A review by kimmiesaurus
Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold

dark hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

This book is a retelling of Red Riding hood in that it involves a grandma, a granddaughter, and wolves who hunt. Beyond that, the story functions relatively independently of the classic fairy tale. The story is set in modern times and follows Bisou as she attends high school. As she reaches her time of the month, she notices she is more in tune with her senses and encounters odd happenings around the town. 

I liked this book well enough, but found the writing to be a bit cumbersome and repetitive. The wolves are a thinly veiled metaphor for the monsters people are in the real world. I don't think this detracts from the story, and it is meant to be fairly on the nose. It just means the book itself is not very complicated. We do see some character development between the friend group, but this relies mostly on plot and on the social statement it is making. The story was fairly predictable throughout and I was able to finish the book in less than a day. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings