanding a Villain Mean Forgiving Them?

Understanding a villain doesn't mean justifying their cruelty.

Captain Hook's suffering cannot excuse his revenge, nor can the Evil Queen's insecurities justify her hatred of Snow White.

But perhaps that's what makes these stories so fascinating.

A person can be both wounded and cruel, misunderstood and responsible for their actions.

And sometimes, revisiting childhood fairy tales reveals more about human nature than we ever imagined.

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