British author Sarah Pinborough, who is renowned for her distinct storytelling style, has caused a stir with her unorthodox interpretations of traditional fairy tales. She frequently criticizes conventional narratives that exalt passive heroines and instead honors characters—even if they are not the story's heroes—who actively control their own fates.

Despite growing up surrounded by fairy tales and folklore, Pinborough was more drawn to the antagonists than the heroes. She was drawn to villainous characters like witches and evil stepmothers because, in contrast to many heroines who waited to be saved or only acted in reaction to other people's actions, these characters were fearless and took action.

Pinborough uses a metaphor to explain this fascination, likening traditional fairy tale heroines to flowers that grow in the shade. These characters are passive and only get a small amount of light; they need sunlight from someone else to bloom. Witches and evil stepmothers, on the other hand, are proactive and resilient, much like dandelions or sunflowers that actively seek out the sun.

Pinborough pushes readers to reconsider conventional narratives that only highlight a particular kind of character as courageous and admirable by concentrating on these outlier heroes. Her writing inspires us to see past appearances and value characters who are nuanced, engaged, and occasionally even flawed but just as fascinating.

Through her stories, Sarah Pinborough encourages readers to consider why some characters may be more intriguing than others—not because they are essentially good or evil, but rather because of the decisions and actions that make them stand out in literature.