A Tale Dark and Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz. Dutton Children's Books, 2010.
Don’t tell say you weren’t warned. The narrator of A Tale Dark and Grimm gave you ample opportunity to put the book down, walk away and leave behind the gory, bloody, and horrific tale of Hansel and Gretel that is told in this novel. This book finally tells readers the true story of these fairy tale children, and it isn’t all breadcrumb paths, eating houses and tricking mean witches. Here we learn that Hansel and Gretel are the children of a king that stole his bride, and then beheaded his two children (yes the sweet kids in your favorite tales), only to have them come back to life and run away. Along their journey Hansel and Gretel live with a family whose children turn to sparrows. Ever the responsible children, Hansel and Gretel save them but not before Gretel must cut off her finger to use as a key. The children have many more nasty problems including Hansel becoming a murderous beast, Gretel almost being cooked by a suspiciously kind young man and a trip to hell to steal hair from the Devil. The siblings finally decide to return to their home only to find that the kingdom they knew has been terrorized by a dragon that cannot be slain. The children develop and plan, and just when they think that they have failed they find out the terrible dead that they must to do save their family and kingdom.
Though the reader may think at first that this is yet another modified fairy tale, the interjections by the narrator make for many unexpected twists to this story. The narrator plays the role of advisor and commentator, with abundant sarcastic and snipping remarks that echo exactly what many readers will be thinking. Constant warnings of horrible and bloody scenes only serve to make the reader even more eager to turn the page and see what awaits. Gidwitz’s clever use a story teller for his tale makes this metafictional fairy tale story an excellent book for readers who have thought that they were well beyond fairy tales. The narrator’s direct address of the reader also enhances the telling of the story.
