Hello hello and welcome or welcome back to my little bookish corner of the internet. Today I’m sharing my review of The Sisters Grimm, which I finally got around to reading. I listened to it as an audiobook as most of my books are packed up now ready for the move, and unfortunately the beautiful cover didn’t quite make up for everything the insides lacked.
Synopsis
Once upon a time, a demon who desired earthly domination fathered an army of dark daughters to help him corrupt humanity . . .
As children, Goldie, Liyana, Scarlet, and Bea dreamed of a strange otherworld: a nightscape of mists and fog, perpetually falling leaves and hungry ivy, lit by an unwavering moon. Here, in this shadowland of Everwhere, the four girls, half-sisters connected by blood and magic, began to nurture their elemental powers together. But at thirteen, the sisters were ripped from Everwhere and separated. Now, five years later, they search for one another and yearn to rediscover their unique and supernatural strengths. Goldie (earth) manipulates plants and gives life. Liyana (water) controls rivers and rain. Scarlet (fire) has electricity at her fingertips. Bea (air) can fly.
To realize their full potential, the blood sisters must return to the land of their childhood dreams. But Everwhere can only be accessed through certain gates at 3:33 A.M. on the night of a new moon. As Goldie, Liyana, Scarlet, and Bea are beset with the challenges of their earthly lives, they must prepare for a battle that lies ahead. On their eighteenth birthday, they will be subjected to a gladiatorial fight with their father’s soldiers. If they survive, they will face their father who will let them live only if they turn dark. Which would be fair, if only the sisters knew what was coming.
So, they have thirty-three days to discover who they truly are and what they can truly do, before they must fight to save themselves and those they love.
Review
As I said, unfortunately my high expectations and this beautiful cover didn’t compensate for what was missing from this story. There was so much about the idea of this book I was excited for. When I first bought it, I tried to read it on more than one occassion, and couldn’t get on with it. As an audiobook, I did finish it, but it was somewhat disappointing.
The book is told from various perspectives, including the four girls, one of their boyfriends, and a perspective that is suggested to be the reader, which is a unique and interesting point of view on the story. Between all of these, we gather parts of the story, allowing for the picture to form.
However, there are holes in the plot, and there were certainly holes in my enjoyment. I think that while the intentions were good – that of producing a complex, multilayed fantasy that allowed the reader to get lost in a world of good and evil – there were flaws that didn’t allow for it to be as all immersing as it would have needed to be to be successful.
As well as different points of view, it’s told in a decreasing timeline, counting down to the night the girls will turn 18 to cross into Everywhere. Along with that, we also get flash backs to around a decade ago, again counting down, from when the girls used to visit but have forgotten. Again, this was another part that I liked in theory, but when all these different points of view and time were put together, it became somewhat overwhelming to keep on top of.
I think if you have the time and brain power to dedicate to a book that has multiple trains of thought, some of which even it isn’t completely sure of, then you might enjoy this, but having finished this I have to say there is a lot to be said for picking to not finish a book if you aren’t loving it.
Thanks for stopping by today; even if this wasn’t a hugely positive review, I hope it was informative! I’d love to hear your thoughts if you decided to read the book, or if there’s been anything recently you’ve had a particularly passionate reaction to.
And On She Reads 