illegible_scribble
7/27/2014
An interesting blend of Jewish lore, fairytale and historical events
This fantasy/horror novella is an ambitious mashup of one of Grimm's fairytales with a couple of real-world tragedies and a large seasoning of Yiddish tradition and folklore.
Does it succeed in living up to its ambition? Clearly, based on its Nebula nomination and some of the Amazon reviews, it works well for a lot of people.
However, the story did not really "speak" to me for a number of reasons: I'm not big on horror, I prefer science-fiction to a lot of fantasy, and my knowledge of Jewish customs and folklore is so scant as to be nonexistent.
I guess I also felt it was more sheer narrative and less character development -- which is always a big plus for me. If I don't feel that I get to know the characters, it is a lot harder for me to care about what happens to them.
I wouldn't rave about this novella, but I did still find it worth reading.
This story can be read for free on Tor.com here