Girl in the Red Hood by Brittany Fichter
Fantasy. 226 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
After her father moves the family to a village deep in a sunless forest, Liesel is bitten by a wolf, and unbeknownst to her, marked for a terrifying destiny. Befriended by a mysterious boy in the woods soon after, however, Liesel finds herself falling in love with the one person in the world who can save her from that awful end or doom her to it. In this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Liesel must decide whether to accept her fate for the sake of those she loves, or fight for the freedom to choose her own way.
This book is a stand-alone novel, part of the Classical Kingdom Collection, a set of fairy tale retellings. This book comes after the Becoming Beauty Trilogy.
My Review:
Again, Mrs. Fichter has managed to take a tale I’ve never been terribly fond of and turned it into a story that puts me on the edge of my seat. This is the fourth book in the Classical Kingdoms series, a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.
The elements of the Little Red Riding Hood tale were presented in a very intriguing way. I liked the nods to the classic tale as each one kind of popped up at the appropriate time. Some were pretty subtle, but I kind of think that’s what makes it fun. The plot of the story itself was intriguing and certainly captivating. There was more mystery in this story than perhaps in previous ones in the series. Fichter wrote a puzzle for the readers to sort out and solve, which I enjoyed.
The characters drew me in as much as the story did in this one. Kurt melted my heart. I really, really liked getting to see him and Liesel grow together as children. That childhood bond of friendship was unique and a lot of fun to read. Johan was another favorite of mine. Maybe I just like the dark, brooding characters in general. XD I thought his resolution was a little quick, not unenjoyable, but convenient and quick. I thought the bond between Liesel and her grandparents was precious! I kind of wanted to spend more time with them and see more of her grandfather, especially. I wanted to unravel him and see more of how he reacted in different situations. Her parents were also a unique addition to the story, I thought. And, sadly, I thought Liesel’s struggle with her father was very adeptly portrayed.
The setting was a huge part of this book. Though I don’t think I ever figured out what kingdom we were in exactly–I know of three in which we were not–I never felt at a loss for where I was or what my world encompassed. Fichter’s world in this story was very vivid. Her imagery painted clear pictures in my mind as I read. I liked the little bit of variety between the three main settings we rested in, though admittedly, the vineyard piqued my interest the most. The contrast between light and dark was physical in this setting, and just as invigorating as the metaphorical contrast.
Well-written, wonderfully woven tale, as I have come to expect from Fichter. No foul language, mild violence–even the potentially graphic scenes were toned down. She’s good at getting her point across without gory details, which I appreciate. And a sweet, simmering romance that shows us what true love is–sacrifice, letting go the ones you love, choosing what’s best for them in spite of your own desires.
The story was bittersweet in a lot of ways, a story about loss and a story about hope even in the darkest of places and direst of circumstances. There was much reality that shone through, which I find draws me to Fichter’s work. She weaves tales in such a unique and individual way. It keeps me coming back for more!
More:
Book 0.5 (a novella) in the Classical Kingdoms series is The Green-Eyed Prince (4 Stars)
Book 1 is Before Beauty (5 Stars)
Book 2 is Blinding Beauty (5 Stars)
Book 3 is Beauty Beheld (5 Stars)
Book 5 is Silent Mermaid (5 Stars)
Book 6 is Cinders, Stars, and Glass Slippers (5 Stars)
Book 7 is A Curse of Gems (5 Stars)
Book 8 is Neverland Falling (5 Stars)
Book 9 is Breaking Neverland (5 Stars)
Book 10 is The Sentinel’s Song (4 Stars)
Book 11 is The Seven Years Princess (5 Stars)
I have read and rated the above on Goodreads. Check out the links for more info.
The Becoming Beauty trilogy should be read in order; however, the others are technically standalones. That said, I’d still read them in order since there is some crossover between characters.
Here is a picture of the reading order as posted by the author:
On Gracebought:
If you missed it, be sure to check out the reviews for the previous books in the series here on GraceBought! And stay tuned next week for my thoughts on the next book!
The Green-Eyed Prince, Before Beauty, Blinding Beauty, and Beauty Beheld