A brilliant young critic.

Disfigured is a fascinating exploration of how disabilities are treated within fairy tales and of how those treatments help to shape social attitudes and perceptions. Part literary examination, part cultural critique, and part memoir, Disfigured is exceptional.

This meticulously researched book finds its greatest strength in Leduc’s own generous account of being a disabled person (Leduc prefers to use identity-first language) in a world propped up by fairy-tale thinking.

... a remarkable exploration into the ways disability has been portrayed in fairy tales and, consequently, how those portrayals have shaped society’s treatment of the disabled.

She dives deep into how popular stories define cultural norms, blending cultural analysis with her own personal narratives from a life spent trying to make sense of how the world perceives her. Leduc is thoughtful and her research is vast. She has woven together a poignant and informative account of how the stories we tell shape our collective understanding of one another..