A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
192 pages
This book follows Hansel and Gretel as they walk out of their own story and into eight more tales, encountering wicked creatures such as witches, as well as kindly strangers and other helpful folk. The plot contains violence.
The website of the author includes a trailer and the first chapter in SIGN LANGUAGE!
Sam’ review:
If you want the real, gruesome truth behind the story of Hansel and Gretel and have pondered the question, “Are there no good grown-ups anymore?” then you have found the right book. The narrator of A Tale Dark and Grimm understands the awesomeness of blood and gore, beheadings and dismemberment. Don’t worry, though, because the narrator gives fair warning to small children to leave the room and be spared the gruesome events, which of course makes everyone want to plow forward and not miss a single drop of terror. The story starts with the explanation of how Hansel and Gretel’s father, the prince who became a king, fell in love with a tragic princess who loved gold. One unfortunate incident leads to another one, and soon the story is rolling from beheadings to roasting, dismemberment to hunting, and from the devil to a dragon. The narrator’s voice makes each of these tragic events terribly amusing, and the teasing about what will happen next makes it impossible to put down. I ended up loving Gretel most of all. This read is a fun, bloody romp through the dark forest. Remember your lentils so that you can find your way back out!