by Jackson Pearce
June 2010
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
The wolf opened its long jaws. Rows of teeth stretching for her. A thought locked itself in Scarlett's mind: I am the only one left to fight. So now I must kill you.
A few months back I read Sweetly by Jackson Pearce and absolutely loved her twisted retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I was delighted to learn that Sweetly was in fact book two, or at least a companion novel to an earlier book, Sisters Red. Happily, they are definitely companion novels in that they one can be read individually, out of order. But I did learn a lot about the history and methods of the villains that appeared in Sweetly by reading this book, which focuses on a retelling of the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
Scarlett and Rosie March hunt Fenris - werewolves that not only killed their grandmother, but also stole Scarlett's eye when she was a young girl. Using red cloaks, sweet perfume, and their feminine charms, the sisters lure the wolves out before slaying them with hatchets and throwing knives. Scarlett has always lived for the hunt, and ridding the world of one Fenris after another is her passion. But even though Rosie excels at hunting, she doesn't enjoy it, and longs for a different life where her feelings for a young woodsman wouldn't mean betraying Scarlett.
This book's premise had me devouring page after page, eager to delve deeper into the darkness that is a Jackson Pearce fairy tale. I only had one disappointment, and that revolved around the romance. There was a sister that I thought needed a little love in her life and I wasn't thrilled with the way it was resolved . . . Nevertheless, this book is an excellent addition to Pearce's fairy tale collection and I can't wait for more!
For more fairy tale awesomeness check out this list of retellings!
Companion Novels
Sisters Red
Sweetly
Fathomless (TBR September 2012)
No comments:
Post a Comment