Agent: Sarah Burnes, the Gernert Company. Underneath the gore, the wit, and the trips to Hell and back, this book makes it clearer than ever that Gidwitz truly cares about the kids he writes for. Reflecting his love of theory, Gidwitz takes an excursion into metafiction near the end that highlights the power of story, one of two key themes, along with the folly of repressing one’s feelings. Among the sources this time are “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty,” lesser-known tales such as “The Juniper Tree” and “The Boy Who Left Home to Find Fear,” and a few non-Grimm tales. The protagonists are Jorinda and Joringel, who go through hair-raising and stomach-churning travails similar to those of their predecessors, Hansel and Gretel (in A Tale Dark & Grimm) and Jack and Jill (from In a Glass Grimmly) there are even a few cameo appearances by characters from the earlier books. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and Gidwitz deploys his successful formula of bloody happenings and narratorial intrusion in his third and final installment of unexpurgated fairy tales. Adam Gidwitz is the bestselling author of A TALE DARK AND GRIMM, IN A GLASS GRIMMLY, and THE GRIMM CONCLUSION, as well as THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK: SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEDI, Newbery Honored novel, THE INQUISITOR’S TALE, and brand new series, THE UNICORN RESCUE SOCIETY.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |