Scan barcode
A review by book_concierge
A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
3.0
From the book cover Reader: beware. Warlocks with dark spells, hunters with deadly aim, and bakers with ovens retrofitted for cooking children lurk within these pages. But if you dare, turn the page and learn the true story of Hansel and Gretel – the story behind and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches. Come on in. It may be frightening, it’s certainly bloody, and it’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but unlike those other fairy tales you know, this one is true.
My reaction
What a wild – and disturbingly scary – ride! Gadwitz returns to the original Grimm tales, which were much darker and violent than what we commonly tell our children today, and makes them even scarier, darker, more violent, gory, disgusting, disturbing and nightmare-producing. In fairness, he does frequently include an aside warning that “little kids should be sent to the movies with the babysitter – NOW” before the bloodier more disturbing sections.
Children (and adults) meet horrific injuries and deaths here – beheadings, eviscerations, even cutting one’s own finger off. Parents kill their children. Children murder their parents. As Hansel and Gretel make their way through the book they are tortured, beaten, starved (or fattened), cold, hungry, alone and frightened. There is no one they can trust, as adult after adult betrays them. It is a bleak world, indeed, this kingdom of Grimm. It’s also quite an adventure and the children are brave, steadfast, intelligent, resourceful, courageous and pure.
My library shelves Gadwitz’s books in the YA section, but I know that some consider it appropriate for younger children. I don’t think I would give it to children under age 9, and not even to the more sensitive children under age 12.
My reaction
What a wild – and disturbingly scary – ride! Gadwitz returns to the original Grimm tales, which were much darker and violent than what we commonly tell our children today, and makes them even scarier, darker, more violent, gory, disgusting, disturbing and nightmare-producing. In fairness, he does frequently include an aside warning that “little kids should be sent to the movies with the babysitter – NOW” before the bloodier more disturbing sections.
Children (and adults) meet horrific injuries and deaths here – beheadings, eviscerations, even cutting one’s own finger off. Parents kill their children. Children murder their parents. As Hansel and Gretel make their way through the book they are tortured, beaten, starved (or fattened), cold, hungry, alone and frightened. There is no one they can trust, as adult after adult betrays them. It is a bleak world, indeed, this kingdom of Grimm. It’s also quite an adventure and the children are brave, steadfast, intelligent, resourceful, courageous and pure.
My library shelves Gadwitz’s books in the YA section, but I know that some consider it appropriate for younger children. I don’t think I would give it to children under age 9, and not even to the more sensitive children under age 12.