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el_wheel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The Key: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked the writing, and the psychic bit was really interesting, but the ending seemed super abrupt and just felt like it let the rest of the story down honestly. There was just a lot of build-up for not too much payout.
Figment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This was cute. The writing was good. It didn't put me at the edge of my seat or sweep me off my feet or anything like I was expecting given the title "Grim" and the promise of grim retellings, but it was sweet, if a little bitterly so, and I liked how it ended, so I truly can't find it in myself to dislike it as a story.
The Twelfth Girl: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Honestly, it was really good. Just the right amount explained versus kept vague for it to be mysterious and intriguing. I like the hints at the end of what (I believe anyway) actually happened to Harley. I also like the idea overall, and I liked the ending. It felt fitting for the story. The only thing I can critique is that I want to know more about the man who appears to Liz once or twice - who is he? What is he? I just have questions.
The Raven Princess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This was really sweet. I liked the writing well enough, and I liked the main character. For a good bit of it, I'll admit, I thought it would be the original tale in a different font, but I actually really liked the ending. It seemed really fitting, maybe more so than the original, and I liked that twist on the original.
Thinner Than Water: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gods, this was horrifying to read. (And also triggering so be warned future readers.) The author did her job well because I really felt the same horror and disgust as her main character. Her writing is phenomenal, and so is her characterization. I really liked the fact that princess saves herself instead of fleeing and marrying a prince. I also loved the ending, especially the last line, because the revenge and female rage are just so palpable. Also, I love that the king gets a proper punishment rather than just getting to remarry a different woman like in the original tale because honestly, it's what he truly deserves.
Before the Rose Bloomed: ⭐️⭐️1/2
I love Ellen Hopkins and her writing, but I felt like I was missing something in this story. The inclusion of the demons and angels was interesting, but I also tend not to like things with such religious under(really over)tones. (Honestly, that's just personal preference, so I can't exactly hold it against her, but it also didn't help my feelings on the story as a whole.) On another note, it doesn't seem like our main character really does anything? She just sort of,,, happens upon people (or animals) that are willing to help her, and that's the only reason she makes any progress. I get its a sort of "her love is so pure it causes strangers to be moved to tears and help" thing but that doesn't really create a compelling story and I'd have liked it if her charactization was pushed further than "she loves this boy and must find him". I also kind of wish the Snow Queen got more of a spotlight just for a change of pace. Maybe that's just me, I don't know. But I was honestly kind of sad for her at the end, that her curse was assumedly still unbroken, and she was just left to hope it would be broken someday. (Not to mention that the curse was put on her by a man who was mad she wouldn't marry him.) So yeah, it's not a bad story, but it is rather mid for me, and also doesn't feel like a true retelling.
Beast/Beast: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked this retelling a lot. I like Tessa Gratton's work and her way with words. This was very much a simple retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but I liked what changed. I liked Beauty as a character, and I also liked Beast. I liked the design of him as an amalgamation of nature. I loved their chemistry. It felt natural when she eventually realized she did love him. I actually liked the ending - she loved him regardless of whether he changed or not, and that was really sweet, and I think it fits the 'moral' of the story better than him changing with her love. She truly accepted him.
The Brothers Piggett: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It's one of my favorites. This is the grim, gruesome horror I was longing for from this collection. The pacing was amazing, the writing was excellent, and the twists were great (honestly, even the ones I could guess ahead of time). It was everything I was hoping and more honestly. I loved the twist on the original so much.
Untethered: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gods, that was sad. Sad but also so good. The twist caught me pleasantly by surprise. I enjoyed the writing and the characters. It was short, but it still felt complete.
Better: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. All I can say is this tore me to pieces, and I loved every second of it. It was beautifully written and heart-wrenching. I loved Pip, I loved Levi, and I loved them even more together. This is the only story to make me cry. I would've loved a longer version of it, but it also felt whole, as short stories go. I love the message about what it really means to be real and to be human. The ending was so bittersweet. It was also eerie, in its own way. I understand why they did what they did, and I agree in a way, but its also so, so brutal and kind of horrifying when you really face it head-on. I will also say I didn't see it as a retelling of the Pied Piper so much as Pinocchio, but I loved it regardless.
Light It Up: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great horror/true crime-esque story. Truly horrifying and disgusting. I loved the modern twist on the original. It fit well into the length it was given, and I enjoyed the writing. I blew through this one and was left satisfied but also wanting more. This is probably one of my favorites overall from the entire collection. My only criticism is there is a section where a character is described by comparison to basketball players - if you've read it, you know exactly what I'm talking about - and it is,,, off-putting and seemed like an unnecessary description to be had.
Sharper Than a Serpent's Tongue: ⭐️⭐️
The writing wasn't bad. The story was just odd. Its pacing was a little off, and the ending seemed abrupt. That and I felt like the,,, incident,,, which led to each sister's "gift" was entirely unnecessary. I also don't like how it was handled in the slightest. That whole plot point and how it was handled felt like r*pist apologist propaganda, and I was not here for it at all. That and it could've been anything, any reason, but that was what was chosen, and that just rubs me the wrong way. It set a bad tone for the entire story, in my opinion. Also, I couldn't get a good gauge for any of the relationships in the book, in all honesty. I didn't connect with any of them in any sort of meaningful way, either.
A Real Boy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adorable. Amazing. I loved it. They're so sweet together. The chemistry is there. I loved watching them fall in love. I loved the characters. The ending was sweet. Honestly, I have no notes. Even though this was definitely a romance rather than a horror, I have to love it cause they're just so darn sweet.
Skin Trade: ⭐️⭐️
That was weird. Okay writing, interesting take I suppose. I'm not entirely sure if the dudes are supposed to be anything other than serial killers? That didn't make sense to me. The ending was also a little weird. I don't know, I guess I just didn't vibe with it. It was kind of choppy, and there wasn't a lot of plot. I don't understand why there was a "love story" plot line. The characters had no real chemistry and no time to really build any. Mostly, the whole story just seemed like sex appeal and violence. Just not for me.
Beauty and the Chad: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'll say the style was off-putting at first, but it grew on me. It was charming and funny. I came to love Chad and Beauty, and I enjoyed the growth as they realized where their sexuality and gender, respectively, lay. It was a very fun take on Beauty and the Beast, and I loved that Beauty had so much control in this situation. I also loved the commentary that came with the way the story was adapted.
The Pink: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This was cute. I liked the retelling, though I wished it had more of its own flair to it. It felt about the same as the original. The couple was sweet, but I also felt like there wasn't quite enough time to get attached. Overall, I did like the writing, though.
Sell Out: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked it. It was very different from the original Snow White, and it was great because of that. I liked that it was from the "prince's" point of view. I liked the twist. I wish we'd gotten to see more of Snow. I wish it was longer. But it was still good for what it was.
Overall it was a pretty good anthology. However, it wasn't as "grim" as I had hoped and feel I was promised. There was less horror than I anticipated. I also don't appreciate how much sexual assault there is. In two out of the three stories it's in I don't at all understand why it was put there. It felt unnecessary and it added nothing to the stories. My only exception is for the adaptation of Donkey Skin, since you can't really easily navigate around the fact that that is a big plot point in the original tale. The other two, however, I am giving a major side eye for the inclusion.
I liked the writing, and the psychic bit was really interesting, but the ending seemed super abrupt and just felt like it let the rest of the story down honestly. There was just a lot of build-up for not too much payout.
Figment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This was cute. The writing was good. It didn't put me at the edge of my seat or sweep me off my feet or anything like I was expecting given the title "Grim" and the promise of grim retellings, but it was sweet, if a little bitterly so, and I liked how it ended, so I truly can't find it in myself to dislike it as a story.
The Twelfth Girl: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Honestly, it was really good. Just the right amount explained versus kept vague for it to be mysterious and intriguing. I like the hints at the end of what (I believe anyway) actually happened to Harley. I also like the idea overall, and I liked the ending. It felt fitting for the story. The only thing I can critique is that I want to know more about the man who appears to Liz once or twice - who is he? What is he? I just have questions.
The Raven Princess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This was really sweet. I liked the writing well enough, and I liked the main character. For a good bit of it, I'll admit, I thought it would be the original tale in a different font, but I actually really liked the ending. It seemed really fitting, maybe more so than the original, and I liked that twist on the original.
Thinner Than Water: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gods, this was horrifying to read. (And also triggering so be warned future readers.) The author did her job well because I really felt the same horror and disgust as her main character. Her writing is phenomenal, and so is her characterization. I really liked the fact that princess saves herself instead of fleeing and marrying a prince. I also loved the ending, especially the last line, because the revenge and female rage are just so palpable. Also, I love that the king gets a proper punishment rather than just getting to remarry a different woman like in the original tale because honestly, it's what he truly deserves.
Before the Rose Bloomed: ⭐️⭐️1/2
I love Ellen Hopkins and her writing, but I felt like I was missing something in this story. The inclusion of the demons and angels was interesting, but I also tend not to like things with such religious under(really over)tones. (Honestly, that's just personal preference, so I can't exactly hold it against her, but it also didn't help my feelings on the story as a whole.) On another note, it doesn't seem like our main character really does anything? She just sort of,,, happens upon people (or animals) that are willing to help her, and that's the only reason she makes any progress. I get its a sort of "her love is so pure it causes strangers to be moved to tears and help" thing but that doesn't really create a compelling story and I'd have liked it if her charactization was pushed further than "she loves this boy and must find him". I also kind of wish the Snow Queen got more of a spotlight just for a change of pace. Maybe that's just me, I don't know. But I was honestly kind of sad for her at the end, that her curse was assumedly still unbroken, and she was just left to hope it would be broken someday. (Not to mention that the curse was put on her by a man who was mad she wouldn't marry him.) So yeah, it's not a bad story, but it is rather mid for me, and also doesn't feel like a true retelling.
Beast/Beast: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked this retelling a lot. I like Tessa Gratton's work and her way with words. This was very much a simple retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but I liked what changed. I liked Beauty as a character, and I also liked Beast. I liked the design of him as an amalgamation of nature. I loved their chemistry. It felt natural when she eventually realized she did love him. I actually liked the ending - she loved him regardless of whether he changed or not, and that was really sweet, and I think it fits the 'moral' of the story better than him changing with her love. She truly accepted him.
The Brothers Piggett: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It's one of my favorites. This is the grim, gruesome horror I was longing for from this collection. The pacing was amazing, the writing was excellent, and the twists were great (honestly, even the ones I could guess ahead of time). It was everything I was hoping and more honestly. I loved the twist on the original so much.
Untethered: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gods, that was sad. Sad but also so good. The twist caught me pleasantly by surprise. I enjoyed the writing and the characters. It was short, but it still felt complete.
Better: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. All I can say is this tore me to pieces, and I loved every second of it. It was beautifully written and heart-wrenching. I loved Pip, I loved Levi, and I loved them even more together. This is the only story to make me cry. I would've loved a longer version of it, but it also felt whole, as short stories go. I love the message about what it really means to be real and to be human. The ending was so bittersweet. It was also eerie, in its own way. I understand why they did what they did, and I agree in a way, but its also so, so brutal and kind of horrifying when you really face it head-on. I will also say I didn't see it as a retelling of the Pied Piper so much as Pinocchio, but I loved it regardless.
Light It Up: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great horror/true crime-esque story. Truly horrifying and disgusting. I loved the modern twist on the original. It fit well into the length it was given, and I enjoyed the writing. I blew through this one and was left satisfied but also wanting more. This is probably one of my favorites overall from the entire collection. My only criticism is there is a section where a character is described by comparison to basketball players - if you've read it, you know exactly what I'm talking about - and it is,,, off-putting and seemed like an unnecessary description to be had.
Sharper Than a Serpent's Tongue: ⭐️⭐️
The writing wasn't bad. The story was just odd. Its pacing was a little off, and the ending seemed abrupt. That and I felt like the,,, incident,,, which led to each sister's "gift" was entirely unnecessary. I also don't like how it was handled in the slightest. That whole plot point and how it was handled felt like r*pist apologist propaganda, and I was not here for it at all. That and it could've been anything, any reason, but that was what was chosen, and that just rubs me the wrong way. It set a bad tone for the entire story, in my opinion. Also, I couldn't get a good gauge for any of the relationships in the book, in all honesty. I didn't connect with any of them in any sort of meaningful way, either.
A Real Boy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adorable. Amazing. I loved it. They're so sweet together. The chemistry is there. I loved watching them fall in love. I loved the characters. The ending was sweet. Honestly, I have no notes. Even though this was definitely a romance rather than a horror, I have to love it cause they're just so darn sweet.
Skin Trade: ⭐️⭐️
That was weird. Okay writing, interesting take I suppose. I'm not entirely sure if the dudes are supposed to be anything other than serial killers? That didn't make sense to me. The ending was also a little weird. I don't know, I guess I just didn't vibe with it. It was kind of choppy, and there wasn't a lot of plot. I don't understand why there was a "love story" plot line. The characters had no real chemistry and no time to really build any. Mostly, the whole story just seemed like sex appeal and violence. Just not for me.
Beauty and the Chad: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'll say the style was off-putting at first, but it grew on me. It was charming and funny. I came to love Chad and Beauty, and I enjoyed the growth as they realized where their sexuality and gender, respectively, lay. It was a very fun take on Beauty and the Beast, and I loved that Beauty had so much control in this situation. I also loved the commentary that came with the way the story was adapted.
The Pink: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This was cute. I liked the retelling, though I wished it had more of its own flair to it. It felt about the same as the original. The couple was sweet, but I also felt like there wasn't quite enough time to get attached. Overall, I did like the writing, though.
Sell Out: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked it. It was very different from the original Snow White, and it was great because of that. I liked that it was from the "prince's" point of view. I liked the twist. I wish we'd gotten to see more of Snow. I wish it was longer. But it was still good for what it was.
Overall it was a pretty good anthology. However, it wasn't as "grim" as I had hoped and feel I was promised. There was less horror than I anticipated. I also don't appreciate how much sexual assault there is. In two out of the three stories it's in I don't at all understand why it was put there. It felt unnecessary and it added nothing to the stories. My only exception is for the adaptation of Donkey Skin, since you can't really easily navigate around the fact that that is a big plot point in the original tale. The other two, however, I am giving a major side eye for the inclusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Incest, Alcoholism, Blood, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
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