Trying to keep in good shape with my NetGalley ratio and with my 2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge I'm having for my second Mark This Book Monday entry another review for an ARC of a book that I got through NetGalley, a big thank you to the kind people at Harlequin Teen that approve my requests despite me being in Spain! Thank you!
Grim by Christine Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a fantastic collection of short stories, all versions in each of the different authors very own voice of classical Grim fairy tales.
I'm no expert on Grim tales, and I probably only know of the better known, and maybe not even the original Grim brothers' versions, since most of the versions that we read for kids (and I'm not talking about the Disney ones) are not as gruesome as the originals were.
I couldn't identify all the tales in this anthology but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy those stories as they were, even if I was left wondering what tale was the inspiration behind it.
Others I'm pretty sure I guessed what book it was behind it, even if some were easier to identify than others, since some authors took a bit more liberties than others with the story.
Most of the stories are set in either actual times or even the future, though some are set in the past too and others have a certain sense of timelessness about it.
The two versions of Beauty & the Beast, one by Sarah Rees Brennan and the other by Tessa Gratton are probably my faves from the entire anthology. SRB's one because it was hilarious and so different from what you might expect after how dark the stories usually are. And the one by Tessa Gratton was simply fantastic, dark and twisted and a joy to read.
The version of Bluebeard by Rachel Hawkins and The Twelfth Girl by Malinda Lo were another two I could guess and that I loved, as well as the version of Hansel & Gretel by Kimberly Derting were ones I could identify easily and really liked the way they were changed.
From the ones that I couldn't identify that I really liked as they were are the stories by Myra McEntire, Saundra Mitchell (even though this is a tough one to read, as it deals with incest) and Jon Skovron.
The rest weren't bad, but not as memorable as those I've mentioned above. Some were too similar to the original story and others didn't stay in my mind as much.
All in all a very enjoyable collection of stories and very well deserving of 4 stars.
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Grim by Christine JohnsonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a fantastic collection of short stories, all versions in each of the different authors very own voice of classical Grim fairy tales.
I'm no expert on Grim tales, and I probably only know of the better known, and maybe not even the original Grim brothers' versions, since most of the versions that we read for kids (and I'm not talking about the Disney ones) are not as gruesome as the originals were.
I couldn't identify all the tales in this anthology but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy those stories as they were, even if I was left wondering what tale was the inspiration behind it.
Others I'm pretty sure I guessed what book it was behind it, even if some were easier to identify than others, since some authors took a bit more liberties than others with the story.
Most of the stories are set in either actual times or even the future, though some are set in the past too and others have a certain sense of timelessness about it.
The two versions of Beauty & the Beast, one by Sarah Rees Brennan and the other by Tessa Gratton are probably my faves from the entire anthology. SRB's one because it was hilarious and so different from what you might expect after how dark the stories usually are. And the one by Tessa Gratton was simply fantastic, dark and twisted and a joy to read.
The version of Bluebeard by Rachel Hawkins and The Twelfth Girl by Malinda Lo were another two I could guess and that I loved, as well as the version of Hansel & Gretel by Kimberly Derting were ones I could identify easily and really liked the way they were changed.
From the ones that I couldn't identify that I really liked as they were are the stories by Myra McEntire, Saundra Mitchell (even though this is a tough one to read, as it deals with incest) and Jon Skovron.
The rest weren't bad, but not as memorable as those I've mentioned above. Some were too similar to the original story and others didn't stay in my mind as much.
All in all a very enjoyable collection of stories and very well deserving of 4 stars.
View all my reviews
I am very interested in reading this because I do love retellings. I am, however, not the biggest fan of short stories. I don't know why but I've never been too keen on them. I should give this a go though...esp seeing as you rated it 4. Thank you so much for the review Pili!
ReplyDeleteSome of the stories are great, Kristen! Short stories are great when you have your attention wandering a lil to focus for too long on one story! Hope you'll give this one a chance!
DeleteI have this one, but I still haven't read it (I've been sick, boo!), btw, I am looking forward to it, and I'm so glad you liked it!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm dying to read your reviews of Ignite me and Into the still blue, but I still haven't read Ignite me, and I'm still reading Through the ever night (I know you don't give spoilers, but sometimes the worlds "happy or sad" say too much :)
Happy reading!
And great review, as always!
I hope you're feeling all better now, Lis!
DeleteI cannot wait to hear what you think of Ignite Me and the whole Veronica Rossi trilogy!! Hope you'll love them!
Great review sweetie. <3 thank you so much for sharing :D I'm glad you enjoyed these stories. I'm just waiting for my hardcover to arrive ;p but I'm very happy that you liked this :D
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to hear what you think of this one, Carina!
DeleteLovely review Pili, I enjoyed this one too, I couldn't identify a lot of them but you cleared things up for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeanne! Glad that I could help you identifying some of the tales!
DeleteI hope you'll check it out, Aman!
ReplyDeleteSome fairy tales were compiled from their oral versions into the written ones a few centuries back by the brothers Grim, and the version that we now know are based on those.