Reviews

A cute story
Liked how it put the spotlight on how our assumptions about people can be wrong; how much influence our parents have on our opinions and how hard it can be to break free
Ending a little weak and left some lose ends

raki's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

kacireads's review

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

reading_girlmadeofstars's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

mistylane132's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

booksonhermind's review

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adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

There's just something about retellings that I love. I'd never read a retelling based on Hansel and Gretel and far be it to have read a story where the gingerbread witch's assistant was the star of the story. In this original tale, we get all the whimsy of a fairy tale - a gingerbread girl, a talking squirrel, and an epic quest. We get some evil villains that may or may not be so evil and a journey of self-discovery. All great points going toward this book. However, even if the writing was enticing and the characters were fleshed out, the story felt like it was missing something. Almost like it was cut short of its potential.

There were so many characters and friendships to explore that this story could have been longer. Though perhaps it's perfect for readers who want a somewhat shorter read than the usual 320-page middle-grade novel. I discovered that there will be a sequel - The Un-Sleeping Witch - which I wish was alluded to at the end with a cliffhanger of some sort to entice readers to continue. Based solely on this first book it could have used more details and intrigue in the middle section of the storyline.

As a reader who reads for the characters mainly and the plot second, the protagonist Maud, and all the secondary characters were delightful to read about. I enjoyed getting to know this version of Hansel and Gretel as well as Ludo who is a nerd for plants. There was a spark between Hansel and Ludo which was very sweet. I am curious if the same will go for Maud and Gretel in the future. I'd have to see if the second book builds upon the character's personalities in order for me to continue buying the series for my branch.

carjohnsxn's review

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4.0

This was such a quick, fun read. Gave me really cozy vibes and distracted me from my problems for a few hours. So glad I picked it up when I did.

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