What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedOnce Upon a Time
Edward Kitsis · Series · 2011
If you loved Once Upon a Time, start with Enchanted (Kevin Lima, 2007) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Once Upon a Time across media.
You loved Once Upon a Time because it masterfully blends the whimsy of fractured fairy tales with complex, high-stakes family drama.
Books on the same thread
The Land of Stories
Colfer Chris Dorman Brandon · Book · 2014
Shares 2 threads with Once Upon a Time: Parallel Worlds, Fairy Tale.
If the portal-hopping adventures in Once Upon a Time kept you watching, you will enjoy this journey where twins navigate a dangerous world to rescue their family.
Ella Enchanted
Gail Carson Levine · Book · 2012
Shares a thread with Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale.
Much like the curse-breaking arcs in Once Upon a Time, this story focuses on a heroine fighting against a magical constraint to reclaim her own free will.
Little Fires Everywhere
Celeste Ng · Book · 2018
Explores: Mother-daughter relationships, Class differences, Race and privilege.
Readers who appreciated the complex mother-son dynamics in Once Upon a Time will find a darker, grounded exploration of family secrets and legacy in this suburban mystery.
Outlander
Diana Gabaldon · Book · 1991
Explores: Time Travel, Scottish Highlands, Forbidden Love.
The sweeping romantic stakes and historical displacement in this series capture the same epic, otherworldly feeling that made the past-life connections in Once Upon a Time compelling.
Films on the same thread
Enchanted
Kevin Lima · Film · 2007
Shares a thread with Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale.
This movie echoes the fish-out-of-water tension seen in Once Upon a Time by dropping a classic fairy tale princess into the harsh reality of the modern world.
Your Name.
Makoto Shinkai · Film · 2016
Explores: Fate, Interconnectedness, Rural vs. Urban Life.
Fans of the fated, interconnected destinies found in Once Upon a Time will be drawn to this story about two strangers whose lives become magically linked across time.
Encanto
Byron Howard · Film · 2021
Shares a thread with Once Upon a Time: Magical Realism.
This film mirrors the focus on generational trauma and magical family legacies that defined the core emotional narrative of the characters in Once Upon a Time.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Daniel Scheinert · Film · 2022
Explores: Existentialism, Intergenerational trauma, Immigrant experience.
If you were drawn to the way Once Upon a Time explored shifting identities, you will appreciate this chaotic, heartfelt journey through a woman's many possible lives.
Podcasts on the same thread
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
Explores: small-town isolation, eccentricity, social decay.
The atmosphere of small-town isolation and buried secrets in this podcast will resonate with anyone who spent time immersed in the cursed town of Storybrooke.
Crime Junkie
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2026
Explores: justice seeking, obsession, societal impact.
Much like the mystery-solving aspect of Once Upon a Time, this podcast captures the obsessive, detail-oriented pursuit of truth that drives a character to uncover hidden secrets.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Once Upon a Time about fairy tale characters?
Yes, the plot of Once Upon a Time centers on a town in Maine where characters from storybooks are trapped between two worlds due to a powerful curse. These figures are victims of this spell and must be saved by the only person who knows the truth.
What is the central conflict in Once Upon a Time?
The central conflict in Once Upon a Time involves a powerful curse that traps storybook characters in a Maine town. Emma Swan, a bail bonds collector, discovers the truth after her son Henry finds her, and she becomes the only individual capable of breaking the spell.
Who is the main character in Once Upon a Time?
The main character in Once Upon a Time is Emma Swan. She is a 28-year-old bail bonds collector who has supported herself since being abandoned as a baby. Her life shifts when she is reunited with her son, Henry, who reveals the existence of the town's curse.
How does Once Upon a Time begin?
Once Upon a Time begins with the story of Emma Swan, a bail bonds collector living on her own. The narrative is set into motion when Henry, the son she abandoned years earlier, tracks her down to reveal that the townspeople are actually storybook characters trapped by a curse.