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xoxosafeeya's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sam_hartwig's review
3.0
This is a re-telling of 'Hansel & Gretel'. It's also a companion novel to 'Sister's Red' which is a re-telling of 'Little Red riding hood'. Jackson Pearce has weaved an interesting tale of romance, intrigue & horror. It was a different take on the old tale of 'Hansel & Gretel', a brother (Ansel) and his sister (Gretchen) are kicked out by their stepmother when their father dies. On their way to the ocean their car breaks down near a town called Live Oak, where they meet a woman named Sophia who runs a chocolatier which seems almost magical. They also run into a guy named Samuel who tells Gretchen to stay away from Sophia because rumor has it she makes young women disappear... I enjoyed reading this (not as much as 'Sister's Red') but it was still good. It's interesting how 'Sweetly' has something in common with 'Sister's Red' which I won't give away but I had an "oh ok, cool!!" moment. The plot became a little bit predictable but the ending was really graphic and I loved it!! Filled with lots of twists & turns and a little bit of swoon thrown in can make a sweet mixture.
misspippireads's review
3.0
There is a witch in the woods. The witch took Gretchen's twin sister. Her family was never the same. As soon as Gretchen and her older brother, Ansel, could leave their stepmother, they left for a roadtrip across the United States. Unfortunately, they only made it Live Oak, South Carolina. They earn some money working for the chocolateir, but something in the woods is still out there that haunts Gretchen. Maybe, mysterious Samuel Reynolds can help?
Sweetly is a companion novel to Sisters Red. You can easily pickup this novel and read it before Sisters Red, but if you want a backstory to read Sisteres Red first.
Pearce takes the story of Hansel and Gretal and adds the twist of Fenris. A Reynolds woodcutter is also seen in this novel. The disappearance of girls is understood with the previous book knowledge. But the new twist of a witch is very intriquing to read and understand as barganing is thrown into the fairy tale. Thses dark fairytales are very intriguing and I can't put them down once I begin. I look forward to Pearce's next installment.
Reviewed from a library copy.
Sweetly is a companion novel to Sisters Red. You can easily pickup this novel and read it before Sisters Red, but if you want a backstory to read Sisteres Red first.
Pearce takes the story of Hansel and Gretal and adds the twist of Fenris. A Reynolds woodcutter is also seen in this novel. The disappearance of girls is understood with the previous book knowledge. But the new twist of a witch is very intriquing to read and understand as barganing is thrown into the fairy tale. Thses dark fairytales are very intriguing and I can't put them down once I begin. I look forward to Pearce's next installment.
Reviewed from a library copy.
stephie_reads's review
2.0
I liked Sisters Red better. This had a good premise but took too long to get to the point.
books4susie's review
5.0
“Not everything is as sweet as it appears …”
As small children, Ansel, Gretchen and her twin sister venture further in the woods behind their house than they ever have before looking for the witch from a story they had read. Ansel didn’t believe in witches but his twin sisters did. When they realize that they are not alone. They take off running hand-in-hand. When Gretchen dares to look behind her, all she sees are yellow eyes. The three drop hands to run faster. As they reach their house panting, their parents scream, “Where is your sister?”
Twelve years have passed and Ansel is nineteen and Gretchen has just turned eighteen. Both of their parents have died and their step-mother tells them she no longer has an obligation to keep them on. With their meager belongings packed in the car, Ansel and Gretchen leave Washington State and head across the country to Folly’s Island, South Carolina. Unfortunately, their car breaks down just shy of their final destination in Live Oak. A town that is slowly dwindling, Ansel and Gretchen stick out like two sore thumbs. They soon have the pity of a kindly gentleman, Jed, who knows of someone in need of a handyman. Sophia Kelly is the town’s chocolatier who lives on the outskirts at the edge of the forest. Jed offers to take them to Miss Kelly’s place but not before a young man with green eyes comments, “Stay as far away from her as you can.”
Upon arriving at the candy shop, Gretchen sees that it looks like a gingerbread house, straight out of her imagination. Jed starts talking about it begin a spell and then she smells it, that sweet vanilla scent that makes Gretchen and Ansel think of their mother and lose all of their cares. It turns out that Sophia Kelly is a young, beautiful girl and Ansel is immediately smitten. While Ansel is working on the checklist, Gretchen follows Sophia into the candy kitchen where she tries Miss Kelly’s specialty and immediately gets an excitement rush. Soon Gretchen is spilling her guts and they tell each other their life stories. At the end of the day, Sophia invites Ansel and Gretchen to stay the night since they really have nowhere else to go. They reluctantly agree and before Gretchen can fall asleep, the warning of the green eyed young man echoes in her mind, “Stay away from her.”
Soon days turn into weeks and Ansel and Gretchen make new lives for themselves in Live Oak with Sophia Kelly. As Gretchen helps Sophia prepare for her annual chocolate festival for the young girls of the town, she begins to hear rumors of the young girls who have gone missing after Sophia’s festivals. The townspeople believe she talks them into leaving town. Ansel works up the courage to ask Sophia on a date and Gretchen offers to leave the house so that they can be alone. She reads on the front porch for a while before working up the courage to venture into the woods for a walk. She takes Sophia’s dog with her and soon they come across a creek. When Luxe cowers behind Gretchen and growls, she sees a man on the other side of the creek. She notices he has yellow eyes, she takes off running. He gives chase but she cannot tell at times if a man is chasing her or a large animal. When she escapes the woods, she turns and sees that a monster is now chasing her. As she is running down the road trying to escape, a shot rings out. Gretchen sees a real man standing over the body as it explodes to dust and disappears. He raises his gun at her and asks “Who are you?”
It turns out it is the green-eyed boy who gave her the warning about Sophia. He tells her that his name is Samuel Reynolds and that Gretchen’s witch is really a werewolf or Fenris. He is surprised when Gretchen tells him that one took her sister and she realizes the Fenris are responsible for the town’s missing girls. Samuel insists that Sophia is the only witch around but she disagrees. He retorts by saying remember that I warned you.
Who or what is Sophia Kelly? What has happened to the girls of Live oak? Who is Samuel Reynolds, town lunatic or Gretchen’s savior? Can Gretchen solve the mystery of the town’s missing girls before she becomes the next victim?
Join Jackson Pearce as she retells the classic fairy tale of “Hansel and Gretel”, her way. Sweetly is a companion book to Sisters Red. This is NOT a sequel but readers of Sisters Red will see notice where some previous knowledge is slipped in.
As small children, Ansel, Gretchen and her twin sister venture further in the woods behind their house than they ever have before looking for the witch from a story they had read. Ansel didn’t believe in witches but his twin sisters did. When they realize that they are not alone. They take off running hand-in-hand. When Gretchen dares to look behind her, all she sees are yellow eyes. The three drop hands to run faster. As they reach their house panting, their parents scream, “Where is your sister?”
Twelve years have passed and Ansel is nineteen and Gretchen has just turned eighteen. Both of their parents have died and their step-mother tells them she no longer has an obligation to keep them on. With their meager belongings packed in the car, Ansel and Gretchen leave Washington State and head across the country to Folly’s Island, South Carolina. Unfortunately, their car breaks down just shy of their final destination in Live Oak. A town that is slowly dwindling, Ansel and Gretchen stick out like two sore thumbs. They soon have the pity of a kindly gentleman, Jed, who knows of someone in need of a handyman. Sophia Kelly is the town’s chocolatier who lives on the outskirts at the edge of the forest. Jed offers to take them to Miss Kelly’s place but not before a young man with green eyes comments, “Stay as far away from her as you can.”
Upon arriving at the candy shop, Gretchen sees that it looks like a gingerbread house, straight out of her imagination. Jed starts talking about it begin a spell and then she smells it, that sweet vanilla scent that makes Gretchen and Ansel think of their mother and lose all of their cares. It turns out that Sophia Kelly is a young, beautiful girl and Ansel is immediately smitten. While Ansel is working on the checklist, Gretchen follows Sophia into the candy kitchen where she tries Miss Kelly’s specialty and immediately gets an excitement rush. Soon Gretchen is spilling her guts and they tell each other their life stories. At the end of the day, Sophia invites Ansel and Gretchen to stay the night since they really have nowhere else to go. They reluctantly agree and before Gretchen can fall asleep, the warning of the green eyed young man echoes in her mind, “Stay away from her.”
Soon days turn into weeks and Ansel and Gretchen make new lives for themselves in Live Oak with Sophia Kelly. As Gretchen helps Sophia prepare for her annual chocolate festival for the young girls of the town, she begins to hear rumors of the young girls who have gone missing after Sophia’s festivals. The townspeople believe she talks them into leaving town. Ansel works up the courage to ask Sophia on a date and Gretchen offers to leave the house so that they can be alone. She reads on the front porch for a while before working up the courage to venture into the woods for a walk. She takes Sophia’s dog with her and soon they come across a creek. When Luxe cowers behind Gretchen and growls, she sees a man on the other side of the creek. She notices he has yellow eyes, she takes off running. He gives chase but she cannot tell at times if a man is chasing her or a large animal. When she escapes the woods, she turns and sees that a monster is now chasing her. As she is running down the road trying to escape, a shot rings out. Gretchen sees a real man standing over the body as it explodes to dust and disappears. He raises his gun at her and asks “Who are you?”
It turns out it is the green-eyed boy who gave her the warning about Sophia. He tells her that his name is Samuel Reynolds and that Gretchen’s witch is really a werewolf or Fenris. He is surprised when Gretchen tells him that one took her sister and she realizes the Fenris are responsible for the town’s missing girls. Samuel insists that Sophia is the only witch around but she disagrees. He retorts by saying remember that I warned you.
Who or what is Sophia Kelly? What has happened to the girls of Live oak? Who is Samuel Reynolds, town lunatic or Gretchen’s savior? Can Gretchen solve the mystery of the town’s missing girls before she becomes the next victim?
Join Jackson Pearce as she retells the classic fairy tale of “Hansel and Gretel”, her way. Sweetly is a companion book to Sisters Red. This is NOT a sequel but readers of Sisters Red will see notice where some previous knowledge is slipped in.
missbookiverse's review against another edition
5.0
Liebes Sweetly,
wir trafen uns an einem sonnigen Wochenende Ende Februar und verbrachten zwei wundervolle Tage auf unserer saubequemen, neuen Couch und auch ein bisschen Zeit am Vormittag im Bett während A. noch schlief und träumte.
Du hast mit deinen beiden roten Schwestern einiges gemeinsam, aber ich finde dich auch allein ganz fantastisch. Genau wie deine Schwestern beginnst du mit einem gruseligen Prolog, einige eurer Figuren teilen sich den Familiennamen und auch sonst hab ich in dir einiges gefunden, dass ich in [b:Sisters Red|6357708|Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings, #1)|Jackson Pearce|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1291052720s/6357708.jpg|6544454] schon mal gesehen habe.
Euch alle verbindet vor allem das Geschwistersein. Während Rosie und Scarlet sich nur wie Zwillinge fühlen, hast du sogar einen echten zu bieten, nämlich Gretchen. Die hat außerdem noch einen großen Bruder namens Ansel. Du hast mir immer wieder erzählt wie nahe Gretchen und Ansel sich stehen, wie eng sie das Verschwinden ihrer Schwester zusammengeschweißt hat. Leider hab ich dir das nicht ganz abgenommen. Du hast mir kaum Momente zwischen Ansel und Gretchen gezeigt, mir immer nur vorgeschwafelt wie nahe die beiden sich angeblich stehen. Ansel hast du mir generell nicht näher vorstellen wollen, ich vermute du wolltest ihn lieber für dich behalten. Zum Glück hast du ja Gretchen und Sophia mit mir geteilt. Während Sophia die meiste Zeit ein spannendes, gefühlszerrissenes Rätsel bleibt, konnte ich Gretchens Gedanken immer direkt mitverfolgen. Danke dafür, ich mag die beiden wirklich gern, weil sie so vielseitig und unperfekt sind.
Jackson Pearce hat es mit dir wirklich gut gemeint und all ihr Können erneut gesteigert. Deine schwüle, düstere Atmosphäre hat mich eingefangen wie Honig eine Fliege. Die Hitze und der süßliche Geruch der Schokolaterie haben mich genau wie Gretchen eingelullt. Du beschreibst alles so treffend und verfällst auch in romantischen Szenen niemals dem Kitsch. Ich könnte keinen einzelnen Satz aus dir zitieren, es ist der Gesamteindruck und die Atmosphäre, die du mit all deinen Worten erzeugst, egal ob romantisch, lecker-verführerisch, mysteriös, einfühlsam, actionreich oder richtig gruselig.
Obwohl Hänsel und Gretel dein großes Vorbild sind, hast du mich nie mit altbekannten Handlungssträngen geknebelt. Stattdessen begnügst du dich mit kunstvollen Parallelen. Über die Szene, in der Sophia Ansel hilft seinen Ring vom Finger zu zerren, musste ich sehr schmunzeln. Oder die Situation, in der Ansel im Schuppen eingesperrt wird. Nicht zu vergesen natürlich das Motiv des Unheil verkündenden Süßigkeitenhauses im düsteren Wald.
Trotz deiner unheimlichen, mysteriösen Stimmung hat Gretchen dein Hexen-Rätsel relativ schnell aufgelöst. Leider hat mich die Enthüllung enttäuscht, ich hatte auf ein originelleres Grauen gehofft. Zum Glück haben die Hexen-Szenen dadurch nichts von ihrer Schaurigkeit eingebüßt.
Die volle Punktzahl hättest du von mir bekommen, wenn ich am Ende nicht das Gefühl gehabt hätte, dass du mir noch was verschweigst.
In Liebe,
Infinite Playlist
PS. Ich hoffe, ich habe deinetwegen nicht zugenommen. Es ist ja unverschämt wieviel hingebungsvolle Schokoladenkreationen du mir verabreicht hast!
wir trafen uns an einem sonnigen Wochenende Ende Februar und verbrachten zwei wundervolle Tage auf unserer saubequemen, neuen Couch und auch ein bisschen Zeit am Vormittag im Bett während A. noch schlief und träumte.
Du hast mit deinen beiden roten Schwestern einiges gemeinsam, aber ich finde dich auch allein ganz fantastisch. Genau wie deine Schwestern beginnst du mit einem gruseligen Prolog, einige eurer Figuren teilen sich den Familiennamen und auch sonst hab ich in dir einiges gefunden, dass ich in [b:Sisters Red|6357708|Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings, #1)|Jackson Pearce|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1291052720s/6357708.jpg|6544454] schon mal gesehen habe.
Euch alle verbindet vor allem das Geschwistersein. Während Rosie und Scarlet sich nur wie Zwillinge fühlen, hast du sogar einen echten zu bieten, nämlich Gretchen. Die hat außerdem noch einen großen Bruder namens Ansel. Du hast mir immer wieder erzählt wie nahe Gretchen und Ansel sich stehen, wie eng sie das Verschwinden ihrer Schwester zusammengeschweißt hat. Leider hab ich dir das nicht ganz abgenommen. Du hast mir kaum Momente zwischen Ansel und Gretchen gezeigt, mir immer nur vorgeschwafelt wie nahe die beiden sich angeblich stehen. Ansel hast du mir generell nicht näher vorstellen wollen, ich vermute du wolltest ihn lieber für dich behalten. Zum Glück hast du ja Gretchen und Sophia mit mir geteilt. Während Sophia die meiste Zeit ein spannendes, gefühlszerrissenes Rätsel bleibt, konnte ich Gretchens Gedanken immer direkt mitverfolgen. Danke dafür, ich mag die beiden wirklich gern, weil sie so vielseitig und unperfekt sind.
Jackson Pearce hat es mit dir wirklich gut gemeint und all ihr Können erneut gesteigert. Deine schwüle, düstere Atmosphäre hat mich eingefangen wie Honig eine Fliege. Die Hitze und der süßliche Geruch der Schokolaterie haben mich genau wie Gretchen eingelullt. Du beschreibst alles so treffend und verfällst auch in romantischen Szenen niemals dem Kitsch. Ich könnte keinen einzelnen Satz aus dir zitieren, es ist der Gesamteindruck und die Atmosphäre, die du mit all deinen Worten erzeugst, egal ob romantisch, lecker-verführerisch, mysteriös, einfühlsam, actionreich oder richtig gruselig.
Obwohl Hänsel und Gretel dein großes Vorbild sind, hast du mich nie mit altbekannten Handlungssträngen geknebelt. Stattdessen begnügst du dich mit kunstvollen Parallelen. Über die Szene, in der Sophia Ansel hilft seinen Ring vom Finger zu zerren, musste ich sehr schmunzeln. Oder die Situation, in der Ansel im Schuppen eingesperrt wird. Nicht zu vergesen natürlich das Motiv des Unheil verkündenden Süßigkeitenhauses im düsteren Wald.
Trotz deiner unheimlichen, mysteriösen Stimmung hat Gretchen dein Hexen-Rätsel relativ schnell aufgelöst. Leider hat mich die Enthüllung enttäuscht, ich hatte auf ein originelleres Grauen gehofft. Zum Glück haben die Hexen-Szenen dadurch nichts von ihrer Schaurigkeit eingebüßt.
Die volle Punktzahl hättest du von mir bekommen, wenn ich am Ende nicht das Gefühl gehabt hätte, dass du mir noch was verschweigst.
Spoiler
Was ist zum Beispiel mit Naida? Lebt sie noch? Ist sie ein Fenris? Oder ein meerjungfrauenartiges Wesen, dem wir womöglich erst in deinem Geschwisterkind namens [b:Fathomless|11985913|Fathomless (Fairytale Retellings, #3)|Jackson Pearce|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1336153473s/11985913.jpg|16949549] begegnen werden? Genug Andeutungen auf soetwas gab es ja...In Liebe,
Infinite Playlist
PS. Ich hoffe, ich habe deinetwegen nicht zugenommen. Es ist ja unverschämt wieviel hingebungsvolle Schokoladenkreationen du mir verabreicht hast!
ameserole's review
4.0
This series is so freaking good!
Sweetly is a Hansel and Gretel retelling! I don't think I've read a Hansel and Gretel kind of book so I was really intrigued by this one. So in this book, Gretchen and her brother Ansel are kicked out of their stepmother's house. However, this is no ordinary story of these two siblings. No- Gretchen had a twin sister who was mysteriously taken. Also, their parents died.. just make that even more miserable for you.
So Gretchen and Ansel drive to a faraway town that doesn't like outsiders. They thought it was perfect for them - especially when Ansel got a job at the local bakery. Of course, their happiness doesn't last long because Gretchen believes that the witch who took her sister is back. With the help of Samuel, who is one of the town's outcast, Gretchen can hopefully face her fear.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. This series seems amazing to me right now (it could be the wine or the food..but I'm enjoying it nonetheless!). I can't wait for the next book!
Sweetly is a Hansel and Gretel retelling! I don't think I've read a Hansel and Gretel kind of book so I was really intrigued by this one. So in this book, Gretchen and her brother Ansel are kicked out of their stepmother's house. However, this is no ordinary story of these two siblings. No- Gretchen had a twin sister who was mysteriously taken. Also, their parents died.. just make that even more miserable for you.
So Gretchen and Ansel drive to a faraway town that doesn't like outsiders. They thought it was perfect for them - especially when Ansel got a job at the local bakery. Of course, their happiness doesn't last long because Gretchen believes that the witch who took her sister is back. With the help of Samuel, who is one of the town's outcast, Gretchen can hopefully face her fear.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. This series seems amazing to me right now (it could be the wine or the food..but I'm enjoying it nonetheless!). I can't wait for the next book!
kennam94's review
5.0
Before writing this little blurb, I was racking my brain for all the possibilities as to why this isn't a 5 star book. Eventually, I just gave in. There is not a single bad thing to say about this fairy tale retelling.
Now I'm not gonna say it's a deep book with a lot of meaning, and fully developed characters. It is however, extremely enjoyable, and takes you on a mysterious ride.
If you have read this book, you will know that the ending is amazing and unpredictable. Even though it's based on a fairy tale, Jackson Pearce adds her own unique twists to it, that make unanswered questions, non-guessable.
Overall, I loved it, and I can't wait to read more.
Now I'm not gonna say it's a deep book with a lot of meaning, and fully developed characters. It is however, extremely enjoyable, and takes you on a mysterious ride.
If you have read this book, you will know that the ending is amazing and unpredictable. Even though it's based on a fairy tale, Jackson Pearce adds her own unique twists to it, that make unanswered questions, non-guessable.
Overall, I loved it, and I can't wait to read more.
audreychamaine's review
3.0
When they were young, Gretchen and Ansel were out in the forest with Gretchen's twin sister when Gretchen's twin was snatched away. Gretchen remembers intense fear as the red-eyed "witch" took her sister. Ever since then Gretchen and Ansel have been dealing with the guilt of having lost her, and their family fell apart because of the tragedy. With both parents now dead, their step-mother has kicked them out, and they wander lost. That is, until they stumble upon a small town and the sweet, beautiful Sophia who runs the chocolatier candy house where they begin to stay. The town has a dark secret, though--teen girls have been disappearing after going to Sophia's chocolate festival, and town residents suspect Sophia has had a part in it. Ansel and Gretchen may be in danger, and it is up to Gretchen to get over her past tragedy and do something before more young lives are lost.
If you can't tell from the above plot description, Sweetly is a modern-day retelling of Hansel and Gretel. Just as she did in Sisters Red, Pearce has transformed the fairy tale into a gritty fantasy set in the modern world. While Sweetly isn't a sequel to Sisters Red, it does seem to take place in the same universe, within the same mythology, and acts as a companion book.
Of the two books, I enjoyed Sweetly more. I was able to relate to Gretchen's guilt and concern, but also loved seeing her grow as a person. Gretchen goes from being a victim to a person of action, a heroine who risks her own life to save others. At the same time, we spend the entire story wondering if we're supposed to like Sophia or fear her. There's definitely a mystery that surrounds her, and while I wish it would have unfolded a bit more quickly, it was nice to be kept guessing whether or not she was good or the evil witch in the candy cottage.
Speaking of candy, this story was dripping with it. Reading the descriptions of things like candied lemon peels and chocolate covered orange slices made me drool with longing. It was great fun to read about, but if I gained weight while reading, I blame Jackson Pearce.
Sweetly was a fun rehashing of a familiar tale, made all the sweeter by the confectionery setting and dark tones.
If you can't tell from the above plot description, Sweetly is a modern-day retelling of Hansel and Gretel. Just as she did in Sisters Red, Pearce has transformed the fairy tale into a gritty fantasy set in the modern world. While Sweetly isn't a sequel to Sisters Red, it does seem to take place in the same universe, within the same mythology, and acts as a companion book.
Of the two books, I enjoyed Sweetly more. I was able to relate to Gretchen's guilt and concern, but also loved seeing her grow as a person. Gretchen goes from being a victim to a person of action, a heroine who risks her own life to save others. At the same time, we spend the entire story wondering if we're supposed to like Sophia or fear her. There's definitely a mystery that surrounds her, and while I wish it would have unfolded a bit more quickly, it was nice to be kept guessing whether or not she was good or the evil witch in the candy cottage.
Speaking of candy, this story was dripping with it. Reading the descriptions of things like candied lemon peels and chocolate covered orange slices made me drool with longing. It was great fun to read about, but if I gained weight while reading, I blame Jackson Pearce.
Sweetly was a fun rehashing of a familiar tale, made all the sweeter by the confectionery setting and dark tones.
fishgirl182's review
5.0
I admit that I had high expectations for Sweetly. Pearce's last book, Sisters Red, was eerie and dark and had me (figuratively) biting my nails. Full of turmoil and deep emotions, could her next book recapture the feeling without treading over the same ground?
Yes, indeed she could. Sweetly is roughly based on the Hansel and Gretel tale by the Grimm Brothers (whose notion of cannibalism always grossed me out). Sweetly's tale begins almost where the classic fairy tale ends, with Ansel, Gretchen and Gretchen's twin sister fleeing through the forest from an evil witch with yellow eyes. Not all of the children make it out of the forest though and Ansel and Gretchen are left with the guilt of losing their sister. While Ansel has convinced himself that their sister's disappearance was not the work of a witch, Gretchen has not. She's lived in fear since that day, haunted by the yellow eyes of the witch that took her sister and may be coming back for her. Even twelve years later, as she and Ansel make their way to a new city, she can't stop looking over her shoulder and staying away from the dark woods. She soon finds out that the witch in her nightmares is very real and may be closer than she thinks.
I really, really l liked this book. The characters were rich and complex. Most of the story is told from Gretchen's point of view and you can really sense the longing she has to belong and to become her own person instead of the other half of a missing girl. In finding herself, she learns to face her fears and confront the thing that's tormented her for most of her life. Even though the subject matter is quite dark, there are many funny and light moments. There's a bit of romance thrown in with the dark and brooding Samuel, who has a score to settle. And sweet, sweet Sophia, with her sugary confections and warm smiles but who has secrets of her own. The book is also filled with delicious descriptions of candies and sweets, which is an added bonus for a sugar addict like me.
All in all I thought this was a great read and I can't wait to see what Pearce does next.
Yes, indeed she could. Sweetly is roughly based on the Hansel and Gretel tale by the Grimm Brothers (whose notion of cannibalism always grossed me out). Sweetly's tale begins almost where the classic fairy tale ends, with Ansel, Gretchen and Gretchen's twin sister fleeing through the forest from an evil witch with yellow eyes. Not all of the children make it out of the forest though and Ansel and Gretchen are left with the guilt of losing their sister. While Ansel has convinced himself that their sister's disappearance was not the work of a witch, Gretchen has not. She's lived in fear since that day, haunted by the yellow eyes of the witch that took her sister and may be coming back for her. Even twelve years later, as she and Ansel make their way to a new city, she can't stop looking over her shoulder and staying away from the dark woods. She soon finds out that the witch in her nightmares is very real and may be closer than she thinks.
I really, really l liked this book. The characters were rich and complex. Most of the story is told from Gretchen's point of view and you can really sense the longing she has to belong and to become her own person instead of the other half of a missing girl. In finding herself, she learns to face her fears and confront the thing that's tormented her for most of her life. Even though the subject matter is quite dark, there are many funny and light moments. There's a bit of romance thrown in with the dark and brooding Samuel, who has a score to settle. And sweet, sweet Sophia, with her sugary confections and warm smiles but who has secrets of her own. The book is also filled with delicious descriptions of candies and sweets, which is an added bonus for a sugar addict like me.
All in all I thought this was a great read and I can't wait to see what Pearce does next.