A review by the_sunken_library
Gretel and the Dark by Eliza Granville

4.0

At first I found this book a little confusing - it wove between the two tales in a broken, juddering fashion at first. However, as soon as it became apparent they were connected, two tellings of a complicated, more terrifying story, it was a much easier read.

This is a dark narrative, using fairy tales and allegories to explore the Third Reich and it's rise to power. Its about a young girl whose father works in a "zoo for sick people" that turns out to be a concentration camp. How, after his death, she finds herself at the mercy of those who were supposed to protect her, thrown to the wolves, seeking solace amongst the poor Jewish women and children interned in the camp. Finally, you follow her and a young boy's magical escape, as fantasy and reality blur together in a swirling mass.

A clever, well written book for anyone interested in fables and Jewish literature.