Kelly Braffet
Houghton Mifflin Company
2005
Ms. Hen picked this book up at a Little Free Library near where she lives. She read on the book that it is a reimagining of HANSEL AND GRETEL, and Ms. Hen loves fairy tale rewrites. She doesn't know how close it is to that fairy tale, but this book weaves its own rendering.
This novel is about Josie and Jack, who are brother and sister, and live in a big house with their father Raeburn, a college professor, and he is not home that much because the college where he teaches is far away. He leaves his children alone most of the time, and they do not go to school, because they are homeschooled. At one time their family was wealthy. They are mysterious in the town, and everyone wants to know what really goes on with them.
Raeburn is abusive to them, and the siblings drink a lot together. They are dysfunctional, and they only have each other. Their mother died when they were young. Jack leaves, and Josie is depressed without him. He comes back for her, and they run away together. Jack is charming and women love him, and he takes advantage of that. They end up in New York City.
Ms. Hen enjoyed this book, but it took her some time to get into it. It's creepy, and a lot is not said. A question hangs over this novel, and the question is not answered. Subtext is something that is not said, and it makes the reader keep reading.
This novel is unsettling, but it works. Ms. Hen wonders if the novel would be different if the question was resolved. Josie and Jack are not good people, and it made Ms. Hen keep reading because she needed to know the outcome.
Ms. Hen doesn't think this is very similar to HANSEL AND GRETEL, but the brother and sister run away together. Ms. Hen doesn't imagine the original fairy tale would end up like this one. Ms. Hen says that this book is strange, but worth it, if you don't mind being disgusted. Ms. Hen is a hen who likes twisted things sometimes, if she's in the right mood.
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