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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
This was definitely a good book, but at the same time, it wasn't.
There was way too little action in this book. The first 250 pages said pretty much the same thing over and over again. It was interesting to read, though, and I also enjoyed it. But it wasn't great. Then after 280 pages I started to see the connections between the two stories, but it still didn't captivate me. ''Oh, okay. That was strange.'' was basically eveything I thought while reading this book. It didn't make me feel any kind of emotions to be honest.
Something I'm also a bit sad about is that I had guessed the plot twist correctly. At the beginning of the book I already thought 'Oh I bet that at the end of the story this and this turn out to be this and this.' and I was right. Of course I had not guessed all things, but I'm still guite disappointed about the plot twist. Especially because I don't really agree with how it was written (same goes for the characters).
This was a lot like my Deathless reading experience. The whole story made too little sense for me, it didn't make me feel any emotions and everything was just a bit nah. But unlike with Deathless, I did enjoy Gretel and the Dark.
There was way too little action in this book. The first 250 pages said pretty much the same thing over and over again. It was interesting to read, though, and I also enjoyed it. But it wasn't great. Then after 280 pages I started to see the connections between the two stories, but it still didn't captivate me. ''Oh, okay. That was strange.'' was basically eveything I thought while reading this book. It didn't make me feel any kind of emotions to be honest.
Something I'm also a bit sad about is that I had guessed the plot twist correctly. At the beginning of the book I already thought 'Oh I bet that at the end of the story this and this turn out to be this and this.' and I was right. Of course I had not guessed all things, but I'm still guite disappointed about the plot twist. Especially because I don't really agree with how it was written (same goes for the characters).
This was a lot like my Deathless reading experience. The whole story made too little sense for me, it didn't make me feel any emotions and everything was just a bit nah. But unlike with Deathless, I did enjoy Gretel and the Dark.
Another dream-like, fairy tale, horror story of World War II -- I seem to be drowning in them lately. I found this one to be both more horrible and more of a slog than most -- partially because of the subject matter, partially because I did not really like any of the characters. It's well enough, but it doesn't touch on the glory of Jane Yolen's Briar Rose -- a holocaust fairy tale that haunts me 15 years after reading it.
Dnf at 140/358 pages.
There is no storyline whatsoever and you'd think that at 140 pages it would be at least guessable, but no.
The characters are so incredibly awful that I am literally already rooting for the antagonist- whoever that may be because this f*cking Book is so damn slow (okay not really because I'd never root for Nazis but you get my point). I wanted to keep reading until I get to the point where it becomes a book about the Holocaust but honestly? Life is too damn short to waste it on books this bad.
Also, the writing is pretty nice at the beginning and then it just gets lost in the overall awfulness that is the characters and the missing storyline and the changing viewpoint which are so uninteresting, it really reminds me of Arcadia by Iain Pears (one of the worst books I have ever read but at least it taught me to finally just put a book down if I start thinking of setting it on fire).
I'm baffled by how many people think this book is amazing. Some said that it picks up in the late 200 pages but my question is: how to you get this far?!
The cover is gorgeous though so that's the one star for you.
There is no storyline whatsoever and you'd think that at 140 pages it would be at least guessable, but no.
The characters are so incredibly awful that I am literally already rooting for the antagonist- whoever that may be because this f*cking Book is so damn slow (okay not really because I'd never root for Nazis but you get my point). I wanted to keep reading until I get to the point where it becomes a book about the Holocaust but honestly? Life is too damn short to waste it on books this bad.
Also, the writing is pretty nice at the beginning and then it just gets lost in the overall awfulness that is the characters and the missing storyline and the changing viewpoint which are so uninteresting, it really reminds me of Arcadia by Iain Pears (one of the worst books I have ever read but at least it taught me to finally just put a book down if I start thinking of setting it on fire).
I'm baffled by how many people think this book is amazing. Some said that it picks up in the late 200 pages but my question is: how to you get this far?!
The cover is gorgeous though so that's the one star for you.
Firstly, I would like to mention that I listened to the audio and it was an amazing experience. Cassandra Campbell did a phenomenal job, and I was entranced throughout the story. For me this was a book about the power of stories. There are two main stories lines but within these are many backflashes and many fairytales shared with us. It is one of the darkest books I've read in a long time - I think almost all the evil men can do is showcased. Although I liked the ending, and I understand the need for the balance between the two stories, I definitely preferred the hauntingly beautiful writing in Krysta's section. I can't wait to read more by this author.
I found out about this book through Jen Campbell's BookTube channel. She recommended going into the book with as little information as possible so I bought it without reading the description and started reading it not knowing anything. I'm very happy I chose to do it this way and I think this is a great way to read this book. I was initially a little confused because the author gives so little information early on but she's saving it for just the right moment to get the greatest impact. I'm not going to go into any more detail than that. I definitely recommend this book and I particularly recommend it as one of those reads where you know nothing beforehand.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence
Don’t let my reading time put you off - this book can be easily devoured in a few days. Must admit, I didn’t know what I was getting into when I started the book but glad I stuck with the story until the end. Often dark but captivating in the way the two stories come together.
Review taken from my blog: https://lilypadblogs.wordpress.com/2015/03/18/review-gretel-and-the-dark-eliza-granville/
I bought this after watching Jen Campbell’s recommendation in her Fairytales video. It seemed right up my street: dark, gritty, and of course full of the fairytales that I so love. (And can we mention the cover? So lovely. So beautiful.)
And to an extent, I wasn’t disappointed. Granville’s writing is atmospheric and lovely. The characterisations of her characters – particularly little Krysta – are full and rich, with dialogue woven with hope and humour. And the ‘present’ setting in a psychiatric hospital was something that I particularly enjoyed, as well as Josef’s interaction with his ‘strange case’ patient, who claims to not even have a name, much less be of human origin.
However, I felt that a lot of the storytelling became muddled, and not a lot was made clear to me. Though the style was atmospheric, it was not as gripping as I’d hoped, and I found myself having to push on and read it at times, as if it was a chore. It really didn’t grasp me, and I finished the book feeling somewhat cheated of what could have been a brilliant fairytale adaptation.
If you enjoy fairytale retellings and fairytales set in more modern times, you might enjoy this. But it’s entirely up to your own tastes. Try it, and see what you think.
I bought this after watching Jen Campbell’s recommendation in her Fairytales video. It seemed right up my street: dark, gritty, and of course full of the fairytales that I so love. (And can we mention the cover? So lovely. So beautiful.)
And to an extent, I wasn’t disappointed. Granville’s writing is atmospheric and lovely. The characterisations of her characters – particularly little Krysta – are full and rich, with dialogue woven with hope and humour. And the ‘present’ setting in a psychiatric hospital was something that I particularly enjoyed, as well as Josef’s interaction with his ‘strange case’ patient, who claims to not even have a name, much less be of human origin.
However, I felt that a lot of the storytelling became muddled, and not a lot was made clear to me. Though the style was atmospheric, it was not as gripping as I’d hoped, and I found myself having to push on and read it at times, as if it was a chore. It really didn’t grasp me, and I finished the book feeling somewhat cheated of what could have been a brilliant fairytale adaptation.
If you enjoy fairytale retellings and fairytales set in more modern times, you might enjoy this. But it’s entirely up to your own tastes. Try it, and see what you think.
I could really not finish this book. Maybe I'll try again but for now I'm just not liking it.
I have been diving in and out of this book for a while just because I have been so busy...
But MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS the twist at the end just made the wait and the confusion so worth it!
Throughout it switches between Lilie's story and Krysta's and I just could not work out the significance. It had my empathising with both characters throughout as well as lovely Benjamin and Daniel! (We all need a Daniel in our lives!). But I did not guess the end or how it all comes together AT ALL. Granville does a brilliant job of distracting you from the truth by throwing magic in your face... you end up feeling exactly like Krysta; naive, innocent and almost completely oblivious to reality!
Nothing could have prepared me for how this ended. But it was a perfect tying together of the two stories and so perfectly crafted. Definitely a very clever psychological thriller!
The only reason this didn't get 5 stars is because there were certain points in the book where it got a little confused and distracted, I guess that was the nature of the story but I would have enjoyed more clues and suspense!
But MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS the twist at the end just made the wait and the confusion so worth it!
Throughout it switches between Lilie's story and Krysta's and I just could not work out the significance. It had my empathising with both characters throughout as well as lovely Benjamin and Daniel! (We all need a Daniel in our lives!). But I did not guess the end or how it all comes together AT ALL. Granville does a brilliant job of distracting you from the truth by throwing magic in your face... you end up feeling exactly like Krysta; naive, innocent and almost completely oblivious to reality!
Nothing could have prepared me for how this ended. But it was a perfect tying together of the two stories and so perfectly crafted. Definitely a very clever psychological thriller!
The only reason this didn't get 5 stars is because there were certain points in the book where it got a little confused and distracted, I guess that was the nature of the story but I would have enjoyed more clues and suspense!