Book Review

*Shudder* Gretel is a chilling retelling of fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel. And it is definitley more “Grimm” than “Mother Goose”.

I really adore fairy tale retellings, especially in the Horror genre. As if Hansel and Gretel wasn’t scary enough, Christopher Coleman’s Gretel, is a thing of nightmares!

Gretel: Book One (Release Date: October 31, 2015)

Alone. Frightened. Captive. If you hear someone approaching, RUN. She is not there to help you.

There is an ancient evil in the Back Country, dormant for centuries but now hungry and lurking. When it sets its sights on an unsuspecting mother one routine morning along an isolated stretch of highway, a quiet farming family is suddenly thrust into a world of unspeakable terror, and a young girl must learn to be a hero.

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My Thoughts…

What a wonderfully atmospheric story! Gretel is truly one of those books that relies on excellent writing to create its mysterious and scary tone. In this case, the author creates the mood almost instantly and maintains it throughout the story. Seriously, it’s a wonder anyone goes camping in the woods anymore. After reading this one, I’m thinking a beach holiday this summer.

Anyway, some of the key elements of the original fable are present; An old woman living in a creepy house in the woods, siblings named Hansel and Gretel, and cannibalism. The rest of the story is unique. For starters, it’s the children’s mother who gets lost in the woods, after a freak car accident. There is also an unspeakable and ancient evil, driving the villain(s). Something that runs deep in the bloodline of our hero, Gretel. A very unexpected connection indeed.

Additionally, I really enjoyed the timeline in which Gretel takes place. It seems very old-fashioned while also having modern elements, so it is impossible to tell when or where this story takes place and I found that to be an interesting dimension to the story.

As a whole, the writing is fantastic, the characters are interesting and the story is appropriately terrifying. At the risk of repeating myself, the original Hansel and Gretel is pretty dark, so imagine how much scarier this horror must be. I really enjoyed it and since it was released a couple of years ago, the next few installments have been released already (Sweet!), so I can continue reading right away. I heartily recommend you do the same.

Rating… A

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