Red Shoes, Witches and Creatures of the Forest: Dolores Redondo's Baztan Trilogy as Contemporary Fairy Tale

Abstract

Dolores Redondo’s Baztan Trilogy (2012–2014) proved a great publishing success. Its main character, Amaia Salazar, is a tough detective who has trained with the fbi and represents the advancements in scientific research. While she is the quintessence of a modern detective, at the same time she embodies the role of ancestral Basque women as the voices of the past and preservers of a rich tradition of folk tales. During her investigation, in fact, the creatures of these tales take over the narrative, and the past of the region returns to haunt contemporary Spain. This chapter will explore the trilogy’s generic hybridity, contending that it is both a detective novel and a contemporary fairy tale. Rewriting elements such as the breadcrumb trail, the red shoes, the cannibalistic witch, the three sisters or the fairy godmothers, Redondo’s detective fairy tale gives expression to the uncanny, to the threats that lurk in the forest. Generic hybridity will then add to the atmosphere and the tension of the thriller. Moreover, the fairy tale narrative will also provide a deeper reading of the connection between Amaia’s present and her own past. Finally, by briefly comparing the first novel with its film adaptation, this chapter will discuss how fairy tale tropes became an essential element to translate the written text into images.