The Forest Grimm

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review

“Tell me again, Grandmère, the story of how I die.”

Grimm's Hollow was cursed when someone made a wish for murder on the Sortes Fortunae (Book of Fortunes). Sixty-six people from the village have walked into The Forest Grimm and never returned, The Lost Ones. The first Lost One was Clara's mother and Clara's determined to be picked in this month's Devotion Day. Once a month the village holds The Lottery, once someone turns sixteen their name is written on a piece of paper and put into a goblet, which then is drawn from. If your name is picked, you're allowed to try and enter the Forest to search for the Lost Ones. For three years people have been missing and going missing but the Forest has yet to allow anyone from the lottery to enter. Clara decides to try and rig the system, adding more than one piece of paper of her name but her friend Axel is chosen instead but narrowly misses being killed when the Forest rejects him.

I’ve done the forbidden. Crossed the line without the sanction of the lottery. I don’t turn back.

The Forest Grimm was more story driven than character and the beginning really focuses more on giving you the story about what has been happening in Grimm's Hollow. Even though its all in first person pov from Clara, I still felt we didn't get a strong feeling for her character. We learn that her grandmère is a fortune teller and is scared for Clara as her cards delivered the message that she will die. Constantly thinking she is going to die, Clara kind of develops a personality of living for others and is why she is so willing to sacrifice herself to the Forest to try and save her mother. Eventually, Clara learns that a red cloak made by her mother, will protect her from the Forest and allow her to enter. Figuring out that its the red rampion plant that dyed the cloak red, she shares a scarf with her friend Axel as he joins her in the search.

“Because fate never lies.”

When Clara enters the woods, the story then becomes a mish-mash of altered fairy tales, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, and etc. As Clara, Axel, and her other friend Henni who joins in later, encounter village people that have gone missing, each then represents a fairy tale. It's not a bad concept but none of this ever seems to come together and gel. Clara entered the woods to mainly look for the Book of Fortunes because, even though she's already made her one wish you get, she plans on making a wish that will somehow save the village and her mom. The Book had disappeared and left a cryptic message for how to find it when the unknown person wished for a murder. While the Forest is constantly changing, disorienting them when they wake up, there still didn't seem to be much organized searching for the book, it's more of in sections surviving the fairy tale villagers, Clara constantly saying she has to save her mom, and then a friends-to-boyfriend/girlfriend.

This is the story of how I save my mother. And, as it has been from the beginning, this remains the story of how I die.

This is tagged as YA (Clara is 17 and Axel 19) and I definitely think it fits it, the romance consisted of Clara ogling Axel's looks/chest and longing looks from Axel towards Clara. They have some kisses but it's definitely more in the sweet blush of kid's first romance. There was a decent amount of focus on their relationship, as Axel was engaged to be married but his fiancee became one of the Lost Ones. He's in the woods to search for her but it's obvious that there is more to the story of why he feels the need to search for her and Clara needing to open her eyes.

“Sortes Fortunae, hear my voice,” I say. “Understand my heart and its deepest desire. My name is Clara Thurn, and this is my one wish.”

Eventually, Clara finds the book and her mom and we get a mini little battle scene where suddenly there was shapeshifters and vampires (a ghost is also in the story). Like I said, the concept was there but the elements were jumbled together and the story lacked some cohesiveness. With this being more story driven and the plot needing some more working out, the lack of fully connecting to the characters hurt my enjoyment. The ending does have a continuing the story thread cliffhanger, as the curse on Grimm's Hollow hasn't fully been lifted yet and Clara needs to venture back into the woods. If you won't mind lack of cohesiveness and just want to read some new spins on old classic fairy tales, this would give you that this Fall season.

Another satisfying blend of fantasy and a bit of horror, mixed nicely. Clara is desperate to be chosen at a monthly event that will allow her to cross into the Forest Grimm, so much so that she puts her name in seven times. She's attempted to enter the dark, magical woods before in a desperate hope to find her mother, but failed.
Her grandmother has tried to discourage her and that has been reinforced by the continual choosing of two frightening Tarot cards. Nothing, however, is strong enough to halt her efforts. When she and her friend Axel, manage entry into the woods hoping to find his intended bride and her mother, it's the beginning of a most eerie quest, one that has them encounter numerous lost villagers who have changed in unfathomable ways. This is a literary and very dark version of the old cartoon 'Fractured Fairy Tales,' and is oh, so satisfying.

The best thing I can say about The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie is that it does a good job of recognizing the French and German origins of the most well-known fairy tales. The story itself is good but not great, and there are certain elements that are unnecessary.

I give Ms. Purdie props for her creative take on several fairy tales. To me, they were the best part of The Forest Grimm. Ms. Purdie kept the requisite darkness that makes fairy tales what they are while adding her own spin. They are as grim as I could want, disturbing, and unexpected.

Unfortunately, Clara is too one-dimensional to be an enjoyable heroine. She never grows beyond her mission of saving her mother, and she fails to learn much of anything from her time in the forest. While her motives become less selfish, she remains focused on a single task that is as short-sided as it appears misguided.

To make matters worse, the love story in The Forest Grimm is unnecessary. While sweet in its beginnings, I wonder if it is too innocent for modern readers. Certainly, teen readers have a much greater exposure to sexual content than what Clara and Axel dare to do. Plus, it is utterly predictable and does little to affect the story.

The Forest Grimm suffers from a lack of clear identity. It waffles between fairy tale retellings, a new fantasy series, and a romance. Unfortunately, only the fairy tale portions of the story are interesting. The rest of the novel is too simplistic with characters that never grow beyond their one-dimensionality. The Forest Grimm is not the worst thing I've read, but there are much better retellings, fantasy stories, and romances available if you have a yen to read one.