A Tale Dark and Grimm
by Adam Gidwitz
Fairy tales, Adam Gidwitz, tells us, are boring. That's because all the things that make fairy tales awesome - namely blood and violence - tend to be removed in subsequent retellings. So to put the awesome back in, Gidwitz presents us with the real story of Hansel and Gretel, complete with beheadings, mutilations, and one very vicious dragon. Terribly disturbing, yes, but at least you're being warned. And you'll be rewarded. For what makes the tale utterly original and different are Gidwitz's witty asides that add much levity to the proceedings. He alternately warns, chastises, and criticizes the situations and the characters with aplomb, for a thoroughly entertaining read.
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